Overview
Calfee’s antitrust and trade regulation team provides proactive and trusted guidance so that our clients can address potential competition issues before they become legal problems. We regularly represent public and private companies on antitrust matters in every procedural context – before the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, and in state and federal courts in complex civil and criminal litigation.
We give clients practical competition advice that allows them to achieve their business goals while limiting their legal exposure in areas such as distribution, price, and acquisitions.
The industries in which we provide antitrust counsel are as diverse as the firm’s client base and have included consumer goods, automotive components, food and beverage, health care, real estate brokerage, software development, supermarkets, electric utilities, industrial coatings, mining, and dairies.
Noteworthy
Chambers USA, Band 3 Ranking in Litigation: General Commercial (Ohio)
For well over a decade, our Litigation group and individual litigation attorneys have been ranked and recognized by Chambers USA. In 2020, Chambers USA researchers noted that the team "frequently advises on plaintiff and defense-side commercial litigation matters, offering considerable strengths in securities, product liability, antitrust and construction disputes." They also offer experience in white-collar investigations and litigation, "defending a range of individuals and businesses facing regulatory enforcement actions." And they represent "clients in sectors including healthcare, financial services and manufacturing."
"One client praises the team as 'experienced, insightful, practical, efficient and client-oriented.' They continue, 'When you pose a question, you can rest assured that they will respond promptly with cogent, clear and practical responses.'"
"Another client praises the Litigation group for providing 'high-quality and cost-effective legal advice; the team has been crucial to our litigation defense, and we have been very happy with all of their efforts.'"
Chambers researchers noted that a commentator stated, "This is an excellent firm that does a great job for us. The team is cost-effective, practical and has strong expertise."
Litigation Co-Chair, Maura L. Hughes, has been ranked by Chambers USA 2020 in Band 2 for Antitrust in Ohio. "the 'fantastic' Maura Hughes is a 'very accomplished litigator and counselor,' according to sources, who speak highly of her antitrust expertise. She regularly advises clients on compliance with state and federal antitrust laws and has notable experience in handling investigations into alleged price fixing and other anticompetitive behavior.'"
U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” Rankings
Calfee was selected for inclusion in the 2021 "Best Law Firms" rankings by U.S. News – Best Lawyers in Litigation - Antitrust (Metropolitan Tier 1 Cleveland) and Antitrust Law (Metropolitan Tier 2 Cleveland).
Benchmark Litigation Rankings
Calfee was selected for inclusion by Benchmark Litigation 2021 as a "Highly Recommended" litigation firm in Ohio in the area of Dispute Resolution. Additionally, several of Calfee's Litigation attorneys have been ranked as "Local Litigation Stars – Ohio" by Benchmark Litigation 2021.
Experience
Experience
Calfee’s Antitrust and Trade Regulation attorneys have extensive litigation and regulatory experience in a range of industries, including the following:
- Represented a first-tier automotive supplier in multi-district antitrust class action litigation alleging horizontal cartel activity.
- Through an 11-week trial, successfully defended a local brokerage in an action brought by the world’s largest real estate organization alleging violations of Sherman Act Sections 1 and 2.
- Defending an incumbent local telephone exchange carrier against a competitor’s claims of monopolization and violation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
- Counseled a nationally recognized manufacturer of luxury consumer goods in restructuring its marketing and distribution systems and cooperative advertising programs and successfully defended the manufacturer in a Justice Department investigation of its programs.
- Represented a nationally recognized manufacturer and retailer in connection with an industry-wide investigation of competitive effects on retail pricing of certain labeling practices.
- Successfully defended a leading steel container manufacturer in multi-district, treble-damage, price-fixing class actions and in a parallel federal grand jury investigation based in Chicago.
- Advised intellectual property clients with respect to possible antitrust implications of field of use restrictions in licensing agreements, as well as the antitrust implications of computer standard setting.
- Routinely counsel clients on Hart-Scott-Rodino pre-merger notification requirements, prepare and administer filings, and present issues to the FTC and Justice Department enforcement staff in support of the transaction.
- Represented a regional health care institution in connection with the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation of and efforts to enjoin its acquisition by a competing hospital system.