Carl Hammarskjold
Partner
Carl Hammarskjold is a partner in Berman Tabacco’s San Francisco office where he represents class plaintiffs in antitrust actions. He is dedicated to prosecuting companies that illegally conspire to fix and raise prices.
Carl is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®. He was recognized as a Recommended Attorney in Antitrust by The Legal 500 in the U.S. edition in 2023 and 2024. He was also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023) and in Northern California Best Lawyers under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023). He was also selected by Northern California Super Lawyers as a Super Lawyer (2023-2024) and was previously selected as a Rising Star (2016-2021).
Before joining Berman Tabacco in April 2018, Carl practiced at a San Francisco-based plaintiffs’ firm specializing in antitrust class actions and other complex, multidistrict litigation in federal court. He was also a business litigator at a large, national law firm.
During law school, Carl served as an extern for the Honorable William H. Alsup at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Before becoming a lawyer, Carl sold out-of-print and rare books. He managed an independent bookstore in San Francisco and owned a community bookshop in Mendocino County.
Experience
- Represents the firm’s client and class plaintiffs in a nationwide antitrust class action on behalf of direct purchasers of lithium ion rechargeable batteries that resulted in settlements totaling $139.3 million. In re Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litigation, No. 13-md-02420-YGR (N.D. Cal.).
- Represents the firm’s clients and class plaintiffs in several financial market manipulation and antitrust class actions on behalf of investors alleging that major banks colluded to fix the prices of bonds and derivatives. These cases include In re Mexican Government Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 18-cv-02830 (S.D.N.Y), Euribor (Sullivan v. Barclays PLC, et al., No. 13-cv-2811 (S.D.N.Y.)), Yen Libor/Euroyen Tibor (Laydon v. Mizuho Bank, LTD., et al., No. 12-cv-3419 (S.D.N.Y.) and Sonterra Capital Master Fund, LTD. v. UBS AG, et al., No. 15-cv-5844 (S.D.N.Y.)), In re GSE Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 19-cv-01704 (S.D.N.Y.), and Australian Dollar (Dennis, et al. v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., et al., No. 16-cv-06496 (S.D.N.Y)).
- With a prior firm, represented class plaintiffs in a nationwide antitrust class action on behalf of purchasers of containerboard. Kleen Products, LLC, et al. v. Packaging Corp. of America, et al., No. 10-cv-05711 (N.D. Ill.).
- With a prior firm, represented plaintiff in a nationwide class action on behalf of recording artists and producers regarding royalties for digital downloads. Bozzio v. EMI Group Limited et al., No. 12-cv-02421-YGR (N.D. Cal.). Appellate work resulted in a published Ninth Circuit opinion reversing the district court’s dismissal of the client’s complaint.
Publications, Presentations & Appearances
- Smokes, Candy, and the Bloody Sword: How Classifying Jailhouse Snitch Testimony as Direct, Rather than Circumstantial, Evidence Contributes to Wrongful Convictions, 45 U.S.F. L. REV. 1103 (2011)
Carl Hammarskjold is a partner in Berman Tabacco’s San Francisco office where he represents class plaintiffs in antitrust actions. He is dedicated to prosecuting companies that illegally conspire to fix and raise prices.
Carl is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®. He was recognized as a Recommended Attorney in Antitrust by The Legal 500 in the U.S. edition in 2023 and 2024. He was also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023) and in Northern California Best Lawyers under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023). He was also selected by Northern California Super Lawyers as a Super Lawyer (2023-2024) and was previously selected as a Rising Star (2016-2021).
Before joining Berman Tabacco in April 2018, Carl practiced at a San Francisco-based plaintiffs’ firm specializing in antitrust class actions and other complex, multidistrict litigation in federal court. He was also a business litigator at a large, national law firm.
During law school, Carl served as an extern for the Honorable William H. Alsup at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Before becoming a lawyer, Carl sold out-of-print and rare books. He managed an independent bookstore in San Francisco and owned a community bookshop in Mendocino County.
Education
- University of San Francisco School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 2011)
- Pomona College (B.A., American Studies, 1989)
Experience
- Represents the firm’s client and class plaintiffs in a nationwide antitrust class action on behalf of direct purchasers of lithium ion rechargeable batteries that resulted in settlements totaling $139.3 million. In re Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litigation, No. 13-md-02420-YGR (N.D. Cal.).
- Represents the firm’s clients and class plaintiffs in several financial market manipulation and antitrust class actions on behalf of investors alleging that major banks colluded to fix the prices of bonds and derivatives. These cases include In re Mexican Government Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 18-cv-02830 (S.D.N.Y), Euribor (Sullivan v. Barclays PLC, et al., No. 13-cv-2811 (S.D.N.Y.)), Yen Libor/Euroyen Tibor (Laydon v. Mizuho Bank, LTD., et al., No. 12-cv-3419 (S.D.N.Y.) and Sonterra Capital Master Fund, LTD. v. UBS AG, et al., No. 15-cv-5844 (S.D.N.Y.)), In re GSE Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 19-cv-01704 (S.D.N.Y.), and Australian Dollar (Dennis, et al. v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., et al., No. 16-cv-06496 (S.D.N.Y)).
- With a prior firm, represented class plaintiffs in a nationwide antitrust class action on behalf of purchasers of containerboard. Kleen Products, LLC, et al. v. Packaging Corp. of America, et al., No. 10-cv-05711 (N.D. Ill.).
- With a prior firm, represented plaintiff in a nationwide class action on behalf of recording artists and producers regarding royalties for digital downloads. Bozzio v. EMI Group Limited et al., No. 12-cv-02421-YGR (N.D. Cal.). Appellate work resulted in a published Ninth Circuit opinion reversing the district court’s dismissal of the client’s complaint.
Honors & Distinctions
- Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023)
- Recognized in Northern California Best Lawyers under Ones To Watch for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (2021-2023)
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney in Antitrust by The Legal 500 (U.S. edition 2023-2024)
- Recognized by Northern California Super Lawyers as a Super Lawyer (2023-2024)
- Named a Rising Star by Northern California Super Lawyers (2016-2021)
At USF School of Law:
- Graduated number one in the class
- Academic Excellence Award for Extraordinary Contribution to the Intellectual Life of the School
- John L. Brennan Award for Creativity and Innovation in Advocacy
- Law Review Best Student Note Award
- Public Interest Law Program Certificate with Honors
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- Second Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals
Affiliations
- Antitrust and Business Regulation Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Executive Committee member
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court
Publications, Presentations & Appearances
- Smokes, Candy, and the Bloody Sword: How Classifying Jailhouse Snitch Testimony as Direct, Rather than Circumstantial, Evidence Contributes to Wrongful Convictions, 45 U.S.F. L. REV. 1103 (2011)