BACKGROUND Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. (Google) moved to dismiss a third successive complaint that alleged it tied the sales of Maps, Routes and Places application programming interface (API) services to one another. A basic tying claim involves a seller leveraging its market power in one product (the “tying” product) to force sales and gain
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Antitrust M&A Snapshot | Q4 2023
Topics covered in this edition: New Merger Guidelines Released FTC Focused on Pharmaceutical Companies FTC Targets “Moat-Building” Mergers Fifth Circuit Fuels FTC’s Vertical Mergers Agenda FTC Losing Streak Reverses During the Fourth Quarter Ex post Review in the Merger Control Sphere Occurring More and More Frequently Access the full issue.
The post Antitrust M&A Snapshot…
The Fix Is In – Key Learnings From Recent Vertical Merger Challenges
Vertical mergers are inherently more difficult for the government to litigate than horizonal mergers. After not litigating a vertical merger case since the 1970s, the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice have recently tried several matters. In this Westlaw Today article, Jon Dubrow, Stephen Wu, Matt Evola and Bailey Sanders discuss key…
Year in Review: Criminal Enforcement by the DOJ Antitrust Division in 2023
When it comes to antitrust criminal enforcement, 2023 will be remembered as the year when the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division redefined and tested the outer boundaries of its authority. This report looks back at the key events from the DOJ’s year in criminal antitrust enforcement. Here’s a glimpse of what’s inside: Despite…
Court Finds Red Cross Has Antitrust Immunity, Rejecting Broad Interpretation of the Sherman Act
WHAT HAPPENED Recently, in a rarely considered question, the US District Court of Massachusetts held that the American Red Cross (ARC), a federally chartered corporation, is not subject to liability under the Sherman Antitrust Act (Sherman Act) because it is not an antitrust “person.” The court narrowly construed the Sherman Act to exclude a quasi-public…
FTC and DOJ: Preserve Your Chats!
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) are updating their standard preservation notices and instructions for responding to all manner of discovery (e.g., second requests, voluntary access letters, compulsory process, etc.). The update will alert parties to the steps that must be taken to preserve communication from popular business collaboration…
FTC Announces Annual Merger Notification Threshold and Filing Fee Adjustments
On January 22, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced increased jurisdictional thresholds, increased filing fee thresholds and filing fee amounts for merger notifications made pursuant to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR Act). Merger Notification Threshold Changes The HSR Act compels transacting parties to notify the FTC and US Department of Justice…
Fourth Circuit Holds Per-Se Rule Does Not Apply in Bid-Rigging Case
WHAT HAPPENED A three-judge panel from the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned an executive’s bid-rigging antitrust conviction, holding that the district court erred in applying the per se standard to the executive’s alleged bid-rigging conduct. The executive, Brent Brewbaker, rigged bids between his former employer, Contech, and its distributor, Pomona Pipe…
New FTC, DOJ Merger Guidelines Create Challenges and Opportunities
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and US Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) issued their updated Merger Guidelines on December 18, 2023. These guidelines represent a significantly more enforcement-oriented approach than the prior guidelines, and they largely follow the contours of draft guidelines released in July 2023. Companies should be aware of the Merger Guidelines…
Antitrust M&A Snapshot | Q2 2023
Topics covered in this edition: FTC Unveils Proposal Detailing Significant Changes to Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Merger Notifications Assa Abloy Settlement Raises Questions on Litigating the Fix and DOJ Consent Decrees Pharmaceutical Industry Remains in Regulators’ Crosshairs “Whole of Government” Competition Mandate Can Impact Deals the FTC and DOJ Do Not Challenge FTC’s Constitutionality Comes Under Fire—Again…