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Competition
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April 08, 2024
FTC Defends In-House Judges' Role In H&R Block Case
H&R Block wrongly claimed that the Federal Trade Commission's administrative law judges should be disqualified from overseeing an administrative proceeding accusing the tax preparation company of deceptive advertising, FTC lawyers told the agency, arguing the judges don't have illegal job protections.
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April 08, 2024
Jackson Hewitt Preparers Want First OK On $10.8M Deal
Former Jackson Hewitt Inc. workers have reached a $10.8 million settlement with their former employer over claims the company's franchisees entered into an anti-competitive no-poach agreement despite the provision being removed from the company's franchise agreements, according to a Friday motion.
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April 08, 2024
Schumer Seeks More Data, Details About Capital One Deal
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday that he has requested more information about Capital One and Discover Financial Services' planned $35.3 billion merger, including data on the interest rates they charge and details about any potential layoffs that could stem from the deal.
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April 08, 2024
Honigman Hires Polsinelli Antitrust Pro As Practice Co-Leader
Honigman LLP has hired a 10-year veteran of Polsinelli PC, who joins the firm's Washington, D.C., office to help co-lead its antitrust and trade regulation practice, Honigman announced Monday.
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April 08, 2024
Key Congressional Leaders Float Sweeping Data Privacy Bill
The heads of the U.S. Senate and House commerce committees have taken a major step toward enacting a comprehensive federal consumer data privacy framework, reaching a long-awaited deal on proposed legislation that would minimize the personal data companies can gather, allow consumers to bring lawsuits and eliminate a growing patchwork of state laws.
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April 05, 2024
Target, Major Employers Raise New Drug Price-Fixing Claims
Target Corp., Lowe's Cos. Inc. and American Airlines Inc. are among major employers that lodged new price-fixing claims in Pennsylvania federal court against dozens of pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of orchestrating illegal agreements to allocate customers and markets and fix the prices of hundreds of generic drugs for more than a decade.
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April 05, 2024
COVID App Takes Another Shot At Apple With Justices
App developers are again seeking U.S. Supreme Court intervention against the Ninth Circuit's refusal to revive antitrust allegations over Apple's rejection of COVID-19-tracking and bitcoin apps, decrying "fundamental error" lower courts made misreading pleading requirements, proffered market definition and more.
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April 05, 2024
Top 3 Groups Lobbying The FCC
The Federal Communications Commission heard from policy advocates more than 200 times in March, as the agency fielded concerns on net neutrality rules, bulk billing for internet service, broadband deployment, school connectivity and more.
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April 05, 2024
Where Will 10 Private IPhone Suits Call Home, Calif. or NJ?
Two different groups of consumers are pushing competing visions for where they want to pursue claims that Apple tried to lock in iPhone users, with one case first filed in California seeking transfer to New Jersey while a second group sought consolidation of all private lawsuits in the Golden State.
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April 05, 2024
Meta Looks To Nix FTC's Antitrust Case Over Acquisitions
Meta Platforms urged a D.C. federal court on Friday to toss the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust case against it, saying the agency has found no evidence showing its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp hurt competition or consumers.
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April 05, 2024
Neb. Beef Seller Says No Proof It Joined Wage-Fixing Scheme
A Colorado federal judge gave a Nebraska beef wholesaler another chance to petition for dismissal from a class action accusing it of participating in a meat industry wage-fixing scheme, after the company filed a motion that didn't follow the court's page limit.
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April 05, 2024
DC Circ. Says DOJ Can Reopen Realtor Antitrust Probe
The D.C. Circuit said on Friday that the U.S. Department of Justice can reopen an antitrust investigation into the National Association of Realtors, despite an earlier agency settlement over the association's rules.
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April 05, 2024
Monopolies Will Raise Prices Under Minimum Tax, Expert Says
The 15% global minimum tax will worsen the problems that monopolistic companies impose on economies because raising taxes on a company that lacks competition will lead it to raise prices, an academic expert on tax havens said Friday during a conference.
