Antitrust attorneys handle competition matters: price fixing, bid rigging and market allocation, monopolisation claims, merger review before the antitrust agencies, distribution and pricing programmes, exclusive dealing and tying arrangements, and civil damages actions including class litigation.
Exposure is unusually severe. Criminal prosecution is possible for hard-core cartel conduct, and private damages are trebled, which is why compliance advice is worth far more than defence.
Before you hire
- Never discuss prices, customers or territories with a competitor without counsel present. Most cartel cases begin with an informal conversation.
- If a subpoena or civil investigative demand arrives, engage counsel and preserve documents immediately.
- For transactions, ask about merger notification thresholds and waiting periods before signing.
Business law, securities law and white collar crime cover neighbouring work.