Practice Areas
Antitrust & Competition
Summary
Our attorneys have a broad knowledge of the antitrust arena rooted in experience and their knowledge of best practices. In late 2024, the Illinois Institute of Continuing Education published the updated handbook Business Law: Miscellaneous Operating Issues. Chapter 5 is an “Overview of Antitrust Law for the Corporate Practitioner” which was authored by Bauch & Michaels attorneys. The chapter of the treatise discusses a broad range of antitrust litigation holdings on the subjects of monopolies, vertical and horizontal price fixing, per se and rule of reason violations, exclusive dealings, tying arrangements, price discrimination, and mergers and acquisitions.
We offer clients a portfolio of sophisticated alternatives to the class action approach, often achieving recoveries through negotiation, arbitration, and litigation with the potential of recovering more for individual claims than might be possible as a passive class member.
Bauch & Michaels guides clients through their greatest challenges and opportunities relating to unfair competition in the marketplace. We assess the level of regulatory risk at the outset of any engagement to better evaluate the legal or economic impact. Bauch & Michaels provides government investigation defense and navigates clients through all phases of the regulatory process.
NEWS & PUBLICATIONS
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Firm Attorneys co-author Chapter 5: “Overview of Antitrust Law for the Corporate Practitioner” in IICLE’s updated Business Law Handbook.January 2025
In late 2024, the Illinois Institute of Continuing Education published the updated Handbook, Business Law: Miscellaneous Operating Issues. The seven chapter Handbook is designed to assist seasoned legal practitioners as well as those just starting out in the field of business law. Ken Michaels, Anthony O’Neill and Rezarta Cenaj Melo co-authored Chapter 5, an “Overview of Antitrust Law for the Corporate Practitioner.” The chapter of the treatise discusses a broad range of antitrust litigation holdings on the subjects of monopolies, vertical and horizontal price fixing, per se and rule of reason violations, exclusive dealings, tying arrangements, price discrimination, and mergers and acquisitions.
Experience
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Secured $191M settlement in drywall price-fixing case
Investigated allegations of price fixing in the domestic drywall industry and represented direct purchaser drywall contractors in Illinois. The case settled with a total of six defendants for nearly $191 million.
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Achieved $128M settlement for hospitals in plasma therapy antitrust case
Represented the named class representatives of a putative class of hospitals and other health care suppliers that alleged certain pharmaceutical companies agreed to restrict the supply of plasma therapies in order to drive up the price of these therapies. The case settled for $128 million during class certification briefing.
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Obtained favorable settlements for bedding companies in foam price-fixing litigation
Represented a group of bedding companies that directly purchased polyurethane foam from a number of companies for alleged price-fixing. Numerous proposed class actions were brought by both direct and indirect purchasers in courts throughout the country. Favorable settlements reached for all clients in the weeks before trial.
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Represented global tech firm in capacitor price-fixing investigation and litigation
Investigated and filed direct opt out action on behalf of global technology organization arising out of a multidistrict litigation matter which alleged that various capacitor manufacturers artificially raised, fixed, or stabilized the prices of capacitors in violation of U.S. federal antitrust law. Over $604 million has been recovered in settlements to date.