Law360, New York (January 22, 2013, 4:28 PM EST) -- Antitrust enforcement activity is on the rise, and civil litigation is escalating at the intersection of competition law and intellectual property rights. After the 2008 U.S. presidential election, many observers expected to see an immediate spike in antitrust enforcement activity and a weakening of patent rights in an attempt to boost competition. But neither expected trend materialized — until 2012.  The prophesied reinvigorated antitrust enforcement is now here. Escalating government and private enforcement activity is trending toward higher fines, prison sentences and civil recoveries, as well as competitive limitations on patent rights and remedies....