Competition

  • November 01, 2024

    Taxation With Representation: Kirkland, Davis Polk, Wachtell

    In this week's Taxation with Representation, BC Partners sells its majority equity interest in GardaWorld, Lone Star Funds sells specialty chemicals company AOC to Nippon Paint Holdings, Crescent Biopharma takes GlycoMimetics private, and Francisco Partners buys AdvancedMD from Global Payments.

  • November 01, 2024

    Hoka Fixed Prices By Blocking Online Store, Tribunal Finds

    The sneaker maker behind Hoka engaged in indirect price fixing by blocking a British running shoe retailer from selling through an online discount store, a U.K. tribunal has ruled.

  • November 01, 2024

    Pillar Aught, Kilpatrick Guide $127M Pa. Bank Merger

    Pillar Aught and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP are guiding a roughly $127 million all-stock merger of two Pennsylvania community banks, Mid Penn Bancorp Inc. and William Penn Bancorporation, the banks announced Friday.

  • October 31, 2024

    Drug Cos. To Pay $49M For State-Led Generic Pricing Claims

    A contingent of state-level enforcers reached settlements totaling $49.1 million on Thursday with Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Apotex Corp. for their alleged part in a wide-ranging conspiracy to inflate the price of generic drugs.

  • October 31, 2024

    X Corp. Plays Discovery 'Games' To Shield Musk, Judge Told

    Left-leaning watchdog Media Matters for America fired another broadside at X Corp. Wednesday in an ongoing discovery battle between the parties, telling a Texas federal judge that the social media company continues to "play games about discovery" to shield Elon Musk and keep unfavorable evidence from the defendants.

  • October 31, 2024

    4th Circ. Told Door-Maker's $10M Claim Double-Dips Coverage

    A Travelers unit says it shouldn't have to fork over $10 million in excess coverage to a North Carolina door manufacturer that paid $39.5 million to settle a securities class action, telling the Fourth Circuit that the case stems from a flurry of antitrust litigation that began before its policy went into effect.

  • October 31, 2024

    Scott + Scott Sues Robins Kaplan For $5M In Swipe Deal Fees

    Scott + Scott Attorneys at Law LLP alleged in a New York state court lawsuit that Robins Kaplan LLP, its co-counsel in antitrust litigation over Visa Inc. and Mastercard's interchange fees, is withholding $5 million in promised payouts from the case's $5.6 billion settlement.

  • October 31, 2024

    6th Circ. Wrestles With Reach Of FCC's Net Neutrality Powers

    Sixth Circuit judges on Thursday sought to clear up what one described as a "close call" over how much authority Congress gave the Federal Communications Commission to regulate internet traffic when lawmakers overhauled telecommunications law in 1996.

  • October 31, 2024

    9th Circ. Won't Revive 'Ghost Cattle' Contract Fight With Tyson

    The Ninth Circuit said Thursday a rancher who admitted to invoicing Tyson Foods Inc. for nonexistent cattle cannot sue the meat company for allegedly using his name and photograph in marketing materials without giving him a cut of the profits, rejecting the rancher's argument that Tyson had agreed orally to the deal.

  • October 31, 2024

    Rebar Giant's Economist Rips Rival's 'Narrow' Antitrust Market

    Commercial Metals Co.'s expert economist testified in a federal antitrust jury trial Thursday that Pacific Steel Group's theory of the rebar market is "too narrow" by only focusing on California, although he conceded under cross-examination that CMC sold most of its rebar within 500 miles of its since-shuttered California mill.

  • October 31, 2024

    Ill. Judge Doubts Hillrom's Bid For Rival's Communications

    An Illinois federal judge signaled hesitation Thursday over hospital-bed maker Hillrom's bid for a rival's communications it asserts will show that the rival lodged untimely antitrust claims, saying the company may be "skipping a step" by asserting their importance.

  • October 31, 2024

    FCC's Senior Republican Blasts Bulk-Billing Restrictions

    One-half of the Federal Communicatiions Commission's Republican minority is coming out strong against the majority's plans to restrict bulk billing for broadband services, saying that the commission was under pressure by the Biden administration to "raise the price of Internet service for Americans living in apartments by as much as 50%."

