Youngblood, Stephen

Stephen A. Youngblood is a Senior Associate in the Litigation Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

Full Bio

Mr. Youngblood represents clients in litigation matters. His practice focuses on civil and criminal antitrust.

Mr. Youngblood received his B.A., with Honors, in Philosophy with the minor in Astronomy from Swarthmore College in 2012. He earned his J.D. from Duke University School of Law, Magna Cum Laude in 2016. After law school, Mr. Youngblood served two years as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Louise W. Flanagan in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The bulk of Mr. Youngblood’s practice consists of defending complex, multi-billion dollar antitrust class actions and criminal investigations or prosecutions conducted by the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. Additionally, Mr. Youngblood has represented or advised clients in matters involving contract, dealer-termination issues, and suspension and debarment. Mr. Youngblood has represented clients, pro bono, in landlord-tenant disputes.
Representative Experience
- Represents Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc., and its affiliates defending three class actions and over 80 opt-out direct actions alleging supply-reduction, market-manipulation, and bid-rigging conspiracies in the market for broiler chicken. In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 1:16-cv-8637 (N.D. Ill.). The plaintiffs in Broiler Chicken seek billions of dollars in damages for alleged violations of the Sherman Act, state and federal RICO, and related state laws. Victories to date include obtaining dismissal against three sovereign plaintiffs and settling all three class actions for a small fraction of damages alleged. In a series of related wage-fixing class actions, SGR and Mr. Youngblood successfully obtained dismissal before any discovery commenced. Jien, et al. v. Perdue Farms, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:19-cv-2521-ELH (D. Md.).
- Represented a nationwide construction materials manufacturer in a bid-rigging, fraud, and conspiracy investigation and prosecution conducted by the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
- Represented a non-profit “pass-through entity” charged with distributing funds under a federal grant for treatment of rare blood diseases in connection with third-party discovery compliance. Mr. Youngblood successfully obtained reimbursement for cost imposed by the subpoena.
- Advised a heavy-equipment dealer regarding its rights under the Georgia Multiline Heavy Equipment Dealer Act in connection with winding up its relationship with a supplier. As part of that wind up, the supplier ultimately agreed to repurchase unsold equipment remaining in the client’s inventory.
- Successfully represented a major food manufacturer in litigation and mediation seeking damages against a supplier for breach of contract based on delivery of contaminated product.
Bar Admissions

Georgia
Education
Undergraduate
- Swarthmore College
Law School
- Duke University
Memberships

American Bar Association, Antitrust Section
State Bar of Georgia, Antitrust Section
Recognitions

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Commercial Litigation, Atlanta (2023)
Duke University School of Law, Regulatory Law Award
Duke University School of Law, Dean’s Award (Administrative Law, Antitrust)
SGR Publications
- What Is Monopolization Anyway? (And How To Know It When You See It)
- SCOTUS: Prosecutors Must Prove “Subjective” Knowledge to Convict Doctors Under the Controlled Substances Act
Press
- 23 SGR Attorneys Named to 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
- Eighteen SGR Attorneys Named to 2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America