Antitrust Law Section

8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Welcome Introduction

Speaker

Erica S. Weisgerber, Esq. | Debevoise & Plimpton LLP New York, NY

William V. Reiss, Esq. | Robins Kaplan LLP New York, NY

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Annual Review of Hot Topics and Developments

This year’s annual antitrust developments panel will survey the pivotal antitrust cases, enforcement trends, legislative activity, and merger reviews that shaped 2025, and will offer insights into anticipated developments in the new year.

Speaker

Eyitayo “Tee” St. Matthew-Daniel, Esq. | Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP New York, NY

Moderator

Elai Katz, Esq. | McDermott Will & Emery LLP New York, NY

10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Designing and Implementing Remedies After Google

With Judge Mehta’s remedies order in U.S. v. Google (Search) now out—and a decision in the AdTech case looming—the question is no longer about liability, but about what remedies truly restore competition. This panel will examine how courts connect conduct to harm when deciding remedies, why limits on default payments, index access, or AI search distribution may or may not be effective, and when structural relief—such as divestiture in AdTech—becomes viable. Panelists will also tackle the hardest part: ensuring remedies work in practice, through careful design, monitoring, and enforcement, so that outcomes go beyond formal compliance to deliver lasting competitive change.

Speaker

Jay L. Himes, Esq. | Administrative Law Judge, Federal Trade Commission

Jonathan Sallet, Esq. | Office of the Colorado Attorney General Denver, Colorado

Ron Schnell, Esq. | Keystone Strategy, LLC Fort Lauderdale, FL

Moderator

Kathleen Bradish, Esq. | American Antitrust Institute Washington D.C.

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Monopolizing the Conversation: Is Free Speech an Antitrust Issue?

Recent DOJ and FTC leadership, under both the Biden and Trump Administrations, have expressed concerns that lackluster competition threatens our democracy, and in a recent consent order, the FTC required advertising agency Omnicom to, inter alia, agree not to unilaterally or in coordination with others, direct its customers’ advertising spend because of political or ideological views or refuse to publish advertising content because of political or ideological views, as a condition to its proposed acquisition of Interpublic Group. In this panel, we’ll explore whether we have a competition problem in media and content, and whether the antitrust laws are an appropriate tool to address potential harms to protect free speech.

Speaker

Wesley R. Powell, Esq. | Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP New York, NY

Moderator

Nathaniel L. Asker, Esq. | Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP New York, NY

12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Antitrust Law Section Business Meeting

Speaker

Erica S. Weisgerber, Esq. |

William V. Reiss, Esq. |

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch On Your Own

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

When is Big Good? Industrial Policy Considerations in Merger Control Review

Discussion of the EU’s Draghi Report and Competitiveness Compact, UK change in competition priorities, and implications in the U.S. of Trump Administration’s Make America Great Again focus, including the implications of the new HSR form.

Speaker

Michael Weiner, Esq. | Steptoe LLP New York, NY

Nicholas Levy, Esq. | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Brussels, Belgium

Mary Marks, Esq. | Sidley Austin, LLP New York, NY

Moderator

Ilene K. Gotts, Esq. | Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz New York. NY

Lauren Rackow, Esq. | Clifford Chance New York, NY

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Consumer Protection Enforcement, Dominant Firms, and the Digital Economy

Antitrust agencies around the globe have taken divergent enforcement approaches when it comes to Big Tech and AI. Senior leadership at the FTC and DOJ have strongly advocated for ex post enforcement as opposed to ex ante regulation, whereas the EU has charted a different course, including through the DMA. While the debate as to which approach is more effective continues, the scrutiny of digital platforms and dominant firms remain. And in this context, enforcement agencies have increasingly relied on consumer protection as another tool to address alleged harms. Indeed, while the U.S. antitrust agencies have litigated a series of landmark monopolization cases, the FTC has simultaneously brought groundbreaking cases against a number of the same defendants using long recognized consumer protection theories of harm. The panel will explore the use and effectiveness of consumer protection enforcement in the context of Big Tech, AI, and dominant firms.

Moderator

William H. Efron, Esq. | Arnold & Porter New York, NY

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Break

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Behind the Verdict: Working with Jury Consultants and Utilizing Jury Focus Groups in Antitrust Litigation

Antitrust trials often hinge not only on the legal arguments presented but also on how effectively those arguments resonate with jurors. As cases become increasingly complex, attorneys are turning to jury consultants and focus groups to gain insight into jury psychology, test themes, and refine trial strategy. This panel will explore practical approaches to leveraging these tools in antitrust litigation, highlighting both opportunities and challenges. The panel will feature experienced trial attorneys, a trial consultant, and an academic.

Speaker

David Scupp, Esq. | Shinder, Cantor, Lerner LLP New York, NY

Moderator

Meegan Hollywood | Shinder, Cantor, Lerner LLP New York, NY

4:45p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Concluding Remarks

Speaker

William V. Reiss, Esq. | Robins Kaplan LLP New York, NY

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Young Lawyer Networking Happy Hour

Speaker

Susan Musser, Esq. | WilmerHale Washington, DC

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Section Cocktail Reception

University Club

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Section Dinner with Awards and Dessert Buffet

Speaker

Judge Amit P. Mehta | District Judge, United States District Court for the District of Columbia

Antitrust Law Section Chair: Erica S. Weisgerber, Esq., Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, New York, NY Program Chair: William V. Reiss, Esq., Robins Kaplan LLP, New York, NY