Sidley’s antitrust lawyers regularly represent clients who are interested in informing the public debate on important competition policy issues by preparing policy papers and draft legislation and making oral presentations to policymakers at the antitrust agencies, regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. Such projects frequently include advice on communications and public relations strategies, which complement our legal and regulatory work.
Such presentations are frequently multidisciplinary in character, and in preparing them, the antitrust team works with other practice groups within the firm. Clients who entrust us with their legislative and policy objectives benefit from our reputation as thought leaders, our stellar relationships with policy officials and the fact that several members of the Sidley antitrust team held policy posts earlier in their careers at the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Congress.
In comments to publications such as Chambers, clients have praised senior members of the Sidley antitrust team for their understanding of the “political and regulatory” environment in which they operate; their deep understandings of industry sectors such as telecommunications, financial services, healthcare, internet and technology; and their “insight” into the workings of relevant law enforcement agencies.
Representative Engagements:
- For a large e-commerce platform, we successfully advocated changes to the European Union’s new vertical restraints regulation in the area of online sales.
- For an international provider of financial services, we worked with a consulting economist and Sidley’s Financial Institutions Regulatory group to prepare a lengthy analysis of the effects of credit card regulation in Australia.
- We prepared testimony on antitrust exemptions for a major trade association in a regulated industry, and presented that testimony in U.S. Congressional hearings.
- We have supported lobbying efforts in the U.S. Congress on proposed regulation of credit card interchange fees.
- On behalf of a professional association, we prepared “white papers” that helped persuade the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission that price setting activities in certain joint ventures should be analyzed under the rule of reason rather than under the per se rule.