American Bar Association Examines United States v. AT&T

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 22, 2011 — Antitrust law issues related to mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on AT&T’s blocked acquisition of T-Mobile, will be the focus of debate at a roundtable discussion of United States v. AT&T in Washington, D.C., Sept. 27, sponsored by the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law.

On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice brought action against AT&T to block its acquisition of T-Mobile on the grounds that the acquisition “would remove a significant competitive force from the market” and would result in higher prices for mobile customers.  The panel discussion will include: the Antitrust Division’s arguments and AT&T’s response; the question of whether rapidly evolving technology should be considered in merger analysis; the effect of Sprint’s opposition to the merger; the FCC’s position; and potential outcomes if the case goes to trial.

Who:
Joyce Choi, associate, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, CITY (moderator)
Richard Brunell, director of legal advocacy, American Antitrust Institute, Boston
Allen Grunes, partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Washington, D.C.
Glenn Manishin, partner, Duane Morris LLP, Washington, D.C.
Geoffrey Manne, lecturer in law, Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Ore.
Patrick Pascarella, partner, Tucker Ellis & West, Cleveland
Paul Friedman, partner, Dechert LLP, Washington, D.C. (program chair)

What:
Roundtable discussion: United States v. AT&T (2011)

When:
Tuesday, Sept. 27
1 – 2:30 p.m.

Where:
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
1700 K St. N.W. Fifth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20006

The roundtable discussion brochure provides further detail.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the world’s largest voluntary professional membership organization. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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