Antitrust and Competition Litigation
Our Antitrust & Competition Litigation practice includes all aspects of private civil litigation relating to antitrust and competition disputes, representing clients in both civil and criminal enforcement matters, and counseling businesses on a range of antitrust and competition matters integral to their operations, including compliance with applicable regulations. We offer a well-rounded perspective, with Antitrust & Competition Litigation team members in New York, Washington, D.C., and Europe. Members of our team are recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, Who’s Who Competition and other major ranking publications for their excellence in antitrust.
We punch well above our weight in representing companies in some of the most complex and highest stakes cases. Our attorneys have decades of experience litigating civil antitrust and competition disputes in trial and appellate courts, including defending clients in class action suits against allegations of cartel behavior, litigating disputes among companies relating to allegations of monopolization and other exclusionary conduct, and defending clients in Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) civil enforcement actions. We also have experience representing plaintiffs in a variety of antitrust matters, as well as representing and advising non-party companies in FTC and DOJ investigations.
We regularly assist companies and executives in enforcement proceedings relating to allegations of criminal violations of antitrust and competition law. Our team includes an alumnus of the FTC and several former Assistant U.S. Attorneys. In cooperation with our Chambers and The Legal 500-ranked white collar defense team, our antitrust litigators have a superb record in achieving favorable results for clients facing government enforcement actions. Further, we have particular strength in helping companies navigate parallel government and civil actions, working with them to determine the most advantageous litigation strategy when facing multiple actions relating to the same conduct.
Several partners in our Antitrust & Competition Litigation practice have served in leadership roles within the ABA Antitrust Section for years, and our senior attorneys regularly lecture and write on issues of interest to the antitrust community.
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Antitrust and Competition Litigation Representative Matters
- Represent a branded pharmaceutical company with regard to an allegation of a “pay for delay” antitrust violation in In Re Namenda Antitrust Litigation.
- Represent a tuna manufacturer with regard to an alleged cartel in shelf stable tuna products in In Re Packaged Seafood MDL.
- Represent a public streaming entertainment company in its capacity as a third party in various civil investigations and litigation brought by the FTC and certain U.S. state attorneys general in which the company’s interests are impacted by the actions of the largest Big Tech companies.
- Represent an innovative technology company in connection with DOJ antitrust litigation against Google.
Melissa Maxman serves as the Co-Chair of the Exemptions and Immunities Committee, which addresses judicially created immunities and serves as a resource for information on the scope of antitrust laws. She also serves as a Vice Chair for the Podcast Programming Committee, where she serves as a frequent host of the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section’s podcast, Our Curious Amalgam.
John Roberti is serving as the Technology Officer for the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section. As one of 15 Section officers, John serves on the Antitrust Section’s cabinet and is responsible for integrating technology solutions into the mission of the Section.
Ron Wick is Vice Chair of the Antitrust-Consumer Protection Law Daily Digest Committee, which publishes a daily compendium of antitrust and consumer protection news from around the world to keep the Section's membership apprised of development and analysis in their field.
About Cohen & Gresser: Cohen & Gresser is an international law firm with offices in New York, Paris, Washington, DC, and London. We have an outstanding record of success in high-stakes and high-profile litigation, investigations, and transactional work for our clients, including major financial institutions and companies across the world. Our attorneys have superb credentials, and are committed to providing the efficiency and personal service of a boutique law firm along with the quality and attention to detail that are the hallmarks of the best firms in the world. The firm has been recognized in a wide range of publications, including Chambers and The Legal 500.
Roberti joins a distinguished group of lawyers and other professionals who, according to WWL, “are worthy of special mention owing not only to their vast expertise and experience advising on some of the world’s most significant and cutting-edge legal matters, but also their ability to innovate, inspire, and go above and beyond to deliver for their clients.” Cohen & Gresser is one of only a handful of midsize law firms in the U.S. to be recognized in the Competition category.
Who’s Who Legal is an organization that identifies the foremost legal practitioners and consulting experts in business law based on comprehensive, independent research. The individuals featured in the guide obtained the largest number of nominations from peers, corporate counsel, and other market sources.
The guide highlights C&G’s “elite group of practitioners” and use of advanced machine learning techniques and notes that the firm “handle[s] cases that are every bit as complex and challenging as big, national law firms.” Commentators noted that the firm “punches way above its weight” in litigation and investigation matters.
C&G Co-Founder Mark S Cohen is one of only two lawyers in the United States to be recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in both Securities Litigation: Defense and Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense. Commentary from The Legal 500 recognizes Mark as a “top-tier advocate” who is “at the top of the profession” and “can litigate with the best of them.”
For the first time, C&G’s Antitrust practice has been recognized in Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense for its handling of class action cases concerning allegations of cartel behavior, monopolization, and other exclusionary conducts. The Legal 500 cites the leadership of Melissa H Maxman and the addition of “heavyweight” lawyer John Roberti as key reasons for the practice’s recognition.
C&G is again recognized in the Advice to Individuals and Advice to Corporates categories of the Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense section. The Legal 500 commentary notes that the practice is led by “partners with deep experience who obtain excellent results for clients” and is “well placed to handle transatlantic cases” with offices in New York, Paris, and London, and has “particular expertise in financial crime, antitrust enforcement, public corruption, and tax issues.”
The guide has also recognized C&G once again in the General Commercial Disputes category, praising the practice for showing the “discipline and focus necessary to win a case.” Testimonials from the guide highlight the team’s ability to “handle large and complex matters” with “experienced people, good judgment,” and “better use of technology.”
