Antitrust Litigation

United States and Massachusetts antitrust and unfair business practice law prohibit price-fixing, bid-rigging, market allocation schemes, monopolization, and other unreasonably anticompetitive or unfair or deceptive conduct by businesses, whether they are large or small. Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP, long at the forefront of class action practice nationally, also has substantial antitrust expertise. The firm served as liaison counsel in In re Carbon Black Antitrust Litig., litigated in federal court in Boston, in which a $20 million settlement was reached on behalf of a small, family-owned business in Rhode Island and a class of purchasers of Carbon Black. Charles Tompkins, a partner at the firm, represented the family business and was a member of the lead counsel team that obtained the settlement. Mr. Tompkins also was a member of a trial team that, following a two-week jury trial, obtained a $56 million judgment on behalf of a class of approximately 500 Maine blueberry farmers who alleged that blueberry processors in Maine fixed the prices they were willing to pay to blueberry growers for their blueberries. This judgment remains the largest in Maine history.

The firm currently represents consumers and businesses in antitrust actions in a variety of industries. For example, Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP represents a dairy farmer in a class action alleging antitrust violations in the Northeast dairy market by Defendants Dean, Hood, and the Dairy Farmers of America. The firm also represents the guitarist of a local rock band in a class action on behalf of people who purchased guitars and other musical instruments, which alleges price-fixing in the market for certain musical instruments.  You can read about our current antitrust cases by clicking here.

Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP has a particular expertise in the application of Massachusetts unfair business law to antitrust actions. Our lawyers have been at the forefront of litigation involving the Massachusetts unfair business practices statute, and the firm is committed to using the statute to obtain relief for individuals and businesses who are the victim of anticompetitive practices. For example, the firm seeks to represent a class of Massachusetts consumers who purchased refrigerators or other cooling devices from certain defendants who allegedly fixed the price of the hermetically-sealed compressors within those appliances. While other firms have pursued actions alleging violations of federal law, Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP has sought relief on behalf of Massachusetts consumers using the unfair business practices statute passed for their protection.

Business owners or individuals who believe they have been subjected to  unreasonably anticompetitive conduct, or an unfair or deceptive business practice are encouraged to contact us.