Overview
Stone Pigman provides comprehensive antitrust litigation and counseling services. We have represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of antitrust cases, including class actions, criminal enforcement actions and technology disputes. In the area of antitrust counseling, we have provided a large variety of businesses with advice on antitrust issues.
Our clients come from diverse industries, but are alike in their need for competent antitrust counsel -- especially as federal antitrust agencies become more aggressive in investigating business activity for potential anticompetitive effects. We can provide that counsel by representing you in litigation and before enforcement agencies, in sensitive internal investigations and government inquiries. Our lawyers also can advise your business in mergers and other transactions with antitrust implications. We can also challenge the anti-competitive practices of other companies where necessary to protect your interests. We assist businesses by providing preventive risk assessments, and advice on complex issues such as distribution and licensing, the regulation of unfair trade practices and intellectual property matters.
Our lawyers strive to quickly gain an in-depth understanding of your business needs and focus on the best results for you. By combining the knowledge and experience of our antitrust litigators with the business and regulatory knowledge of our corporate and tax attorneys, we can bring a complete multidisciplinary perspective to your antitrust and competition issues.
Antitrust representative matters have included:
- CPAP Antitrust Litigation. Represented a manufacturer of health care products used to treat sleep apnea (CPAPs) against a CPAP distributor's claims of antitrust violations. The Court dismissed the plaintiff's federal claims, and dismissed the plaintiff's state-law claims for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
- Insurance Antitrust Actions. Defended an insurance company in a class action alleging violations of state antitrust laws and breach of contract relating to an alleged conspiracy to underpay insurance claims.
- In federal trial and appellate courts, defended a multiple-line automobile dealership in an antitrust and unfair competition suit involving regional sales of automotive parts.
- In antitrust mass action brought by the Louisiana state attorney general against the insurance industry as a whole, we successfully represented a major insurer and presented winning argument on behalf of all insurer defendants in court.
- Represented the plaintiff anesthesiologist throughout a landmark antitrust tying arrangement case that ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, Jefferson Parish Hospital No. 2 v. Hyde, 466 U.S. 2, 104 S.Ct. 1551.
- Represented regional chain of supermarkets in connection with approximately $500 million joint acquisition of all assets of another market chain, which operated a chain of over 100 supermarkets located in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois. This included successfully overcoming an FTC antitrust challenge.
- Advised clients in manufacturing and technology industries regarding compliance with federal antitrust laws and federally-mandated reporting requirements.
