Competition : Law360 : Legal News & Analysis (2024)

After a long tenure in banking, including as Morgan Stanley's global head of mergers and acquisitions, Rob Kindler could have rested on his laurels. Instead, Kindler joined Paul Weiss as its global chair of M&A and has led the team that represented Envestnet Inc. on its July 11 deal to sell the business to Bain Capital for $4.5 billion. He spoke with Law360 about what he sees ahead.

Iberdrola To Buy 88% Of UK Electric Power Co. In $5.5B Deal

Spanish electric utility company Iberdrola said Friday it plans to buy 88% of Electricity North West in a deal that values the British electric power network at roughly €5 billion ($5.5 billion), including debt.

Royal Mail Copyright Case To Go Ahead In Joint Trial

Royal Mail and another company suing software firm Codeberry over alleged unlawful use of postcode data can have their cases tried together, a judge ruled Friday, although he refused to allow Codeberry's counterattack to be included in the same trial.

Toyota Accused Of Blocking Rival Hydrogen Fueling Station

Owners ofhydrogen-powered Toyota Miraisare suing the automaker, claimingin a proposedclass actionthat Toyota blacklisted a California State University fuel station and has its "boot on the necks" of otherhydrogen pump operators in the state.

11th Circ. Affirms Zurich Needn't Pay Judgment Against Agent

In a pair of opinions issued Thursday, the Eleventh Circuit revived a copyright claim by Compulife but rejected the software company's bid to force Zurich American Insurance Co. to pay for a judgment against an insurance agent who allegedly helped three others misappropriate the company's trade secrets.

Texas infrastructure products company Arcosa Inc., advised by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, has agreed to buy the family-owned construction materials business of Stavola Holding Corp. for $1.2 billion, moving forward in its "long-term vision" that includes increasing its aggregates presence across the U.S., Arcosa announced Thursday.

NFL Sacks $4.7B Sunday Ticket Verdict With Post-Trial Win

A California federal judge on Thursday overturned a Los Angeles jury's $4.7 billion verdict against the National Football League for violating antitrust laws with its Sunday Ticket television package, granting the league a post-trial win by finding that the plaintiffs' damages experts presented "flawed methodologies."

MultiPlan, Insurance Cos. Must Face Collusion MDL In Illinois

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Thursday centralized in Chicago six class actions challenging the MultiPlan pricing tools that healthcare providers allege are used by UnitedHealth, Aetna, Cigna and other major insurers to systematically underpay out-of-network providers, with more than a dozen similar lawsuits potentially tagging along.

Grayscale Wants Rival's $2M Conn. Trade Practices Suit Nixed

Grayscale Investments LLC has asked a Connecticut state court judge to toss a suit launched by asset management firm Osprey Funds LLC, alleging that Grayscale falsely advertised its services in order to lure investors, saying the amended complaint fails to state a claim and, therefore, must be "stricken in its entirety."

Calif. Jury Clears Bayer In Flea And Tick Med Antitrust Suit

A California federal jury on Thursday cleared Bayer of allegations that it owes millions for cutting anticompetitive deals with pet product retailers to undermine competition from generics makers of flea and tick treatments for dogs.

Apple Says DOJ Is Looking For 'Judicial Redesign' Of IPhone

Apple Inc. urged a New Jersey federal judge Thursday to throw out the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit, calling claims of restricted app access meant to lock users into the iPhone as a government effort to control protocols the company contends are needed to ensure security and reliability.

TD Bank's $25M Client Poach Case Hits FINRA Snags

Ex-TD Bank employees accused of siphoning $25 million in business to Raymond James Financial Services Inc. agreed to move a dispute over a restraining order into arbitration to shield themselves from negative press, the bank told a federal judge Thursday after the defendants complained about delays to the proceeding.

AliveCor Asks 9th Circ. To Revive Apple Watch Antitrust Case

Medical monitoring startup AliveCor Inc. told the Ninth Circuit that Apple Inc. should not be immunized from antitrust claims over the removal of access to heart rate data on the Apple Watch because the change was intended to block competition and not improve the device.

Merchandising Co. Says Ex-VP Sunk $47M Deal With Lowe's

An ex-merchandising company executive exploited trade secrets to sabotage a $47 million deal with home improvement giant Lowe's Cos. Inc., the executive's former employer has alleged in a federal lawsuit in North Carolina.

JPML Greenlights Shale Oil Price-Fixing MDL In New Mexico

A group of U.S. shale oil producers will have to defend claims that they conspired with OPEC to artificially inflate gas prices in New Mexico federal court after the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized at least five suits there Thursday.

6th Circ. Puts Net Neutrality Rule On Ice During Appeals

The Sixth Circuit on Thursday granted industry groups' bid to put a hold on the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules while appellate court challenges play out, saying there is a strong chance that internet service providers will eventually prevail.

EU Approves $18B Grain Deal With Asset Sales

European enforcers on Thursday approved grain and seed supplier Bunge Ltd.'s plan to buy global grain trader Viterra Ltd. in an $18 billion deal, conditioned on the sale of Viterra's oilseed businesses in Hungary and Poland.

Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

The Federal Trade Commission brought its latest case contesting a vertical merger, Tempur Sealy's bid for Mattress Firm, while continuing to battle Microsoft's purchase of Activision and Kroger's purchase of Albertsons, even as the agency allowed several oil deals to move forward without challenge.

Turf Co.'s Injunction Bid Is Too Vague, Ga. Judge Rules

A Georgia federal judge rejected a major artificial turf manufacturer's attempt to stop a rival turf company from using files allegedly stolen by one of its former executives before he jumped ship, saying the requested injunction was too vague and only sought to force the company to follow existing law.

DAF Can't Take Trucks Cartel Appeal To Top UK Court

The U.K. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal brought by DAF Trucks Ltd. against a ruling requiring it to shell out more than £15.2 million ($19.3 million) to BT and Royal Mail over a price-fixing scheme.

Heather Greenfield of White & Case LLP led Novasep Process through the first successful prior approval issued by the FTC after it revived the '90s-era policy requiring companies that inked deals with the agency to get prior approval for any mergers over the next decade, earning her a spot among competition attorneys under age 40 honored as Law360 as Rising Stars.

Cérélia Can't Fight Order To Sell Jus-Rol, UK Top Court Rules

The U.K.'s top court refused Thursday to allow dough maker Cérélia a chance to appeal a decision forcing it to sell its Jus-Rol brand, ruling there were no legal grounds to challenge the finding that the move is necessary to protect competitive markets.

Live Nation Says In-House Attys Can't Access DOJ Docs

As it warned would be the case, Live Nation is telling a New York federal judge that it has no in-house counsel that will be able to meet his rules on counsel access to highly confidential material in the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust suit against the live events company.

UFC Fighters' $335M Wage Deal Rejected Amid Scrutiny

A Nevada federal court has rejected a $335 million deal that would end claims from mixed martial arts fighters accusing Ultimate Fighting Championship of suppressing their wages, setting up a potential trial later this year.

NFL Finds Judge Open To Tossing $4.7B Sunday Ticket Award

A California federal judgeappearedopen Wednesday to the NFL's argument that he should throw out a jury's stunning $4.7 billion antitrust verdict over the league's Sunday Ticket television package, saying he has "trouble"with the jury's damages award and suggesting that jurors may have disregarded his instructions.