Overview
Our State Attorneys General practice group works with companies confronting potential individual state, multistate or multi-agency exposure. We have extensive experience with multistate and state-federal enforcement matters, allowing us to offer informed advice regarding case strategy and creative case resolution.
Our team includes former state and federal enforcers and prosecutors who are familiar with the “ins and outs” of government investigations:
- Patricia “Trish” Conners, Chair – Former Chief Deputy and Deputy Attorney General for Enforcement for the Florida Attorney General’s Office where she worked for seven attorneys general over 36 years, particularly in antitrust and consumer protection enforcement, and led or participated in countless multistate and state-federal matters. She also is the Former Chair of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Multistate Task Force.
- Douglas Kilby – Former Florida Senior Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. Has more than 20 years’ experience advising clients in AG investigations and lawsuits, internal investigations, and creating compliance policies and systems to reduce the risk of government investigations or enforcement actions.
Our experience covers a range of industries including pharmaceuticals; technology, including internet and mobile app services; financial services; banking; health care products and services; telecommunications; entertainment; retail; food products; and a variety of consumer products and services.
Range of Services
- Antitrust and consumer protection compliance and counseling
- Antitrust and consumer protection investigations, litigation, and case resolution
- Complex enforcement matter amicus briefs
- Internal investigations
- Merger clearance
- Representation before State Attorneys General in multistate and individual state matters
- Representation of State Attorneys General
- State and federal legislative and regulatory matters
Notable Experience
- Trish Conners
- Co-represented the State of Florida, helping achieve the $2 billion Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill settlement.
- Represented the State of Florida, helping to obtain the $26 billion multistate mortgage servicing settlement, and separately negotiating multi-billion guarantees for the benefit of distressed Florida homeowners, a result only one other state was able to achieve.
- Represented the State of Florida in negotiating several settlements resolving multistate litigation alleging “pay-for-delay” antitrust violations by major pharmaceutical companies, including one on behalf of the states and the Federal Trade Commission totaling over $100 million.
- Led the multimillion-dollar settlement negotiations on behalf of the State of Florida with a large residential home developer to resolve complaints regarding alleged construction defects in certain developments.
- Represented the State of Florida in the investigation of and the multidistrict litigation against:
- Three major infant formula manufacturers for price fixing, resulting in a $13 million Florida-only settlement.
- Major disposable contact lens manufacturers for price fixing, resulting in an $84 million global settlement.
- Major makers of commercial tissue for price fixing, resulting in a nearly $3 million Florida-only settlement.
- Major milk processors in Florida for rigging bids on school milk, resulting in a $34 million state bid-rigging recovery settlement.
- Jay Shapiro
- Advised the Attorneys General of numerous states on various issues relating to their investigations of antitrust violations in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, Jay has met with members of the United States House and Senate on various issues affecting the generic pharmaceutical industry. Some of the anti-competitive activities in the pharmaceutical industry that Jay has exposed in litigation have been detailed in an extensive study by the Federal Trade Commission, and have been cited in the Congressional Record as support for the revisions to the Hatch-Waxman Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act enacted by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Bush. Jay has given testimony to the Federal Trade Commission in connection with an investigation into antitrust issues surrounding patent litigation settlements between brand and generic drug companies.
