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Robert Langer

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Bob is recognized as one of the country’s foremost authorities on antitrust, consumer protection, and trade regulation law. He possesses unparalleled experience in counseling, litigation, and regulatory investigations in the field.

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Senior Counsel Robert M. Langer and Michael A. Kurs of Pullman & Comley have co-authored an article titled, “The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. DOJ Antitrust Division during the Biden Administration Have Significantly Ramped Up Antitrust Enforcement: Non-Antitrust Lawyers Beware!” in the Connecticut Bar Association’s Connecticut Lawyer Magazine.

The article discusses the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the…

Read More The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. DOJ Antitrust Division during the Biden Administration Have Significantly Ramped Up Antitrust Enforcement: Non-Antitrust Lawyers Beware!

On August 16, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it has settled, via a proposed consent order, a pending antitrust investigation into a proposed acquisition in which a private equity firm, Quantum Energy Partners (“Quantum”), was integrally involved with natural gas producer EQT Corporation (“EQT”).[1] The conduct remedies include Quantum agreeing to relinquish seats on a competitor’s board, which is particularly important for…

Read More The FTC has Recently Substantially Elevated its Focus upon Both Private Equity and Interlocking Directorates

On October 10, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced its final rules with respect to Premerger Notification under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 (as amended) (“HSR”).  The final rules formalize what will be the largest change to premerger notification requirements since at least 2000.  The final rules follow from the draft rules that the FTC published in June 2023.[1]  The new…

Read More FTC Proposes Dramatic Changes to HSR Premerger Filings, as Agencies Unveil New Merger Guidelines

On June 29, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published the final version of its revised “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”[1], hereinafter (“Guides”). For the purposes of the Guides, it is important to note that endorsements and testimonials are treated identically.[2]

The revised Guides contain a number of significant changes to the prior version of the Guides…

Read More The FTC Has Revised Its Endorsement and Testimonial Guides

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced its intention to ramp up enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a Great Depression era anti-price discrimination law. Neither the FTC nor the DOJ has significantly enforced the RPA for several decades. This announcement marks a major shift in the enforcement landscape. Companies should work with counsel to take stock of pricing activities and to review potentially impacted…

Read More The FTC to Vigorously Enforce The Robinson-Patman Act

The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division announced on February 3, 2023, that it has withdrawn from three guidance documents, issued in 1993, 1996 and 2011.  The reason given was that the guidance documents were deemed “obsolete.”

The most significant aspect of this announced withdrawal is that each document provided certain “safety zones” for health care providers.  Simply stated, if a company complied strictly…

Read More US DOJ Antitrust Division Withdraws Safety Zones

Senior Counsel Robert M. Langer has authored the Connecticut state chapter of the first edition of State Consumer Protection Law, a treatise published by the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section. Partners Steven B. Malech and Joseph Merschman both contributed to the Connecticut chapter of the predecessor treatise Consumer Protection Law Developments.

Bob is also the co-author of the definitive treatise on Connecticut’s principal consumer protection statute…

Read More Senior Counsel Robert M. Langer Authors the Connecticut Chapter of a Treatise Dedicated to State Consumer Protection Law

Senior Counsel Robert Langer and Partner Benjamin Diessel co-authored an article titled, “Off the Wagon: Rejecting Efforts to Write the Agreement Requirement Out of Section 1 in Liquor Regulation Preemption Cases” in ABA Antitrust Law Section’s Antitrust Magazine. The article discusses the complex intersection of state pricing regulation, the Sherman Antitrust Act and the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. It explains at length why the…

Read More Senior Counsel Robert Langer and Partner Benjamin Diessel Published an Article in ABA Antitrust Law Section’s Antitrust Magazine

Connecticut has amended its credit card surcharge law, effective as of May 24, 2022, that imposes important disclosure requirements in order for companies to offer discounts to customers who choose to pay in cash rather than by credit card. [1]

What is a Surcharge?

A surcharge is “an additional charge or fee that increases the total amount of a transaction for the privilege of using…

Read More Connecticut Makes Significant Changes to Its Credit Card Surcharge Law Effective Immediately

Partner Benjamin Diessel, Senior Counsel Robert Langer and Associate Zeynep Aydogan authored a piece titled, “FTC Merger Policy Shifts May Spur Uncertainty And Risk” for Law360. The article discusses the recent measures that the Federal Trade Commission has taken to “reshape its enforcement priorities for review of mergers and acquisitions.”

Traditionally, new policies have been adopted jointly by the FTC and the U.S.

Read More “FTC Merger Policy Shifts May Spur Uncertainty And Risk”