  • October 31, 2024

    Meta Users Fight Uphill For Cert., But Advertisers Have A Shot

    A California federal judge who was asked to certify two classes in litigation alleging that Facebook parent Meta Platforms monopolized the social media advertising market and misused users' data said Thursday that the users' damage theory wasn't "plausible," but appeared open to the advertisers' claim they suffered the same alleged injury.

  • October 31, 2024

    Teams Suing NASCAR Demand To Race In 2025

    Two NASCAR teams are asking a North Carolina federal judge to ensure that they can still compete in the top racing circuit in 2025 while they pursue antitrust action against the organizer, saying that the league enforces its monopoly by pressuring teams to drop any claims to remain in competition.

  • October 31, 2024

    Oversight GOP Reps. Take Big Swing At FTC Chair

    House Republicans on Thursday accused Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan of becoming a "political tool" of the Biden administration, which they say has undermined the independent nature of the agency.

  • October 31, 2024

    Ex-Prez Who Stole Secrets Must Be Stopped, Company Says

    A Colorado company that makes environmental control technology for aircraft is asking a federal judge to enjoin its former president and other ex-employees from developing a competing product, arguing that it has already lost at least one customer worth "several million dollars" to the alleged trade secret theft.

  • October 31, 2024

    Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

    Kroger and Albertsons endured overlapping trials in cases challenging their planned grocery store megamerger, as the Federal Trade Commission got a major fashion industry deal paused and pushed its bid to block the $4 billion merger of Tempur Sealy and Mattress Firm.

  • October 31, 2024

    Temu Faces EU Probe Over Sale Of Illegal Products

    The European Commission said Thursday it is launching an investigation into Temu over concerns that the discount e-commerce platform is allowing the sale of illegal goods and the site has potential addictive features.

  • October 31, 2024

    The 2024 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard

    Check out the Law360 Pulse Leaderboard to see which firms made the list of leaders in all-around excellence this year.

  • October 31, 2024

    Firms' Hiring Strategies Are Evolving In Fight For Top Spot

    Competition for top talent among elite law firms shows no signs of slowing down, even amid economic uncertainty, with financially strong firms deploying aggressive strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals to solidify their market position.

  • October 31, 2024

    Mayer Brown Adds German Litigation Pro From Freshfields

    Mayer Brown LLP has hired a litigation and arbitration expert as a partner in its office in Düsseldorf, Germany, as the firm moves to bolster its cross-border contentious matters and commercial disputes practice.

  • October 31, 2024

    Teva Fined €463M For Blocking Rival MS Drug Launch

    The European Union antitrust enforcer hit pharmaceutical giant Teva with a €463 million ($502 million) fine Thursday for launching a smear campaign against a rival multiple sclerosis drug and misusing the patent system to thwart the competitor's attempt to enter the market.

  • October 30, 2024

    FDA Didn't Flub Approval In Orphan Drug Case, DC Court Says

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn't err in determining that a rival narcolepsy treatment is not the "same drug" as Jazz Pharmaceuticals' exclusive treatment, a D.C. federal judge ruled Wednesday, holding that the FDA's approval of the rival drug didn't run afoul of the Orphan Drug Act.

  • October 30, 2024

    Google Workers Want Antitrust 'Gag Order' Lifted

    A union for Google workers is demanding the company rescind a directive ordering employees not to discuss the government's search monopolization case against the tech giant or the remedies that could be imposed after the court found Google violated antitrust law.

  • October 30, 2024

    Realtor.com's Parent Can Amend Costar Claims, Judge Rules

    A federal judge has ruled that Realtor.com's parent company can amend two claims alleging its rival Costar unlawfully accessed its computers but that it would not be limited in its Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claim to arguing that it suffered "technological harms."

