Antitrust and Consumer Protection

Antitrust laws are the body of law that prohibits anti-competitive behavior (also know as monopolies) and business practices that are unfair. These laws are designed to encourage competition in the marketplace. Antitrust laws also make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both, or generally to violate standards of ethical behavior. For example, Antitrust laws prohibit agreements in restraint of trade, monopolization and attempted monopolization, anticompetitive mergers and tie-in schemes, and in some circumstances, price discrimination in the sale of commodities.

Both the federal government and states’ Attorneys General may bring Antitrust actions. Private civil suits may also be brought, in both state and federal court, against violators of state and federal antitrust law. Federal Antitrust laws, as well as most state laws, provide for treble (three times) damages against Antitrust violators in order to encourage private lawsuit enforcement of Antitrust law.

Consumer protection laws are distinct from Antirust laws and seek to regulate certain aspects of the commercial relationship between consumers and business, such as by requiring minimum standards of product quality, requiring the disclosure of certain details about a product or service (e.g., with regard to cost or implied warranty), prohibiting misleading advertising, or prescribing financial compensation for product liability.

Liberty Law Office has experience representing both consumers and businesses in Antitrust cases, prosecuting both violations of both state and federal law. Click here if you believe you have an Antitrust or Consumer Protection case, and would like to speak to an attorney.