Kegler Brown represents business clients in disputes relating to all aspects of the laws governing business competition. From civil litigation, including class actions, to criminal prosecution or investigations involving federal or state enforcement authorities, we have experienced attorneys with the expertise to represent you in these matters.
The antitrust attorneys at Kegler Brown include Ralph Breitfeller, who served as a former assistant attorney general in the antitrust section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and Robert Cohen, chair of the firm's litigation department, who is a former chairman of the Board of Governors of the Antitrust Section of the Ohio State Bar Association.
Our Services
- Civil antitrust litigation defense: including traditional cases, as well as class actions, involving accusations of price-fixing, bid-rigging, territorial allocation, monopolization, unlawful pricing and unlawful collaboration with competitors
- Criminal antitrust investigations: including the representation of individuals and corporations prosecuted by state or federal enforcement authorities
- Non-competition agreement enforcement: enforcement of employment agreements, including protection of confidential information and trade secrets; enforcement of restrictions regarding post-employment competition; prevention of the solicitation of customers and employees
- Non-competition agreement defense: defense of employees faced with unreasonable non-competition restrictions or allegations of the misappropriation of confidential information or trade secrets
- Litigation challenging anti-competitive conduct: asserting claims on behalf of businesses that are victims of anti-competitive business conduct
Our Clients
We represent companies of all sizes that have either been accused of, or are victims of, unlawful anti-competitive business conduct, including clients who have a significant market share in their geographic region and product market. Some of our clients include:
- Commodity businesses: dairy; chemical; road resurfacing; grocery and food products
- Product manufacturers and resellers: trucking; health care and pharma; product manufacturing; sale of retail pets and pet products; computer and copier products
- Service-oriented businesses: media and telecommunications, the sale of credit information; data processing for the military; salons and spas; insurance and insurance software and information-related businesses
Kegler Brown has a history highlighted by successfully defending clients in antitrust and trade regulation litigation. This experience includes representing some of the best-known brands in the U.S., including:
- defending one of the largest producers of food and dairy products in the U.S. in price-fixing and customer allocation litigation brought by the Ohio Attorney General’s office;
- representing one of the largest supermarket chains in the Midwest against supplier antitrust claims regarding exclusivity;
- defending a privately owned global franchisor of animals and pet-related products against antitrust claims related to required supplier arrangements and marketing programs; and
- representing one of the largest consumer credit reporting agencies in the world in antitrust claims related to the resale of credit information.
Contact Us
For more information on our antitrust and trade regulation litigation services, please contact Robert Cohen or Ralph Breitfeller.