Antitrust
Trio of Big Law Firms Hire Antitrust Partners as Demand Grows
NewsThree top U.S. law firms, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and Latham & Watkins, announced Monday they hired antitrust partners, signaling growing demand as regulators more closely scrutinize potential anticompetitive behavior.
Anthem Agrees to Pay $594M to Settle Antitrust Litigation
NewsThe settlement, struck last fall and awaiting final approval in an Alabama federal court, resolves lawsuits filed in 2012 by insurance customers alleging the Chicago-based Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and the nation’s 36 Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurers violated antitrust laws through practices that limited competition and caused higher prices.
‘Gorilla’ Google Hit with Third Lawsuit as U.S. States Sue Over Search Dominance
NewsGoogle faced its third major lawsuit in two months on Thursday as 38 U.S. states and territories accused the $1 trillion company of abusing its market power to try to make its search engine as dominant inside cars, TVs and speakers as it is in phones.
Texas Hiring Two Law Firms for Google Probe Team
NewsThe Texas attorney general’s office has named The Lanier Law Firm and the law firm Keller Lenkner to the litigation team that would face off against Alphabet’s Google in an expected antitrust lawsuit.
DOJ Sues to Block Visa Acquisition of Fintech Startup Plaid
NewsThe federal government is suing to block Visa’s $5.3 billion acquisition of fintech startup Plaid, alleging the merger violates antitrust laws.
U.S. Says Google Breakup May be Needed to End Violations of Antitrust Law
NewsThe U.S. sued Google on Tuesday, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market muscle to hobble rivals in the biggest challenge to the power and influence of Big Tech in decades.
Pilgrim’s Announces Agreement with DOJ Antitrust Division
NewsPilgrim’s Pride Corporation has entered into a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division in respect to its investigation into the sales of broiler chicken products in the US.
HP Wins $439 Million As Judge Triples Jury Price-Fix Award
News
Sony, Panasonic and some other disk-drive makers settled with HP over the past decade. Only Taiwan-based Quanta chose to go to trial.
Former Bumble Bee Tuna CEO Found Guilty of Price Fixing
News
Prosecutors alleged that he conspired with colleagues and executives at rival companies on a “peace proposal” in order to boost prices.
About 40 State Attorneys General Plan to Take Part in Facebook Antitrust Probe
News
The effort reflects a broadening belief among the country’s top Democrats and Republicans that the tech giant may be undermining its social-networking rivals.
Merger Non-Compete Clauses — Be Lawful or Be Gone
Insight
A recent FTC enforcement action clarifies the requirements for non-compete clauses in M&A agreements.
U.S. State AGs Looking into Expedia Group, Hotel Practices in Antitrust Probe
News
Court documents name the hotel chains Hyatt, Marriott, Caesars Entertainment Corp and Choice Hotels International Inc.
Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson Adds Jim Loveless in Fort Worth
News
Jim Loveless has joined Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP, opening the firm’s Fort Worth office.
Hogan Lovells Adds David Walsh to Antitrust and M&A Practice in Boston
News
Former IBM Vice President and Assistant General Counsel David Walsh has joined Hogan Lovells’ Boston office as senior counsel.
Facebook Has Poached the DoJ’s Silicon Valley Antitrust Chief
News
TechCrunch reports that Facebook has recruited Kate Patchen, a veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice who led its antitrust office in Silicon Valley, to be a director and associate general counsel of litigation.
Gauri Prakash-Canjels, Ph.D. Has Joined Litigation Economics
News
Gauri Prakash-Canjels, Ph.D. has joined Litigation Economics, LLC as a principal in its Washington, DC office.
No-Poach, No-Solicit Provisions of Corporate Agreements Now Face Criminal Prosecution
News
A nearly ubiquitous element of corporate conduct, thought to be legal and competitively harmless, now faces the prospect of criminal prosecution by the U.S. Department. of Justice, according to Locke Lord.
No-Poach Agreements Targeted by Plaintiffs, Enforcement Agencies and Senators
Insight
Agreements among companies to not hire each other’s workers are more risky than ever, warns Pepper Hamilton LLP in a post on its website.
AT&T Wants to Buy Time Warner To ‘Weaponize’ Its Content, Government Says in Antitrust Trial
News
In opening arguments, Justice Department lawyer Craig Conrath said AT&T could use Time Warner’s content as a weapon against competitors that rely on the programming.
Antitrust Litigation: How an Amicus Brief Can Win an Appeal
Insight
A group of 36 economists affiliated with top universities across the country filed an amicus brief explaining that the lower court used a faulty economic theory when it ruled against the FTC.
