Carla J. Baumel

Carla Baumel is a trial lawyer who focuses on high-stakes intellectual property disputes, antitrust matters, government investigations, and complex commercial litigation. She represents clients in matters involving sophisticated legal, technical, and economic issues, with experience spanning life sciences, high technology, mechanical arts, healthcare, pharmaceutical, agriculture, and aviation industries. Whether litigating antitrust claims, intellectual property disputes, or government enforcement actions, Carla excels at distilling complex factual and technical issues into persuasive courtroom advocacy.

With a background in biology and registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Carla brings particular depth to matters involving innovation-driven sectors. Her experience includes Hatch-Waxman litigation, international patent enforcement campaigns, Walker Process antitrust claims, and disputes requiring the presentation of complex scientific, technical, and economic evidence. She regularly works with technical experts, economists, business leaders, and regulators to develop litigation strategies and communicate sophisticated concepts clearly and effectively to courts, juries, and decision-makers.

Carla’s litigation perspective is informed by her experience  across multiple government enforcement roles. As an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota, she investigated and prosecuted complex matters involving organized crime, racketeering conspiracies, narcotics trafficking, violent crime, and offenses involving emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. She served as lead prosecutor in multiple multi-defendant RICO trials and handled all phases of federal criminal litigation, from investigation and charging through trial and appeal.

Before joining Robins Kaplan, Carla served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Colorado Department of Law’s Antitrust Unit, where she represented the State of Colorado in significant competition matters involving high technology, healthcare, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and aviation markets. Her work included complex multidistrict litigation, merger investigations, and coordinated multistate enforcement actions, including landmark litigation challenging Google’s search monopoly. Through these experiences, Carla gained firsthand insight into how enforcement agencies investigate potential violations, evaluate evidence, and litigate complex cases.

Before entering public service, Carla represented clients in high-stakes intellectual property and commercial litigation at leading national law firms. Her experience includes defending a $300 million Walker Process antitrust case through trial, managing complex technology disputes involving telecommunications and software, and advising clients on patent enforcement strategy and international intellectual property investigations.

Carla combines trial experience, technical fluency, and direct government enforcement experience to help clients navigate their most significant disputes. She focuses on developing compelling case themes, mastering complex factual records, and crafting practical litigation strategies that advance her clients’ business objectives—whether in court, before government agencies, or during high-stakes commercial disputes.

Education

• University of Minnesota Law School, concentration in Intellectual Property and Technology Law, magna cum laude; Order of the Coif; Dean’s List (2012); Minn. Law Review, Vol. 99 (Executive Editor), Vol. 98 (Staff)

• University of Wisconsin—Madison, B.S. in Biology and Spanish, Phi Beta Kapa; Dean’s List (2010)

Languages

Representative Matters

Served as a lead prosecutor in federal RICO conspiracy trials spanning four months in the District of Minnesota involving the “Highs” criminal enterprise. With public safety and accountability for violent organized crime at stake, Carla prosecuted charges including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and related violent offenses. Secured jury convictions against more than a dozen defendants on major charges. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Member of the trial team defending a $300 million Walker Process antitrust action involving a mechanical card-shuffling patent portfolio. With substantial damages exposure and patent-enforcement rights at stake, Carla helped to defend claims alleging fraudulent procurement and enforcement of patents in violation of the Sherman Act. The case proceeded through trial and post-trial proceedings. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented a generic drug manufacturer in high-stakes Hatch-Waxman patent litigation relating to a blockbuster chemotherapy drug. With generic market entry and significant commercial interests at stake, Carla helped defend against patent infringement claims involving complex issues of claim construction, prosecution history estoppel, and the doctrine of equivalents. The matter proceeded through appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, addressing significant questions of patent law with implications for pharmaceutical patent litigation. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented the State of Colorado as a lead plaintiff state in landmark antitrust litigation challenging Google’s exclusive distribution agreements and default search practices in the general online search market. With competition in online search and search advertising at stake, Carla helped litigate claims that Google unlawfully maintained monopoly power. The litigation resulted in a liability ruling finding that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, and a remedies order imposing reforms aimed at restoring competition. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented the State of Colorado in multistate antitrust litigation challenging Google’s conduct in Android app distribution and in-app payment processing through the Google Play Store. With mobile-app marketplace competition and consumer access to lower-cost alternatives at stake, Carla helped prosecute claims brought by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general. The matter resolved through a $700 million settlement and business-practice reforms. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented the State of Colorado in competition-related investigations and regulatory proceedings involving healthcare and aviation markets, including merger investigations into hospital systems, long term acute care facilities, and low-budget airlines. With market structure and consumer welfare at stake, Carla coordinated with federal and multistate partners on discovery, economic analyses, and negotiated resolutions. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented the State of Colorado in a multistate antitrust enforcement action brought alongside the Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general challenging alleged exclusionary “loyalty” programs used by leading agricultural chemical manufacturers. With competition in crop protection markets and farmers’ access to lower-cost generic pesticides at stake, Carla helped prosecute claims that the alleged distribution practices unlawfully foreclosed generic competition and inflated prices. The litigation seeks to restore competition by enjoining the challenged practices and opening agricultural markets to lower-cost alternatives. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Represented a telecommunications provider in patent litigation involving Wi-Fi routers, access points, chip technology, source code, and confidential technical information. With infringement exposure and sensitive third-party technology at stake, Carla helped develop defense strategy, coordinate fact investigation, and address discovery disputes involving highly confidential technical materials. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Coordinated an international pre-suit investigation involving a patent portfolio concerning food processing technology and mechanical arts. With potential enforcement strategy and cross-border intellectual property rights at stake, Carla helped evaluate technical facts, patent positions, and litigation risk before suit. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Served as first-chair trial prosecutor in a federal jury trial alleging violent assault offenses committed in Indian Country. Investigated and prosecuted charges arising under the Major Crimes Act, working closely with federal law enforcement, tribal authorities, and victim-witness personnel. Secured a jury conviction on two felony assault counts following trial. Carla successfully defended this conviction on appeal. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.) See United States v. Isham, 171 F.4th 1076 (8th Cir. 2026).

