Competition

  • December 09, 2023

    Google And Epic CEOs Fail To Reach Deal As Trial Nears End

    Google LLC and Epic Games Inc. told a California federal judge late Friday that Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney failed to reach a deal after they were ordered to mid-trial settlement talks, clearing the way for closing arguments Monday in their contentious antitrust battle.

  • December 08, 2023

    New Drug Patent Proposal Sparks Worry Over Gov't Overstep

    The Biden administration's proposal to seize drug patents if the prices of the medicines are deemed unreasonable is expected to face significant legal pushback, and the potential effects on the pharmaceutical industry may not be what the administration had in mind, experts say.

  • December 08, 2023

    Amazon Says FTC Case Attacks 'Essence Of Competition'

    Amazon urged a Seattle federal judge Friday to toss the Federal Trade Commission's sprawling antitrust case against the online retail giant, arguing that its practices of matching rivals' discounts, competitively pricing deals and offering fast Prime delivery "benefit consumers and are the essence of competition."

  • December 08, 2023

    9th Circ. Skeptical Of Wash. Vet Clinic Monopoly Claims

    Ninth Circuit judges hearing antitrust claims against an eastern Washington veterinary clinic on Friday kept getting hung up on how two of its vets could've been harmed by noncompete terms in an agreement they never signed and a merger proposal that never came to fruition.

  • December 08, 2023

    Nikola Investors Fight Call For Del. SPAC Fraud Suit Toss

    Five attorney teams pressed Friday for dismissal of most of the derivative claims in a Delaware Court of Chancery stockholder lawsuit seeking damages from Nikola Corp., its directors, officers and an adviser in the wake of the hydrogen- and battery-powered truck manufacturer's fraud-tainted, $3.3 billion take-public deal.

  • December 08, 2023

    Auto Supplier's Failed Poaching Suit Not Frivolous

    An automotive supply company had legitimate reasons to believe a former employee breached a separation agreement by potentially stealing trade secrets and recruiting other workers to leave for a competitor, a Michigan appellate panel said in finding the company's unsuccessful suit was not frivolous.

  • December 08, 2023

    RealPage Defendants Say 4th Circ. Deflates DOJ Claims

    Defendants in a class action against RealPage said the Fourth Circuit's recent decision to overturn an antitrust conviction should inform how a judge weighs a U.S. Department of Justice call to continue the price-fixing case in Tennessee federal court.

  • December 08, 2023

    FTC Wants More Info On Chevron's $53B Hess Deal

    The Federal Trade Commission has deepened its probe of a second megadeal in the oil and gas industry, asking for more information about Chevron's planned $53 billion purchase of Hess Corp., the companies said Friday.

  • December 08, 2023

    J&J Hit With Suit Over Stelara Exclusivity

    A group of Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensees has filed a lawsuit in Virginia federal court claiming Johnson & Johnson has been trying to stifle competition in the market for the immunosuppressive drug Stelara, saying it defrauded federal patent officials.

  • December 08, 2023

    How Hueston Hennigan Won Monster $336M False Ad Suit

    The California federal judge who handed Monster Energy $43 million in attorney fees and interest in October after a record-breaking $293 million false advertising jury win over Vital Pharmaceuticals observed that Vital's CEO was impeached on the stand over 50 times, an astonishing figure that Monster's co-lead attorney, John Hueston, credited to getting the CEO to "lose control."

  • December 08, 2023

    Former Norton Rose, FTC Atty Joins Davis Wright In NY

    A veteran antitrust litigator and former Federal Trade Commission attorney has jumped from Norton Rose Fulbright to the New York City office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP after five years with his previous firm.

  • December 08, 2023

    Wife's Walmart Stock Had No Impact On IP Case, Judge Says

    A California federal magistrate judge has claimed he was not influenced in a patent case involving a disposable razor product by his wife's ownership of Walmart stock, according to a letter from the court's clerk.

  • December 08, 2023

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    The past week in London has seen Tesla drive patent proceedings against technology company InterDigital, Genesis band members say That's (not) All in a breach of contract claim against Virgin Records, and betting giant Entain play its hand in a claim over its acquisition of BetCity last year. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • December 08, 2023

    Car Carriers Win Appeal Over Class Member Contact

    A group of car shippers succeeded on Friday in tossing out an order banning them from communicating with motorists, a decision that clarifies implied rules governing communication between defendants and proposed members of a class action.

  • December 08, 2023

    Off The Bench: NCAA Pay Plan, Title IX Claims, Graffiti Smear

    In this week's Off The Bench, the NCAA proposes opening the vaults, female athletes accuse the University of Oregon of unequal treatment, and a former college hockey player claims he was wrongly labeled as antisemitic. If you were on the sidelines over the past week, Law360 is here to clue you in on the biggest sports and betting stories that had our readers talking.

  • December 08, 2023

    Microsoft Faces UK Antitrust Probe Over OpenAI Board Seat

    The U.K. antitrust authority said Friday that it is reviewing whether the decision by Microsoft to take a seat on OpenAI's board could lead to competition concerns if it results in the tech giant gaining material influence over the ChatGPT developer.

  • December 07, 2023

    Generics Price-Fixing Cases Should Stay In MDL, Judge Says

    The Pennsylvania federal judge overseeing sprawling multidistrict litigation against generic-drug makers on Thursday told the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation that she does not recommend transferring state enforcer actions out of the MDL yet, saying there's more the court can do to get the cases ready for trial or to tee up settlement talks.

