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

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

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