Trenchard, Robert W.

Robert W. Trenchard is a partner in the firm's Litigation/Controversy, Securities and Regulatory and Government Affairs Departments, and a member of the Derivatives and Futures, Business Trial and Antitrust Practice Groups. He is also the chair of WilmerHale’s E-Discovery Committee, co-chair of the Firm's Senior Associate Committee and a member of its Complex Case Advisory Group. He joined the firm in 2003.

Practice

Mr. Trenchard has maintained a litigation practice in New York for the past eighteen years, where he has litigated complex civil and regulatory matters in federal and state courts and before regulatory agencies, including domestic and international contract disputes, antitrust matters, bankruptcy matters, securities and commodities law and regulation issues, patent matters, insurance matters, torts and telecommunications issues.

Mr. Trenchard has represented corporate and individual clients in high-profile government investigations, international arbitrations and civil litigation. He has many years of experience in representing clients in commodities manipulation and fraud investigations by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission ( CFTC). He has also actively litigated cases against the CFTC and has extensive experience in civil litigation arising under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Highlights

• While at another law firm, Mr. Trenchard represented Sumitomo Corporation in one of the largest market manipulation CFTC investigations in history, and in related civil class and individual actions brought under the CEA, antitrust statutes and the common law.
• In 2011, Mr. Trenchard tried a federal bankruptcy action on behalf of a US federal government agency.
• Mr. Trenchard represents a Delaware limited partnership in the oil and gas business in putative derivative and direct actions involving matters of corporate governance in Delaware and New York State Court. Mr. Trenchard recently tried claims in New York State Court in this matter.
• Mr. Trenchard represents a major international financial institution in a putative securities law class action arising out of the global economic collapse.
• Mr. Trenchard represented a commodity options brokerage firm in litigation against the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 
• Mr. Trenchard represented a major investment bank in civil litigation arising out of the high-profile collapse of a hedge fund in 2007.
• Mr. Trenchard represents certain firms involved in several high-profile investigations of specialist trading practices at the New York Stock Exchange and related civil litigation.
• Mr. Trenchard represents a major national insurance carrier in a complex multidistrict action arising out of the New York Attorney General’s investigation of contingent commission payments in the insurance industry.
• Mr. Trenchard was involved in a two-week trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York involving sanctions sought in connection with a former government lawyer's alleged theft of confidential law enforcement information.
• Mr. Trenchard has participated in a two-week trial before the London Court of International Arbitration on behalf of a major international advertising firm.
• Mr. Trenchard represents two biotechnology companies in interference proceedings before the US Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.

Speaking Engagements

In 2010 and 2011, Mr. Trenchard participated in multiple panels and CLE presentations concerning electronic discovery and review.

In 2008, Mr. Trenchard was a guest lecturer on corporate governance at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. On September 6, 2007, he taught the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) teleconference, "E-Discovery in Antitrust Lawsuits and FTC/DOJ Investigations."

Professional Activities

Mr. Trenchard is the chair of the ABA's Civil Litigation subcommittee for International Litigation. He is also a member of the Association of the Bar of the City Of New York’s Antitrust Committee, the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar’s Antitrust Committee, the Lexis/Nexis Advisory Board and the Sedona Conference working group on E-Discovery.