Antitrust

Nebraska Attorney General Takes on Major Investors Over ESG Policies in New Antitrust Legal Challenge

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Lincoln, NE — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced his office’s participation in a broad antitrust lawsuit targeting several prominent institutional investors. The lawsuit accuses these firms of violating competition laws through their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments in the investment of private prison companies and for-profit immigration detention centers. The legal action, which encompasses nine other U.S. states, asserts that these investors use their substantial ESG commitments to manipulate the market, reduce competition, and ultimately elevate operational costs that affect the detention centers and prison facilities. This problematic approach is claimed to not … Read more

Major Class Action Status Granted in Game Developers’ Antitrust Lawsuit Against Valve

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In a significant legal development, a federal judge has recently elevated a lawsuit against game distributor Valve Corporation to class action status, permitting a myriad of game developers to challenge the company’s market practices. The initial suit was lodged by Wolfire Games in April 2021, alleging that Valve’s 30% sales commission on its Steam platform was unjustifiably high, stifling competition, and exploiting both publishers and consumers. The class action status was awarded by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead, signifying that any game developer who has paid the commission to Valve since January 28, 2017, … Read more

Government Seeks to Dismantle Google’s Empire, Proposes Sale of Chrome in Antitrust Crackdown

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WASHINGTON — In a significant legal move, the Justice Department has urged a federal judge to compel tech giant Google to divest its ownership of the popular web browser Chrome. This request comes as a part of broader antitrust actions aimed at curbing Google’s dominance in the digital market. The government’s actions highlight growing concerns over monopolistic practices in the tech industry, particularly regarding the control over internet browsers and online advertising sectors. Google, which also controls the vast majority of the world’s search engine market, may face substantial changes to its business structure if … Read more

California Antitrust Laws Set for Overhaul: Major Changes Proposed for Single Firm Conduct and Mergers

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Sacramento, Calif. — In a significant move that may shape the competitive landscape of various industries, California is reviewing its antitrust regulations under the Cartwright Act. Triggered by a mandate from the state legislature in 2022, the California Law Revision Commission (CLRC) dedicated itself to a comprehensive study, known as Study B-750, spawning eight focused groups to pin down areas ripe for legislative updates. The task groups each tackled different segments of antitrust law, from mergers and acquisitions to the emergent challenges posed by technological advancements and artificial intelligence. This initiative was designed not only … Read more