Antitrust & Trade Regulation

AV&H has earned an unsurpassed reputation in antitrust and trade regulation.  Our attorneys have handled some of the largest and most challenging matters in recent years, including the largest cash merger in U.S. history and a wide array of cutting-edge litigation and counseling matters.  AV&H has one of the largest and most experienced antitrust practices in the United States, and we have been included in the Global Competition Review 100 in each of the past two years.

AV&H's antitrust practice encompasses all aspects of antitrust and trade regulation issues.  AV&H regularly litigates civil claims on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, and represents both U.S. and international clients.  We have significant experience in criminal antitrust investigations as well. 

AV&H advises clients regarding the antitrust implications of all types of business combinations, including mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.  AV&H has an unsurpassed reputation for its ability to obtain antitrust clearance for mergers and acquisitions that raise significant competitive issues.

The firm has substantial experience in all aspects of state, federal and international antitrust and trade regulation compliance, including horizontal and vertical restraints of trade, monopolization, price discrimination, Hart-Scott-Rodino and international filing requirements, and civil and criminal investigations.

News & Developments

• AV&H successfully obtains FTC approval of A&P's $1.3 billion acquisition of rival supermarket operator Pathmark
• Global Competition Review ranks AV&H's antitrust practice among best in New York
• John Harkrider Featured in Competition Law 360
• Chambers USA Ranks Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP Among Top New York Law Firms
• Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP Successfully Defeats the City of New York’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order Seeking to Enjoin the Affiliation Between Group Health Incorporated and the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York
• AV&H Files Lawsuit to Compel Attorney General to Maintain the Confidentiality of Subpoenaed Materials
• AV&H Obtains Antitrust Clearance for Rent-Way, Inc.'s $567 Million Acquisition by Rent-A-Center
• AV&H Successfully Concludes Foreign Auction Bid Rigging Case
• AV&H Obtains Antitrust Clearance for Omnicare's Acquisition of Rival Neighborcare
• AV&H Wins Antitrust Clearance for Movie Gallery's Acquisition of Hollywood Video
• John D. Harkrider Speaks at Milton Handler Annual Antitrust Review
• Senior Partner Steve Axinn Named in Chambers USA 2005 Client’s Guide
• AV&H Counsels BellSouth and Cingular in Acquisition of AT&T Wireless
• Global Competition Review Names AV&H in Top 100 firms in Annual Survey

Articles & Treatises

• Antitrust's New Big Brother: Feds Can Now Wiretap Suspected Offenders
• Exporting Antitrust Law to China
• Rethinking Second Requests
• "Schering" Overruled: Risk of Settling Patent Suits Reduced?
• Proving Anticompetitive Impact: Moving Past Merger Guidelines Presumptions
• Class Action Reaction: Ameded Rule 23 Enhances Judicial Supervision in Class Litigation

Newsletters

• Supreme Court Overturns Century-Old Precedent; Allows Rule of Reason Treatment for Minimum Resale-Price-Maintenance Agreements
• FTC Rules That Deception Regarding Patents During Standard Setting Process Violates Antitrust Laws
• Department of Justice Approves Whirlpool-Maytag Merger
• FTC and DOJ Issue Joint Commentary on the Horizontal Merger Guidelines
• FTC Obtains Unprecedented Antitrust Settlement for Alleged "Invitation to Collude" in Quarterly Analyst Conference Call
• Congress Allows Federal Investigators to Wiretap Suspected Antitrust Offenders
• Supreme Court Rejects Robinson-Patman Liability for Sporadic Price Discrimination
• Justice Department Challenges Information Exchange Concerning Contract Clauses
• FTC Challenges Merger Party's Claim of Second Request Compliance; Seeks Court Order Extending the Hart-Scott-Rodino Waiting Period
• Eleventh Circuit Overrules FTC’s Schering-Plough Decision, Possibly Reducing Antitrust Risk of Settling Patent Disputes