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April 05, 2024
Microsoft, Others Can Weigh In On Epic, Apple App Store Row
A California federal judge allowed Microsoft, X Corp., Meta Platforms, Spotify and other major app developers to file amicus briefs in Epic Games' effort to convince the court that Apple is not complying with an order barring it from using anti-steering rules in its App Store.
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April 05, 2024
NC High Court Snapshot: Law Firm Battles Defamation Suit
The Supreme Court of North Carolina has a stacked calendar heading into spring arguments, from an appeal over Black-owned properties targeted for demolition to a law firm's attempt at dodging defamation claims over allegations of voter fraud.
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April 05, 2024
IP Firm Sues Florida Attorney For Using Soundalike Name
Georgia-based intellectual property firm Bekiares Eliezer LLP has sued an attorney in Florida federal court, alleging he marketed his services with a name similar to its "Founders Legal" brand.
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April 05, 2024
US Gas Cos. Delay $7.4B Deal Closing Date Amid FTC Scrutiny
A month after a group of 50 lawmakers urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate a recent string of mergers and acquisitions in the oil industry, the regulatory agency is putting Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy's planned $7.4 billion merger under the microscope.
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April 04, 2024
Punishing Docs' Statements Chills Free Speech, 5th Circ. Told
A right-leaning nonprofit sparred with a group of specialty medical boards and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in front of the Fifth Circuit during oral arguments Thursday, saying that revoking doctors' medical licenses in retaliation for public statements on issues like abortion chills free speech.
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April 04, 2024
ISP Tells FCC Bulk Billing Deals Are Pro-Consumer
An internet service provider is trying to convince the Federal Communications Commission that banning bulk billing in apartment buildings is not the way to go and that the arrangements are actually a "key tool for closing the digital divide."
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April 04, 2024
Crypto Bank, Chair Blast FTX Investors' 'Gatling Gun' Claims
A crypto bank and its chairman have urged a Florida federal judge to toss a second amended complaint from FTX investors alleging they helped Sam Bankman-Fried abscond with $8 billion in customer assets, saying the investors "employ a Gatling gun approach to pleading."
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April 04, 2024
Caterpillar 'Talking Out Both Sides,' Judge Says
A Delaware federal judge chastised Caterpillar Inc. ahead of trial in a series of orders mostly siding with claims from a defunct construction equipment supplier accusing the company of pressuring an online auctioneer to break an important contract with the would-be competitor.
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April 04, 2024
Athletes Say NCAA's Own Actions Prove NIL Rules No Good
Athletes suing the NCAA over restrictions on the use of their names, images and likenesses are seeking summary judgment, arguing the practice dampens competition with no legitimate justification and that the organization's own actions have shown that to be true.
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April 04, 2024
FCC's Net Neutrality Plan Leaves Network 'Slicing' Uncategorized
The Federal Communications Commission will not automatically apply net neutrality rules to 5G mobile network "slices" when a plan to reimpose the rules on broadband service comes up for an agency vote later this month, but also said slices cannot be used to evade the regulations.
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April 04, 2024
Novo Holdings, Catalent Reset Review Clock On $16.5B Deal
Novo Nordisk Foundation has given the Federal Trade Commission more time for an initial review of Novo Holdings' plan to acquire Catalent in a deal that values the pharmaceutical services company at $16.5 billion.
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April 04, 2024
Structure Defense Remains In FTC Hospital Case, But Not Hearing
When the Federal Trade Commission goes to trial April 29 against an allegedly anti-competitive hospital merger, the agency won't have to contend with defense assertions that its structure is unconstitutional right away, but a North Carolina federal judge refused Thursday to scrub them entirely.
Expert Analysis
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A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise
After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.
