Practices

Porter Hedges' lawyers have broad experience in addressing all phases of clients' antitrust needs, from counseling and compliance, to merger assistance, to civil and criminal litigation. Lawyers in our litigation section often work with lawyers in our corporate and securities department who bring their proven skills to antitrust matters. We have designed compliance programs involving all areas of antitrust law, represented clients before state and federal regulatory agencies, handled complex private party litigation, and defended clients in criminal antitrust matters. 

Our experience includes:

• Represented target defendant in antitrust lawsuit alleging conspiracy and monopolization in credit reporting industry. Secured favorable settlement dismissing all claims.
• Represented numerous companies in pre-merger investigations by the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission in a wide variety of industries, including plastics, milk, gas pipeline, oil services, and credit reporting industries.
• Represented advanced technology environmental services firm in antitrust litigation brought by a competitor. Obtained summary judgment dismissing all claims.
• Represented individual officers of manufacturer of corrugated containers in federal criminal antitrust case alleging price fixing on an almost nationwide basis secured jury verdict of acquittal.
• Represented several defendant companies through trial of civil antitrust case alleging nationwide conspiracy to fix prices in the corrugated container industry. The case was tried to verdict and settled before judgment on very favorable terms.
• Represented defendant in civil antitrust case alleging a conspiracy to fix prices in the specialty steel piping industry. Secured favorable settlement prior to trial.
• Represented defendant in civil antitrust case brought by the Commission of the European Communities (EC) alleging a price fixing conspiracy by wood pulp manufacturers in North America and Europe for the sale of wood pulp in the EC. Secured favorable settlement.
• Represented diverse clients in grand jury proceedings involving motion pictures, oil field services', paper products, freight forwarders, and other products.
• Represented electric power wholesaler in federal antitrust suit by major retail electricity provider. Secured dismissal of all claims against client, affirmed on appeal.
• Represented manufacturer of component parts of specialty HVAC equipment used in laboratories. Competitor claimed monopolization and conspiracy in restraint of trade. Secured dismissal with prejudice of all claims asserted against client.
• Assisted numerous public companies in adopting effective antitrust compliance policies and programs.