William J. Sheridan

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FTC announces revised HSR thresholds for 2019

On February 15, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the annual threshold adjustments for premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (15 U.S.C. § 18a) (HSR). The FTC revises the thresholds annually based on the change in gross national product.  The revised HSR thresholds will apply to all transactions … Continue Reading

Independent Health Care Providers Beware – FTC Actions Against Group Contracting Efforts Continue

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recently charged a Puerto Rico ophthalmologist cooperative with organizing a group boycott of a health plan in violation of section 5 of the FTC Act.  This action demonstrates the need for providers to be heedful of the antitrust laws when engaging in group contracting efforts.  While agreements among independent providers … Continue Reading

Duke Energy Forced to Pay Large Fine in HSR Gun Jumping Settlement

Duke Energy Corporation (Duke) agreed to pay $600,000 to settle a DOJ claim that it violated the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR Act) by failing to comply with the HSR waiting period requirement.  The complaint from the DOJ originated from Duke’s acquisition of the Osprey natural gas power plant from Calpine Corporation, which … Continue Reading

Antitrust Update: 2017 HSR Thresholds

On January 19, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the revised thresholds for determining whether companies are required to notify federal antitrust authorities about a transaction under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR Act).  The new minimum filing threshold will be $80.8 million. All of the revised thresholds are higher … Continue Reading

Individual Investors Pay Civil Penalties for Failing to Report Acquisitions of Voting Securities to the Federal Trade Commission

The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (“HSR Act”) requires companies and individuals to report large transactions above certain thresholds to the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), and then to observe a 30-day waiting period before closing their transactions. In two recent cases, investors resolved FTC allegations that they failed to observe these requirements … Continue Reading

Federal Trade Commission Announces Adjusted HSR Thresholds for 2015

On January 15, 2015, the Federal Trade Commission announced the annual threshold adjustments for premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. § 18a) (“HSR”). The new thresholds have increased the dollar amount required to trigger HSR notification for both the size-of-transaction and size-of-person tests. Click here to read the full … Continue Reading

Federal Trade Commission Announces Adjusted HSR Thresholds for 2014

On January 17, 2014, the Federal Trade Commission announced the annual threshold adjustments for premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. § 18a) (“HSR”). The new thresholds have increased the dollar amount required to trigger HSR notification for both the size-of-transaction and size-of-person tests. Click here to read the issued client … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Remands Pay-for-Delay Settlement for Antitrust Review in FTC v. Actavis

This post was also written by Jessica R. Rose. The U.S. Supreme Court last week issued a significant decision subjecting pay-for-delay settlements, a common practice in the pharmaceutical industry, to antitrust review. Also known as reverse payments, these settlements typically involve payments from a brand drug manufacturer to a generic drug manufacturer to settle patent litigation … Continue Reading

Damages Calculation Key to Supreme Court Reversal of Class Certification in Comcast v. Behrend

This post was also written by Daniel I. Booker and Jeremy D. Feinstein. Class certification under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(3) requires a finding that damages attributable to the theory of liability are measurable on a classwide basis, the Supreme Court decided today in Comcast v. Behrend. Justice Scalia, writing for a five-justice majority, emphasized that … Continue Reading

Pennsylvania Considering New Comprehensive Antitrust Law

This post was also written by Jeremy D. Feinstein and Jessica R. Rose.   Pennsylvania officials are taking steps to enact a comprehensive state antitrust law that would subject businesses to new antitrust risks at the state level. Most notably, the legislation would make minimum resale price maintenance per se illegal under Pennsylvania law. Minimum resale price maintenance is a … Continue Reading

Federal Trade Commission Announces Adjusted HSR Thresholds for 2013

On January 10, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission announced the annual threshold adjustments for premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. § 18a) (“HSR”). The new thresholds have increased the dollar amount required to trigger HSR notification with respect to both the size-of-transaction and size-of-person tests. Please click here to … Continue Reading

Federal Trade Commission Announces Adjusted HSR Thresholds For 2010

This post was also written by Katherine Mathews and Ariel Nieland. The Federal Trade Commission has announced the annual threshold adjustments for premerger filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. § 18a) (“HSR”). The new thresholds will take effect February 22, 2010 and will govern all transactions closing on or after that … Continue Reading
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