Free and open markets are the foundation of a vibrant economy that benefits both individuals and businesses with lower prices, more choices, greater innovation and better products.  Price-fixing, anticompetitive mergers and collusive business practices can harm competition and increase the price of goods and services used by consumers and businesses.

Federal and state antitrust laws exist in order to protect our free market system.  Antitrust laws protect consumers and businesses from anticompetitive practices that unfairly inflate prices.  Consumers and businesses are often injured by price collusion, abuse of market power and deceptive or fraudulent business practices.  Federal antitrust laws also can prohibit mergers and acquisitions that may inhibit competition and create a monopoly.

Pritzker Levine LLP regularly represents companies and consumers in the prosecution of individual and class action antitrust lawsuits under federal and state antitrust laws.  The firm’s attorneys have led and prosecuted antitrust cases in a variety of industries, including consumer electronics, consumer goods, insurance products and services, air transportation and pharmaceuticals.

To learn how our antitrust attorneys can help you, or to discuss a possible antitrust claim, please contact Elizabeth Pritzker at ecp@pritzkerlevine.com or call 415-805-8532 for a free consultation.

Cases

In re EpiPen (Epinephrine Injection, USP) Marketing, Sales Practices and Antitrust Litigation

Co-Lead Class Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represent a certified class of end-payer plaintiffs in a nationwide RICO and multi-state antitrust class action alleging that Mylan NV and Pfizer, Inc., the seller and manufacturer of the life-saving EpiPen, respectively, engaged in an unlawful scheme to sharply increase the price of the device while at the same time stifling competition seeking to enter the market. Plaintiffs reached settlements with both defendants for a total recovery of $609 million for class members.

In re National Collegiate Athletic Association Grant-In-Aid Cap Antitrust Litigation

Additional Class Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represented college football and basketball players in an antitrust class-action lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the NCAA’s most powerful conference members, the Pac-12, Big Ten, Big-12, SEC and ACC, claiming that these entities have agreed in violation of antitrust laws to unlawfully cap the value of athletic scholarships.  Firm clients, Justine Hartman and Afure Jemerigbe, both former University of California-Berkeley college women’s basketball players, served as class representatives in the case. The case resulted in a $208 million class settlement for student-athletes.

In re Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation

Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine serve on the Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, representing a certified class of consumers in this multi-district antitrust case alleging price-fixing by the major producers of canned or packaged tuna products. This litigation is pending before Judge Janis L. Sammartino in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and is in active litigation.

Al’s Discount Plumbing, LLC et al., v. Viega, LLC

Co-Lead Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represented indirect purchasers in a multi-state class action alleging anticompetitive and exclusionary conduct by a leading manufacturer of copper press pipe fittings. Judge Christopher C. Conner in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania granted final approval to a $15 million antitrust class settlement on behalf of a multi-state class of indirect purchasers of Viega ProPress® copper press fittings on December 18, 2020.

In re HIV Antitrust Litigation

Pritzker Levine represents plaintiffs and putative class members in a class action lawsuit against drug manufacturer Gilead and others for knowingly colluding to raise the price of HIV cART regime drugs, and wrongfully raising the price of treatment for the one million people in the United States living with HIV. The case is pending before Judge Edward Chen in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is active litigation.

Wood Mountain Fish LLC, et al., v. Mowi ASA (fka Marine Harvest ASA)

Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represent an indirect purchaser plaintiff class in a multi-state antitrust class action alleging price fixing by the major producers of farm-raised salmon and salmon products.  The case is pending before Judge Rodney Smith in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Ft. Lauderdale).

In re Keurig Green Mountain Single-Serve Coffee Antitrust Litigation

Pritzker Levine served on the Indirect Purchaser Plaintiff Litigation Committee and represented consumers and a proposed class of indirect purchasers in a nationwide class action against Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., Green Mountain Roasters, Inc., and Keurig, Inc. (collectively “Keurig”) for allegedly monopolizing the U.S. market for the sale of single-serve portion packages of coffee, tea, cocoa and other beverages. Keurig settled with indirect purchaser plaintiffs for $31 million.

In re Disposable Contact Lens Antitrust Litigation

In its role on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, Pritzker Levine represents plaintiffs and a certified class in an antitrust class action against contact lens manufacturers alleging that they colluded to maintain the retail prices of contact lenses by imposing resale price maintenance restrictions on those products. This multi-district litigation has been consolidated before Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Plaintiffs have reached settlements with all defendants; Judge Schlesinger has granted preliminary approval to a final settlement that would resolve the litigation.

In re Transpacific Passenger Air Transportation Antitrust Litigation

Elizabeth Pritzker, as a member of Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee, represented a class of consumers and direct purchasers in a multi-district class action alleging fuel surcharge price‐fixing by airlines in the transpacific passenger airline market. Plaintiffs have secured settlements totaling approximately $150 million. The case proceeded before Judge Charles Breyer in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

In re TFT-LCD (Flat Panel) Antitrust Litigation

Liaison Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker represented a certified class of direct purchaser plaintiffs in a multi-district antitrust class action alleging price-fixing by foreign and domestic manufacturers of Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) panels and products. The case resulted in class settlements of $473 million, and an $87 million jury verdict before trebling. TFT-LCD is considered to be one of the largest antitrust MDL actions ever in the United States. The case was litigated and tried to verdict before Northern District of California Judge Susan Illston.

Il Fornaio (America) Corporation et al. v. Lazzari Fuel Company, LLC

Class Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represented a certified class of direct purchasers in antitrust class action alleging customer allocation and bid rigging among sellers of restaurant grade mesquite charcoal. Northern District of California Judge William Alsup granted final approval of a class-wide settlement that resulted in settlement payments to class members representing approximately 85% of actual antitrust damages.

In re Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries Antitrust Litigation

Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine served on the court-appointed Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, representing direct purchasers in a multi-district antitrust class action alleging price-fixing by the major manufacturers of lithium ion rechargeable batteries. Direct purchaser plaintiffs secured over $70 million in settlements. Northern District of California Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers granted final settlement approval on May 8, 2018. 

In re Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation

Pritzker Levine served as a member of the Plaintiffs Steering Committee, representing 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development organizations and a class of indirect purchasers, in an antitrust class action alleging a conspiracy among gypsum board manufacturers and distributors to fix the prices of gypsum board. This multi-district litigation was consolidated before Judge Michael M. Baylson in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and resulted in several indirect purchaser class settlements.

In re Google Play Consumer Antitrust Litigation

Liaison Counsel Elizabeth Pritzker and Pritzker Levine represent a consolidated consumer class in In re Google Play Consumer Antitrust Litigation, an antitrust action accusing Google of unlawfully limiting competition by forcing Android users to use the Google Play app store and levying a supra-competitive fee on app store purchases.  This multi-track litigation also includes a consolidated app developer antitrust class action, as well as a direct action by a video game and software developer and publisher, Epic Games.