#334 What’s the Word on Wage-Fixing? Cracking Down on Collusion Among Employers
The U.S. Department of Justice has made it clear that some agreements among competing employers regarding workers’ salaries or other terms of compensation--so-called “wage-fixing agreements”--may be subject to criminal prosecution. What kind of conduct falls within the scope of wage-fixing? In this episode, hosts Alicia Downey and Blair Matthews talk to Crowell & Moring partner and former senior DOJ prosecutor Ken Dintzer about the latest developments on the wage-fixing front, including the first criminal conviction for wage-fixing won at trial. Listen and learn what business enterprises and their counsel need to know about how to avoid wage-fixing violations in merger due diligence and integration planning, trade association activities, and salary survey participation. With special guest: Kenneth Dintzer, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Blair West Matthews, Cleary Gottlieb
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#333 Is Antitrust Fashionable This Season? Antitrust in the Fashion Industry
What happens when antitrust law meets high fashion? In this episode, experienced fashion and luxury industry counsel Andowah Newton, joins Jeny Maier and Puja Patel to unpack recent antitrust cases in the luxury and fashion industries. From the FTC’s challenge to Tapestry’s acquisition of Capri, to no-poach allegations involving Saks and major fashion houses, to tying claims against Hermès and its coveted Birkin bag, we explore how competition law is colliding with market definition, exclusivity, branding, and status. Listen in for insights on how antitrust enforcers—and the courts—are approaching consolidation, labor practices, and sales tactics in an industry where scarcity sells. With special guest: Andowah Newton Hosted by: Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Puja Patel, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
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#332 What Is the Role of Behavioural Economics in Consumer Protection Enforcement? The UK’s New DMCC Act Regime
The UK's consumer protection regime changed early in 2025. How will behavioural economics be used by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in applying the rules? Stefan Hunt, partner at Keystone Strategy in London, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss previous consumer protection cases investigated by the CMA and the new regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Listen to this episode to learn more about the application of behavioural economics to consumer protection enforcement and how companies should prepare. With special guest: Stefan Hunt, Partner, Keystone Strategy Related Links: Keystone, "The UK’s New Consumer Enforcement Regime: What evidence and analysis will be used by the CMA and how firms can respond" Keystone, "The Value of Behavioural Economics in Competition Litigation – Reflections Following Le Patourel vs BT", 10 April 2025 UK CMA speech, "The CMA's approach to the new consumer enforcement regime", 30 April 2025 UK CMA guidance, "The CMA’s approach to consumer protection", April 2025 UK CMA guidance, "Unfair commercial practices: Guidance on the protection from unfair trading provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024", April 2025 Hosted by: Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP
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#331 Wait, We Have to Tell Who? What You Need to Know About State Premerger Notifications
State legislatures around United States have passed or are on track to pass legislation that requires parties to submit notice to the state attorney general or other state authority when certain transactions result in a material change in ownership. Why are states passing these laws and how are they affecting regulatory review of transactions? Axinn partner Lisl Dunlop joins hosts Alicia Downey and Rubin Waranch to discuss the expansion of state "mini-HSR laws" in detail. Listen to this episode to learn more about the ins and outs of the notice requirements and their interaction with the U.S. federal merger control regime. With special guest: Lisl Dunlop, Partner, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP Related Links: Uniform Law Commission, Uniform Antitrust Pre-Merger Notification Act Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Rubin Waranch, Cooley LLP
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#330 What's Happening in Paraguay and Costa Rica? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2025 Spring Meeting
While on site at the 2025 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section, the Our Curious Amalgam team recorded interviews with senior competition agency enforcers from all over the world, including Paraguay and Costa Rica. In the first segment of this episode, Alicia Downey interviews Commissioner Eduardo Barros of Paraguay's National Competition Commission (CONACOM). Following that, Matthew Reynolds speaks with Viviana Blanco Barboza, the president of the Costa Rica Commission for the Promotion of Competition (COPROCOM). Listen to this episode to hear what’s been happening in their respective agencies and what makes them happy outside of competition law. With special guests: Eduardo Barros, Commissioner, Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CONACOM) and Viviana Blanco Barboza, President, Comisión para Promover la Competencia (COPROCOM) Related Links: National Competition Commission of Paraguay Commission for the Promotion of Competition of Costa Rica Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP
Our Curious Amalgam explores topics in antitrust, competition, consumer protection, data protection, and privacy law around the world with leading experts in those areas. It is an amalgam because it is a group of diverse topics all in one place. It is curious because it gets the experts and asks them in-depth questions.
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