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    After Chevron: Courts Will Still Defer To Feds On Nat'l Security

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    Agencies with trade responsibilities may be less affected by Chevron’s demise because of the special deference courts have shown when hearing international trade cases involving national security, foreign policy or the president’s constitutional authority to direct such matters, say attorneys at Venable.

  • A Look At The Economic Impact Of Drug Patent Differentiation

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    Given the Federal Trade Commission’s recent emphasis on unfair competition based on disputed patent listings, pharmaceutical market participants are likely to require nuanced characterizations of actual and but-for market competition when multiple patents differentiate multiple products, say economists at Competition Dynamics.

  • Google And The Next Frontier Of Divestiture Antitrust Remedy

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    The possibility of a large-scale divestiture in the Google search case comes on the heels of recent requests of business breakups as remedies for anticompetitive conduct, and companies should prepare for the likelihood that courts may impose divestiture remedies in the event of a liability finding, say Lauren Weinstein and Nathaniel Rubin at MoloLamken.

  • Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

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    Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.

  • What To Know About Insurance Coverage For Antitrust Risks

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    With all the regulatory activity surrounding antitrust and unfair competition claims, as highlighted by last month's D.C. federal court decision that Google is a monopolist, businesses must not only ensure compliance, but also understand their potential insurance coverage when such claims arise, says Micah Skidmore at Haynes Boone.

  • Exploring Practical Employer Alternatives To Noncompetes

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    With the Federal Trade Commission likely to appeal a federal court’s recent rejection of its noncompete ban, and more states limiting the enforceability of these agreements, employers should consider back-to-basics methods for protecting their business interests and safeguarding sensitive information, says Brendan Horgan at FordHarrison.

  • 3 M&A Elements To Master In A Volatile Economy

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    The current M&A market requires a strategic approach to earnouts, past-due accounts payable and employee retention in order to mitigate risk and drive successful outcomes, says Robert Harig at Robbins DiMonte.

  • It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers

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    Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.

  • Behind 3rd Circ. Ruling On College Athletes' FLSA Eligibility

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    The Third Circuit's decision that college athletes are not precluded from bringing a claim under the Fair Labor Standards Act raises key questions about the practical consequences of treating collegiate athletes as employees, such as Title IX equal pay claims and potential eligibility for all employment benefits, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Complying With FTC's Final Rule On Sham Online Reviews

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    The Federal Trade Commission's final rule on deceptive acts and practices in online reviews and testimonials is effective Oct. 21, and some practice tips can help businesses avert noncompliance risks, say Airina Rodrigues and Jonathan Sandler at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • Opinion

    A Fuzzy Label With Bite: FTC Must Define Surveillance Pricing

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    The Federal Trade Commission recently issued orders to eight companies — including Mastercard, McKinsey and Chase — seeking information on "surveillance pricing," but the order doesn't explain the term or make the distinction between legal and illegal practices, leaving any company that uses personalized pricing in the dark, says Chris Wlach at Huge.

  • Assessing Algorithmic Versus Generative AI Pricing Tools

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    A comparison of traditional algorithmic pricing models and those powered by generative artificial intelligence can help regulators and practitioners weigh the pros and cons of relying on large language models to price products or services, say Maxime Cohen at McGill University, and Tim Spittle and Jimmy Royer at Analysis Group.

  • A Look At UK, EU And US Cartel Enforcement Trends

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    The European Union, U.K. and U.S. competition agencies' recently issued joint statement on competition risks in generative artificial intelligence demonstrates increased cross-border collaboration on cartel investigations, meaning companies facing investigations in one jurisdiction should anticipate related investigations in other jurisdictions, say lawyers at Latham & Watkins.

  • A Preview Of AI Priorities Under The Next President

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    For the first time in a presidential election, both of the leading candidates and their parties have been vocal about artificial intelligence policy, offering clues on the future of regulation as AI continues to advance and congressional action continues to stall, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • DOJ Must Overcome Hurdles In RealPage Antitrust Case

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent claims that RealPage's pricing software violates the Sherman Act mark a creative, and apparently contradictory, shift in the agency's approach to algorithmic price-fixing that will face several key challenges, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

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