ABB

1. EU Antitrust Body Raids Electric Grid Parts Makers

Wednesday, Feb 03, 2010

The antitrust arm of the European Union has raided the offices of a number of manufacturers of electrical transmission grid components known as flexible alternating current transmission systems, seeking evidence of potential cartel activity or other restrictive business practices.

2. Huge Antitrust Fines Reflect Regulators' Bold Stance

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010

A look at the top 10 fines levied on each side of the Atlantic in the past year reveals the increasingly aggressive enforcement stance of regulators.

3. EU Fines 6 Transformer Producers €67.7M Over Cartel

Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009

The European Commission has fined six power transformer producers a total of €67.6 million ($100 million) for running a market-sharing cartel the companies allegedly referred to as a “gentlemen's agreement.”

4. EU Set To Fine Power Transformer Makers Over Cartel

Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009

The European Commission is reportedly poised to issue fines against a group of power transformer manufacturers for participating in an industry cartel.

5. Damages Litigation In UK Competition Cases

Monday, Aug 10, 2009

The United Kingdom has come to be regarded as a relatively claimant-friendly European jurisdiction for private damages actions. Recent case law, however, underlines the fact that there remain a number of cautionary considerations to take into account when assessing the likelihood of a successful damages action in the UK: the regime is still far from fully developed, says Karman Gordon of WilmerHale LLP.

6. 401(k) Fee Case Against Edison Winnowed

Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009

A federal judge has narrowed a class action that accuses Edison International of offering a 401(k) plan that charges excessive fees, but triable issues remain over whether certain mutual funds were chosen to maximize the amount of revenue sharing for the benefit of the company and not that of plan participants.

7. Clarifying Time Limits For Follow-On Damages Claims

Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009

Although the recent decision by the Court of Appeal for England and Wales in the BASF vitamin cartel litigation was unhelpful to the claimants against BASF, more generally it should be welcome to potential claimants in follow-on claims as it will enable them, in appropriate circumstances, to bring their claims sooner, say Stephen Brown and Tom Bainbridge of Jones Day.

8. Class Certified In 401(k) Fee Case Against Edison

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009

A federal judge has certified a class of employees at Edison International who allege that the electric power company offered 401(k) plans that charged excessive fees and engaged in illegal self-dealing.

9. EU Charges Toshiba, Siemens, ABB In Cartel Probe

Thursday, Dec 11, 2008

The European Commission has charged a number of manufacturers of electrical transformers, reportedly including ABB Ltd., Areva SA, Toshiba Corp. and Siemens AG, with participating in a cartel.

10. Swiss Officials Must Cough Up Alstom Docs

Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008

Alstom SA, one of the world's largest power plant makers, has reportedly won the right to get its hands on documents that were confiscated by Swiss prosecutors as part of a larger probe into nearly $500 million in suspicious payments by the company.

11. Phoenix IP, Emerson Electric Settle Patent Suit

Monday, Aug 04, 2008

Patent-holding company Phoenix IP LLC has settled a dispute with technology and engineering company Emerson Electric Co. over patents related to computer-assisted utilities sales and energy expense forecasting.

12. Fee Litigation: Has A Tipping Point Been Reached?

Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008

Fee litigation, which challenges the fees and expenses borne by 401(k) plans, is making a run at becoming the next major wave of ERISA fiduciary litigation, says Robert Rachal of Proskauer Rose LLP.

13. EU Says It Left JFTC Out Of Switchgear Cartel Loop

Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008

Europe's competition regulator has reportedly admitted that it failed to tell its counterparts at the Japan Fair Trade Commission about a power station switchgear cartel involving 11 Japanese and European companies.

14. Electric Cos. Fined By EU For Cartel Face Israeli Suit

Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008

Power customers in Israel have reportedly filed a class action against Mistubishi Electric Corp. and several other companies for participating in a cartel for electrical network equipment.

15. ABB, Fidelity Lose Bids To Dismiss ERISA Suit

Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008

A judge has shot down dismissal bids by ABB Inc., Fidelity Management & Research Co. and Fidelity Management Trust Co. in an ERISA class action brought by participants in ABB's 401(k) plan, who are accusing the defendants of breaching their fiduciary duty.

16. Class Certified In ERISA Suit Against ABB

Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007

A group of 401(k) plan participants have won class certification in a suit that accuses ABB Inc., Fidelity Management Trust Co. and Fidelity Management & Research Co. of breaching their fiduciary duties under ERISA.

17. Schneider Sued Over Energy Management Technology

Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007

An Illinois-based subsidiary of France's Schneider Electric SA has been hit with a lawsuit accusing Schneider of infringing two patents and seeking an injunction that would bar Schneider from offering certain energy management and load prediction services and products.

18. FCPA: High Risks For The Medical Device Industry

Tuesday, Jul 03, 2007

Sales activities and practices within the medical device industry which are considered routine in other parts of the world can create liability under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, says Michael Marinelli of Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.

19. Jury Awards U.S. $103M In Bid-Rigging Case

Thursday, May 17, 2007

A jury on Monday awarded the U.S. government over $103 million in damages in a civil False Claims Act case involving bid-rigging of various Egyptian sewer construction projects by American contractors and American subsidiaries of foreign companies.

20. Fuji Vows To Fight Power Generation Cartel Fine

Friday, Apr 20, 2007

Fuji Electric Holdings Co. has joined the growing list of companies that are seeking to appeal a massive €751 million fine handed down by the European Union in retaliation for their alleged participation in an electricity-transmission technology cartel.