Antitrust & Competition Law
Overview
The Eckert Seamans Antitrust & Competition Law Group counsels companies of all sizes on competition-related business and litigation matters. Since the founding of the firm in 1958, our attorneys have represented domestic and foreign businesses in a wide variety of antitrust and competition law matters, including precedent-setting cases.
The firm’s fundamental approach to antitrust issues is to assist clients in achieving their legitimate business objectives within the framework of the antitrust laws. Clients across a variety of industries seek Eckert Seamans’ advice and representation in antitrust litigation and investigations. We represent clients in civil and criminal antitrust matters, in grand jury and Federal Trade Commission investigations, and class action and other treble damage litigation and mergers under review by antitrust enforcement agencies.
Our group counsels clients to help them achieve their business goals while recognizing and minimizing the risk of antitrust litigation and federal and state antitrust enforcement actions. We help clients develop and implement antitrust compliance programs, including education of management and other key employees. We also provide antitrust counseling in areas such as joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions, including compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino reporting requirements; product pricing; distribution network development; participation in trade and industry associations; advertising and other consumer protection matters; competitor collaboration and information exchanges; the scope of patent monopolies; and compliance with the Robinson-Patman Act. Questions frequently handled by the firm involve price discrimination and customer allowances, volume discounts and other customer incentive programs, territorial and customer restraints, resale pricing and price advertising, exclusive distributorships and exclusive dealing, tying agreements, distributor termination, franchising, contacts with competitors, employee compensation, and many other production, sale, and distribution issues.
Representative Matters
- Represent clients in antitrust litigation and investigations; clients span many industries, including manufacturing, natural gas production and transmission, road construction, and laboratory equipment, paper products, and musical instruments.
- Advise on antitrust issues for companies in diverse industries such as food and beverage manufacturing and distribution, testing equipment, photographic products, education, airlines, chemical products, health care, and various consumer products.
- Represent clients in civil and criminal antitrust matters, in grand jury and Federal Trade Commission investigations, and class action and other treble damage litigation and merger review.
- Counsel clients in recognizing and minimizing the risk of antitrust litigation and federal and state antitrust enforcement actions.
- Help clients develop and implement antitrust compliance programs, including education of management and other key employees.
- Provide antitrust counseling in areas such as joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions, including compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino reporting requirements; product pricing; distribution network development; participation in trade and industry associations; advertising and other consumer protection matters; competitor collaboration and information exchanges; the scope of patent monopolies; and compliance with the Robinson-Patman Act.