For the 10th consecutive year, C&G has been recognized in the Securities Litigation: Defense category for the firm’s “expertise in the financial services sector” and “recognized trial expertise” in cross-border and domestic securities litigation and enforcement proceedings. The Legal 500 emphasizes the team’s “strong practitioners” and “attentiveness to clients” in the 2022 guide.
Recognized Practices:
- Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals
- Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Corporates
- General Commercial Disputes
- Securities Litigation: Defense
Antitrust: Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense
- Melissa H Maxman
- John Roberti
- Ronald F Wick
- Jonathan S Abernethy
- Jason Brown
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Jeffrey I Lang
- Melissa H Maxman
- Reggie Schafer
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Lawrence T Gresser
- Melissa H Maxman
- Daniel H Tabak
- Jonathan S Abernethy
- Mark S Cohen
- S Gale Dick
- Lawrence T Gresser
The Legal 500 analyzes the capabilities of law firms across the world. Its rankings “highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.”
C&G’s Commercial Litigation practice is once again ranked in Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded. The practice is recognized for being “regularly sought after by individuals and corporates for representation in securities class actions and derivative matters, as well as various shareholder and product litigation.” Clients note that the team is comprised of “litigators that you don’t want to mess with” and is one that “you can rely on.”
C&G’s White Collar Defense & Regulation practice is ranked in Chambers USA for the ninth consecutive year. The practice maintains its position as one of the “Elite” firms in Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Chambers highlights the practice’s “talented pool of litigators with a wealth of government experience” and its “international presence” as key reasons for its continued ranking. Commentary from the guide notes that the practice is “a substantial player in the New York white-collar world” that has “burst onto the scene with strong former prosecutors” and “good results for their clients.”
Ranked Departments:
- Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded
- Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations: The Elite
District of Columbia
Antitrust: Litigation Specialists
New York
Litigation: General Commercial
Litigation: Securities Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChristian R Everdell has been promoted to partner, and Joanna K Chan, Erica Lai, and David F Lisner have been promoted to counsel.
"Congratulations and thanks to each of these exceptional attorneys for their commitment to excellence, integrity, and superb client service. We are very fortunate to have them," said Managing Partner, Lawrence T Gresser.
Melissa H Maxman was quoted in a Bloomberg article regarding Google’s internet dominance and the effects on internet searches, noting that “bringing plaintiff cases in the U.S. will be challenging, especially after the Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation of Google in 2013.”
The Capitol Forum Interview Series features a discussion with Melissa H Maxman, Managing Partner of C&G's Washington, D.C. office.
View the interview here.
Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce the opening of its fourth office in Washington, D.C. The Washington office will be led by partner Melissa H Maxman, and will handle a range of commercial litigation and regulatory enforcement matters, with a focus on U.S. antitrust issues, criminal and civil litigation, and compliance and regulatory disputes in the federal agencies.
- The consent decrees allow the private equity fund JAB Consumer Partners SCA SICAR's National Veterinary Associates to close two recent deals with some divestitures but also impose a series of strict prior notice requirements that are unprecedented in their breadth.
- The announcements come a month after the confirmation of a fifth commissioner that gave the Democrats a 3-2 majority on the FTC.
- As long as Democrats control the majority, private equity firms should be prepared for additional scrutiny and be cognizant of other competition issues that may impact them.
Melissa H Maxman and Ronald F Wick examine the impact of the Leegin Creative Leather Products Inc. v PSKS Inc. ruling a decade after the decision.
Offering insight to multinational corporations in terms of navigating within, among, and between the different policies and agendas of antitrust regimes around the world.
Erica Lai served as the moderator of a panel discussion titled “Promoting Women’s Professional Development And How Men Can Help – During the Challenges of the Pandemic and Beyond.” The panel was hosted by American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section’s Women.Connected committee.
Melissa H Maxman presented a CLE on "Preventing and Defending a Private Civil Class Action Price-Fixing Lawsuit: Best Practices for a New Decade" at a program hosted by Lawline. She outlined clear steps to ensure the best strategies to prevent and defend against different types of anticompetitive allegations.
Melissa H Maxman appeared on an episode of Our Curious Amalgam’s podcast series, titled “When is Doing Good Bad? Antitrust in Social Responsibility Agreements,” hosted by John Roberti, leader of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association.
Listen to the episode here.
Melissa H Maxman participated in a presentation, titled “The Incoherent Justification for Naked Restraints of Competition: What the Dental Self-Regulation Cases Tell Us about the Cavities in Antitrust Law” at the 19th Annual Loyola Antitrust Colloquium at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Partner Melissa Maxman appeared on Legal Talk Network’s podcast series ‘On the Road’ on the ‘Antitrust Exemptions in Sports--& More!’ episode. She joined host Creighton Macy of Baker McKenzie, and panelists Sathya Gosselin of Hausfeld and Kim Scott of Miller Canfield, in a discussion about antitrust exemptions in sports, antitrust careers, and litigating sports cases.
Consumer Antitrust Institute in Chicago
ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting Panel, Washington DC
International Association of Korean Lawyers, IAKL Seoul Conference Program, Washington, D.C.
Association of Transportation Law Professionals (“ATLP”) 87th Annual Meeting in New Orleans
Melissa Maxman was a panelist at this event.
Melissa was a primary commentator at this event.
Melissa was a panelist at this event.
Melissa was a speaker at this event.
Melissa was a speaker at this event.
Melissa was a speaker at this CLE course.
Melissa was a speaker at this event.
Multiple presentations while at the U.S. Department of Justice, including to the U.S. Navy, officials and military in Guam, and agencies and governmental bodies in California, Nevada, and Alaska.
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