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Reassessing Trade Secrets Amid Proposed Noncompete Ban
The Federal Trade Commission's proposed ban on noncompete agreements as well as state bans make it prudent for businesses to reevaluate and reinvigorate approaches to trade secret protection, including knowing what information employees are providing to vendors, and making sure confidentiality agreements are put in place before information is shared, says Rob Jensen at Wolf Greenfield.
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Mitigating The Risk Of Post-Closing M&A Earnout Disputes
Today's uncertain deal environment makes a well-crafted earnout an excellent way for parties to accomplish a desired transaction that would not otherwise occur, but transacting parties also need to take key steps to avoid the risk of post-closing disputes that earnouts can present, say Chad Barton and Claire Lydiard at Holland & Knight.
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What's On The Horizon In Attorney General Enforcement
A look at recent attorney general actions, especially in the areas of antitrust and artificial intelligence, can help inform businesses on what they should expect in terms of enforcement trends as 10 attorney general races play out in 2024, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.
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Planning For Stymied HSR Filings At FTC If Shutdown Occurs
If the government were to shut down in early March, the inability to submit Hart-Scott-Rodino filings with the Federal Trade Commission would grind transactions to a halt, and parties should consider numerous implications as they are negotiating or planning to close pending transactions, say attorneys at DLA Piper.
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How High Court SEC Case Could Affect The ITC
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy will likely spare the U.S. International Trade Commission from major operative changes, the ITC’s ability to issue penalties for violations of its orders may change, say Gwendolyn Tawresey and Ryan Deck at Troutman Pepper.
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HR Antitrust Compliance Crucial Amid DOJ Scrutiny
The Justice Department's Antitrust Division recently announced a required human resources component for antitrust compliance programs, which means companies should evaluate their policies to prevent, detect and remediate potential violations as they add training for HR professionals, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Mass Arb. Rule Changes May Be A Hindrance For Consumers
The American Arbitration Association's recent changes to its mass arbitration supplementary rules and fee schedule, including a shift from filing fees to initiation and per-case fees, may reduce consumers' ability to counteract businesses' mandatory arbitration agreements, say Eduard Korsinsky and Alexander Krot at Levi & Korsinsky.
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ChristianaCare Settlement Reveals FCA Pitfalls For Hospitals
ChristianaCare's False Claims Act settlement in December is the first one based on a hospital allegedly providing private physicians with free services in the form of hospital-employed clinicians and provides important compliance lessons as the government ramps up scrutiny of compensation arrangements, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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Series
Coaching High School Wrestling Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Coaching my son’s high school wrestling team has been great fun, but it’s also demonstrated how a legal career can benefit from certain experiences, such as embracing the unknown, studying the rules and engaging with new people, says Richard Davis at Maynard Nexsen.
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SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap
As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.
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The Latest Antitrust Areas For In-House Counsel To Watch
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission's increasingly aggressive approach to antitrust enforcement means in-house counsel should closely monitor five key compliance issues, say attorneys at Squire Patton.
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NCAA's Antitrust Litigation History Offers Clues For NIL Case
Attorneys at Perkins Coie analyze the NCAA's long history of antitrust litigation to predict how state attorney general claims against NCAA recruiting rules surrounding name, image and likeness discussions will stand up in Tennessee federal court.
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Opinion
Proposed Rule Could Impair MDL Flexibility, Harm Plaintiffs
While proposed Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16.1 is intended to enhance the management of multidistrict litigation proceedings, its one-size-fits-all requirements could stifle the flexibility that judges need to address the varying circumstances of MDLs effectively, and jeopardize plaintiffs' ability to pursue justice, say Christopher Seeger and Jennifer Scullion at Seeger Weiss.
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Litigation Funding Implications Amid Post-PACCAR Disputes
An English tribunal's recent decision in Neill v. Sony, allowing an appeal on the enforceability of a litigation funding agreement, highlights how the legislative developments on funding limits following the U.K. Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Paccar v. Competition Appeal Tribunal may affect practitioners, say Andrew Leitch and Anoma Rekhi at BCLP.