More than eight years ago, Michael Nemelka of Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick got a call from an automotive software company alleging industry tech giant CDK Global conspired with its main rival, The Reynolds and Reynolds Company, to eliminate competition from independent data integrators. This week, on the eve of trial, Nemelka and partners Derek Ho and Dan Dorris helped a class of vendors reach a $630 million antitrust settlement with CDK over claims the company conspired to limit access to dealership management systems. That number, reached after Kellogg Hansen launched an investigation of the industry that had no government parallel, was more than $140 more than the alleged overcharges by both CDK and Reynolds. The proposed settlement is subject to approval by U.S. District Chief Judge James Peterson in Madison, Wisconsin, who has been overseeing the litigation.

Litigation Daily: Who were your clients and what was at stake here?