Expect more antitrust lawsuits as the economy seeks bottom. So says Michael L. Keeley, a partner in the antitrust group of Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP. In this edition of Inside The Deal, Keeley tells Suzanne Stevens that two factors are in play: the likelihood of companies in a recession to more aggressively protect their turf, and an increased willingness among struggling companies to dedicate resources to litigation. Keeley, who also addressed the topic in a recent issue of The Deal newsweekly, says the number of antitrust lawsuits already filed this year exceeds those filed in all of 2007. Add that to President-elect Obama's stated intention to more actively pursue monopolistic conduct, and the courts should see plenty of antitrust activity in 2009.
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Even in a period when things like toxic credit default swaps and noxious structured investment vehicles dominate the conversation in many parts of the deal community, people are still willing to take the time to recognize skill and achievement in the strategic transactions that help those companies adapt and grow.
Juergen Lasowski
And the winners are...
