Antitrust

Steptoe & Johnson’s Antitrust Team supports our clients’ businesses by helping them navigate, understand, and comply with antitrust laws and regulations across the United States. We work with clients across a wide spectrum of industries to minimize antitrust risks, ensure compliance, and support transactions such as joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions. We also help clients investigate potential antitrust claims and issues, mitigate ligation exposure, provide counsel through civil and criminal investigations, and take antitrust cases to trial when necessary.

Our lawyers are knowledgeable regarding the Sherman Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Clayton Act, and various state laws regarding competition and unfair trade practices. We have represented clients in front of federal and state courts, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and various state attorneys general. Our antitrust attorneys keep abreast of developments in antitrust and competition law that continue to shape the future of antitrust regulations.

Representative Experience

Obtained dismissal of claims under Section 1 of the Sherman Act and Section 2(a) of the Robinson-Patman Act on behalf of 14 retailers of precious metal bullion products, and successfully defended dismissal on appeal before the Ninth Circuit
Obtained verdict in favor of chicken growers in monopsony claims under the Packers & Stockyards Act, defending judgment before the Tenth Circuit and successfully opposing certiorari review by the Supreme Court
Successfully defended national cable provider in tying claim under Section 2 of the Sherman Act
Represented local grocery store in claims under federal and state antitrust laws against national grocery chain, leading to a settlement for client
Represented insured party in prosecuting antitrust, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty claims against insurers in Texas state court
Represented the owner of a private terminal at Dallas Love Field in prosecuting antitrust claims against two major airlines, the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the Northern District of Texas
Represented clients in connection with foreign and domestic governmental antitrust investigations
Obtained dismissal of antitrust and unfair trade practices claims against a doctor relating to his participation on hospital’s privilege review committee
Represented a manufactured housing retailer in an antitrust dispute with a competitor
Represented and defended hospitals in antitrust claims brought by physicians under state and federal law
Represented a chemical manufacturer in a case brought by an excluded piping contractor against area chemical plants involving numerous Sherman Act and West Virginia antitrust claims
Represented chemical company in defense of an antitrust case in West Virginia federal court
Represented numerous clients in antitrust investigations by the West Virginia attorney general, including coal companies in a statewide investigation of alleged monopoly pricing
Defended a pharmaceutical company in monopolization and related antitrust claims
Served as lead counsel in a complex commercial transaction for the sale of a national supply company requiring DOJ antitrust clearance
Defended a health care system in an antitrust challenge to a merger