Served as second-chair trial prosecutor in a federal jury trial involving a member of the Bloods street gang charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. With public safety and enforcement of federal firearms laws at stake, Carla presented evidence establishing the defendant’s unlawful possession of the firearm despite contested factual issues. Secured a guilty verdict following trial. Affirmed on appeal. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.) See United States v. Tyus, 167 F.4th 1008, 1011 (8th Cir. 2026).

Prosecuted a federal fentanyl-trafficking case charging attempted possession with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of fentanyl. Secured a guilty plea and a 150-month federal sentence. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Prosecuted a federal money laundering and cocaine-trafficking case involving cartel-sourced narcotics and state-wide distribution scheme. With several real properties, nearly $1 million in forfeited assets, and several kilos of cocaine at stake, Carla helped secure charges for more than a dozen defendants alongside a multi-agency team created to combat transnational organized crime, drug cartels, and foreign gangs. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

Assisted in preparing an amicus curiae brief on behalf of a trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of generic and biosimilar prescription drugs before the U.S. Supreme Court in Helsinn Healthcare S.A. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. The case addressed the scope of the America Invents Act’s “on-sale bar” and its impact on pharmaceutical patent validity and generic drug competition. (Prior to joining Robins Kaplan LLP.)

• Listed in “500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers,” Lawdragon (2026)
• National Association of Attorneys General Antitrust Task Force Writing Award (2022)
• American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section Young Lawyer Representative (2023)
• International Intellectual Property Law Book Award (2015)
• University of Minnesota Law School Dean’s Distinguished Scholar (2013-2015)
• State of Wisconsin Academic Excellence Merit Scholar (2010)

Civic

• University of Minnesota Law School, Adjunct Professor (2024-present)
• Wayzata Public Schools Special Education Student Advisory Committee, Member (2025-present)
• Denver Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Volunteer (2021-2023)
• Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic, Volunteer (2014)
• University of Minnesota Immigration Clinic, Volunteer (2012)

Professional

• Federal Bar Association

Articles

• Carla J. Virlee, Offenders in the Community: Reshaping Sentencing and Supervision, 99 Minn. L. Rev. 1615 (2015).
• Contributor, Public Comments of the Colorado and Nebraska Attorneys General in Response to the Request for Information on Merger Enforcement (April 21, 2022), available at https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2022/04/CO-and-NE-Comments-on-Merger-Enforcement.pdf.
• Contributor, Complex Litigation Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Editors in Chief Harry J. Roper & Douglas R. Dalgleish, Demonstrative Aids at Trial, Arlington, VA: Bloomberg BNA, 2017.

Media Mentions

• "The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers," Lawdragon (July 10, 2026)
• "4 Attys Leave DOJ To Join Robins Kaplan In Minnesota," Law360 (June 26, 2026)
• "Robins Kaplan Adds Four Former DOJ Attorneys," Bloomberg Law (June 26, 2026)
• "Robins Kaplan Expands Fraud, Investigations & Recovery Capabilities with Addition of Four Former DOJ Attorneys," Global Legal Chronicle (June 29, 2026)
• “AI-generated images depicting child sexual abuse turning up in more Minnesota criminal cases,” The Minnesota Star Tribune (September 15, 2025)
• “‘Generations’ of vulnerable kids lured to join violent ranks of Minneapolis gangs, feds say,” The Minnesota Star Tribune (September 2, 2025)
• “RICO trials shed light on how Minneapolis street gangs operate,” KARE 11 (July 25, 2025)
• “Jury convicts Minneapolis Highs gang members in final major racketeering trial,” The Minnesota Star Tribune (July 22, 2025)