  • December 07, 2023

    Fed. Circ. OKs Mixed Ruling For Lundbeck In Trintellix IP Case

    The Federal Circuit has backed a decision that a slew of generic-drug makers don't infringe two of H. Lundbeck's patents on antidepressant drug Trintellix, while also affirming a decision that Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. infringes another patent.

  • December 07, 2023

    Group Warns Some Broadband Cos. Seek Double Payout

    Cable operators and some other broadband providers are trying to tap into federal deployment programs twice, first by underbidding to win Federal Communications Commission support but then still looking to recover utility pole costs using infrastructure grants, a telecom trade group warned.

  • December 07, 2023

    NCAA Legal Woes Swell As 7 States Sue Over Transfer Rule

    Seven state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit in West Virginia federal court against the NCAA over its transfer eligibility rule for college sports, cutting deeper into the threads of the ropes restraining student-athletes from profiting off their names, images and likenesses.

  • December 07, 2023

    6th Circ. Judge Casts Skeptical Eye On Buy-Local Power Rule

    Sixth Circuit judges Thursday grappled with whether to revive energy suppliers' challenge to a "buy or build local" electricity rule in Michigan, with one judge seemingly sympathetic to the energy suppliers' plight and skeptical of the state's position that the rule doesn't harm out-of-state companies. 

  • December 07, 2023

    Tai Says E-Commerce Pivot Avoided 'Policy Suicide'

    The U.S. trade chief defended pulling support for long-held U.S. policy positions on digital trade during an appearance at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday, arguing that recent technological developments made backing old proposals "massive malpractice" or "policy suicide."

  • December 07, 2023

    DC Appeal Judges Question Amazon Defense In Antitrust Suit

    A District of Columbia Court of Appeals judge seemed skeptical of Amazon's defense in oral arguments over Washington, D.C.'s antitrust suit against the e-commerce giant on Thursday, saying it appeared quite plausible that Amazon's pricing policies affect the entire e-commerce marketplace, which it dominates, and encourage sellers to hike their prices across the board.

  • December 07, 2023

    Ariz. BCBS Rips 'Kitchen-Sink' Suit Over Low Doctor Payouts

    The Arizona arm of Blue Cross Blue Shield is coming out swinging against what it calls a "kitchen-sink complaint" brought by groups representing hundreds of doctors claiming the insurer has unfairly been paying them as in-network providers, saying that the attempt to "coerce greater reimbursement is legally insufficient in fatal ways."

  • December 07, 2023

    Panasonic, Mahle Behr Exit Vehicle AC Price-Rigging Suits

    Panasonic and Mahle Behr have settled allegations brought by California's attorney general in Michigan federal court that they conspired to inflate the prices for vehicle air-conditioning systems, with the companies not admitting to any wrongdoing. 

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.

  • Reverse Proffers In Federal Criminal Cases Can Be A Win-Win

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    The increasingly popular reverse proffer — in which prosecutors disclose evidence to targets of a criminal investigation — can help the government test its case and persuade witnesses to cooperate, and can help defendants sharpen their strategies and obtain favorable deals by choosing to cooperate, say Jeffrey Martino and Byron Tuyay at Baker McKenzie.

  • EU Rejection Of Booking.com Deal Veers From Past Practice

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    The European Commission's recent prohibition of Booking's purchase of Etraveli based on ecosystem theories of harm reveals a lower bar for prohibiting nonhorizontal mergers, and may mean increased merger scrutiny for companies with entrenched market positions in digital markets, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.

  • 7 Critical Copyright And AI Questions Courts Need To Address

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    U.S. courts have yet to rule on many copyright issues regarding generative artificial intelligence technologies, so developers and users should consider several questions when evaluating risks, developing risk mitigation plans and making decisions about particular use cases, say John Delaney and Sean West at Perkins Coie.

  • Mitigating Antitrust Risk Amid Increased Dealmaking Scrutiny

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    While deals continue to get done despite 60% of significant merger investigations in the U.S. last year concluding with a complaint or abandoned transaction, private equity firms should identify and assess potential antitrust risks and develop strategies to mitigate them early in the deal process, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Opinion

    Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

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    To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.

  • Managing ANDA Venue Issues As Del. And NJ Filings Rise

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    Delaware and New Jersey have prevailed as the primary forum for pharmaceutical litigation as more generic companies file abbreviated new drug applications, but this venue scheme presents traps for the unwary, and legislation may still be necessary to ensure fairness and predictability, say Timothy Cook and Kevin Yurkerwich at WilmerHale.

  • Series

    Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

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    Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

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    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Why Criminal No-Poach Cases Can Be Deceptively Complex

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    Mark Rosman at Wilson Sonsini discusses the reasons many criminal no-poach cases that appear simple are actually more complicated than they seem, following several jury trial acquittals and two dismissed cases.

  • Forecasting The Impact Of High Court Debit Card Rule Case

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    John Delionado and Aidan Gross at Hunton consider how the U.S. Supreme Court's forthcoming ruling in a retailer's suit challenging a Federal Reserve rule on debit card swipe fees could affect agency regulations both new and old, as well as the businesses that might seek to challenge them.

  • The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

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    In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

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