{"id":960,"date":"2023-05-30T20:35:32","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T20:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/girardsharp.com\/?page_id=960"},"modified":"2026-02-07T00:23:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:23:59","slug":"antitrust","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/girardsharp.com\/practices\/antitrust\/","title":{"rendered":"Antitrust"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Antitrust<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our antitrust team represents plaintiffs in some of the largest and most complex antitrust cases in the United States to ensure fair competition and integrity in the marketplace. Our lawyers have recovered over $1.3 billion for consumers, businesses, and end-payors harmed by unlawful monopolization, price-fixing, and other anticompetitive conduct.<\/p>

Led by nationally recognized antitrust litigators including Managing Partner Dena Sharp, a widely respected leader in pharmaceutical and technology antitrust litigation, the firm is regularly appointed to leadership roles in high-stakes cases in state and federal courts nationwide. We have particular depth in cases involving technology platforms, pharmaceutical markets, and coordinated pricing schemes.<\/p>

Our work has helped restore competition, lower prices, and hold powerful corporations accountable for conduct that distorts markets and harms consumers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Recent Successes<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • $500 million<\/strong> settlements in ongoing litigation against the country\u2019s largest generic drug manufacturers. Girard Sharp serves on the Plaintiffs\u2019 Steering Committee.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    • $104.75 million<\/strong> settlement against manufacturers of brand and generic version of the drug Lidoderm for conspiring to delay generic entry while splitting the profits. Girard Sharp serves as co-lead counsel.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      • $104.75 million<\/strong> settlement against manufacturers of brand and generic version of the drug Lidoderm for conspiring to delay generic entry while splitting the profits. Girard Sharp serves as co-lead counsel.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Representative Matters<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Pharmaceutical & Pay-for-Delay Litigation <\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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        • In re Xyrem Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Co-Lead Counsel in litigation alleging that Jazz\u2014the manufacturer of the prescription drug Xyrem\u2014and would-be manufacturers of generic Xyrem unlawfully delayed the release of the generic, causing consumers, insurers, and other payors to overpay for their prescriptions by hundreds of millions of dollars. The litigation settled for $198.4 million on the eve of trial.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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          • In re Generic Pharmaceuticals Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Girard Sharp serves on the End-Payer Plaintiffs\u2019 Steering Committee. Nationwide litigation alleging that many of the world\u2019s largest drug makers conspired to prevent competition and raise prices through the pharmaceutical industry since at least 2011. Settlements over $500 million with certain defendants have been approved, and litigation is ongoing against the remaining defendants.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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            • In re Lidoderm Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Co-Lead Counsel in litigation alleging that two drug companies, Endo Pharmaceuticals and Teikoku Pharma, unlawfully paid a third, Watson Pharmaceuticals, to delay the launch of less expensive generic lidocaine patches. After obtaining certification of the end-payer class and defeating defendants\u2019 summary judgment motion, the case settled shortly before trial for $104.75 million.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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              • In re Restasis Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Co-Lead Counsel in a case alleging that Allergan used fraudulent patents and baseless petitions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to preserve its monopoly for the drug Restasis by preventing generic versions from coming onto the market. Our team played a critical role in all aspects of the litigation and led the end-payors’ successful efforts to certify the class. The litigation settled for $30 million in 2022.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                • In re Aggrenox Antitrust Litigation<\/em>, In re Solodyn Antitrust Litigation<\/em>, In re Niaspan Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Member of the Executive Committees in these \u201cpay-for-delay\u201d cases. Our team was responsible for overseeing discovery of the firm\u2019s clients, including defending them at their depositions. Aggrenox<\/em> and Solodyn<\/em> settled for $54 million and $45 million, respectively, and the Niaspan<\/em> litigation is ongoing.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                  Technology & Digital Markets<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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                  • In re Apple Smartphone Antitrust Litigation<\/em>: Interim Co-Lead Counsel in case challenging a series of practices by Apple to monopolize the smartphone markets and prevent competition to the iPhone. The litigation is ongoing.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                    • In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Interim Co-Lead Counsel in litigation challenging Google\u2019s monopolistic practices in the \u201cAd Tech Stack\u201d \u2013 the technology platforms that advertisers use to place ads on websites and other digital spaces.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                      • TFT-LCD Price Fixing<\/em>: Liaison counsel in the landmark \u201cTFT-LCDs\u201d litigation against several of the world\u2019s largest electronics manufacturers in which plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturers had conspired to fix prices on the thin, flat-panel LCD displays. The litigation resolved for $400 million.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                        • We served as liaison counsel in the landmark \u201cTFT-LCDs\u201d litigation against several of the world\u2019s largest electronics manufacturers in which plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturers had conspired to fix prices on the thin, flat-panel LCD displays. The litigation resulted in more than $400 million in settlements.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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                          • San Diego Natural Gas Price Manipulation: <\/em>Helped deliver compensation to individuals and businesses who alleged that natural gas companies around San Diego unlawfully drove up prices through prearranged \u201cwash trades\u201d \u2013 simultaneously purchasing and selling the same amount of natural gas at the same price \u2013 and reported false price and volume information to trade publications. The litigation resolved for $160 million.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                            • In re California Gasoline Spot Market Antitrust Litigation: <\/em>Key member of the co-lead counsel team in litigation alleging that gasoline traders artificially manipulated the price of gasoline throughout the state of California. Litigation resolved in 2025 through a $13.93 million settlement on behalf of the class, as well as a $50 million settlement by the California Attorney General that both the AG and the California Superior Court recognized was due in large part of the efforts of Girard Sharp and their co-counsel.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                              • In an antitrust action in the Superior Court of California, we delivered nearly $160 million in settlements on behalf of individuals and businesses who alleged that natural gas companies around San Diego unlawfully drove up prices through prearranged \u201cwash trades\u201d (simultaneously purchasing and selling the same amount of natural gas at the same price) and reported false price and volume information to trade publications.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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                                If you believe you have been harmed by an antitrust violation, please speak with one of our antitrust lawyers.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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