Antitrust
Over the last century, antitrust law has exerted an ever-increasing influence on critical aspects of corporate and commercial strategy. Successful representation requires not only a keen understanding of antitrust laws, but a unique combination of business acumen and litigation experience. At Jackson Walker, we offer both litigation and advisory services regarding antitrust matters to businesses of all sizes across a variety of industries.
Litigation
Our antitrust lawyers have played a lead role in major antitrust suits in Texas and nationally. We have represented both plaintiffs and defendants through negotiation, trial, and appeal in cases involving every Texas and federal antitrust statute before diverse tribunals including arbitration panels, the Federal Trade Commission, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, and state and federal courts throughout the United States. We maintain sophisticated, cutting-edge e-Discovery capabilities and are always alert to strategies that can streamline the litigation process. We endeavor to achieve excellent results in the early stages of litigation, keeping costs low and enabling our clients to get back to their real jobs.
Counseling and Compliance
While we are proud of our record of success in antitrust litigation, we recognize that the best way to defend against an antitrust claim is to prevent the claim from arising. Accordingly, we work with our clients to develop effective programs to comply with antitrust laws. Our attorneys regularly review proposed transactions, customer and competitor relationships, and business strategies to help our clients compete vigorously in the marketplace while minimizing the risk of antitrust liability.
As a full-service firm, our antitrust attorneys call on the skills and experience of attorneys in our Corporate and Securities, White Collar Defense, and Intellectual Property practice areas as needed. Our attorneys have taken leadership roles in the antitrust bar. In fact, two of our partners are past chairs of the Antitrust and Business Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas.
Our antitrust clients include companies and organizations from a wide array of businesses, industries, and professions, including banking and financial services, insurance, franchising, energy and utilities, chemical, healthcare, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, broadcasting, and bookselling, as well as trade associations and charitable organizations.
Jackson Walker Advises CEC Facilities Group in $505M Sale to Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.
Jackson Walker represented CEC Facilities Group, LLC, a leading specialty electrical and mechanical contractor, in its $505 million sale of assets to Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (Nasdaq: STRL). The transaction included $450 million in cash and $55 million in Sterling common stock, with an additional earn-out opportunity based on future operating income targets.
Client Results • September 23, 2025
Jackson Walker Advises $17B Investment Management Firm Crestline in Sale to Rithm Capital Corp.
Jackson Walker is advising Fort Worth-based Crestline Management in connection with its entry into a definitive agreement to sell to Rithm Capital Corp. (NYSE: RITM), a global alternative asset manager. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Client Results • September 9, 2025
FTC Announces Hart-Scott-Rodino Thresholds for 2026
By Ann Leafstedt and Shari Mao
On January 20, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the adjusted jurisdictional and filing fee thresholds under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR Act). The HSR Act requires persons considering certain transactions which exceed the applicable size thresholds to file a premerger notice with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), pay the required filing fee, and observe a designated waiting period before consummating the transaction.
Insights • February 18, 2026
âLawdragonâ Recognizes Edwin Buffmire, TrĂ© Fischer, and David Moran Among Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers of 2026
Jackson Walker announces that three partners have been named to the 2026Â âLawdragon 500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyersâ list.
Attorney News • January 20, 2026
Six Jackson Walker Attorneys Named to Lawdragonâs List of 500 Next-Generation Lawyers for 2025
Jackson Walker attorneys Edwin Buffmire, Art Cavazos, Amanda Crouch, Brian Oates, Bethany Pickett Shah, and Ashley Withers have been selected to the third annual âLawdragon 500 X â The Next Generationâ list recognizing attorneys who have demonstrated significant impact early in their careers.
Attorney News • July 17, 2025
Chambers and Partners Releases 2025 USA Guide Featuring 79 Jackson Walker Attorneys and 28 Ranked Departments
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has selected 79 attorneys and 28 departments for inclusion in the 2025 edition of the Global and USA guides. Attorneys were ranked across 29 departments, with 4 attorneys listed among multiple areas, 9 ranked nationwide in their respective areas, and 12 recognized for the first time.
Spotlight • June 5, 2025
Seven Jackson Walker Attorneys Named to Lawdragon’s List of 500 Next-Generation Lawyers
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of Edwin Buffmire, Art Cavazos, Amanda Crouch, Brian Oates, Manny Schoenhuber, Bethany Pickett Shah, and Ashley Withers to the âLawdragon 500 X â The Next Generationâ list for 2024.
Attorney News • June 28, 2024
Jackson Walker Earns 25 National and 134 Metro Rankings in 2024 Edition of “Best Law Firms”
Jackson Walker proudly announces the firm’s inclusion in the 2024 edition of Best Law FirmsŸ by Best Lawyers. This year, Jackson Walker observed notable improvements in the national rankings, including the rise of Appellate Practice to Tier 1, Banking and Finance Law and Litigation – Labor and Employment to Tier 2, and the addition of Energy Law and Environmental Law in Tier 3.
Spotlight • November 2, 2023
- Banking and finance
- Insurance
- Franchising
- Energy and utilities
- Chemical
- Healthcare
- Agriculture
- Hospitality
- Media
- Nonprofit
- Advise on the preparation of responses to voluntary information requests and civil investigative demands
- Represent clients in matters under the Sherman, Clayton, and Robinson-Patman Acts, as well as the Texas Free Trade and Antitrust Act
- Defend claims relating to price-fixing, territorial allocation, tying, exclusive dealing, monopolization, and price discrimination
- Serve as expert witness in Texas antitrust law
- Negotiate resolutions regarding competitive concerns while preserving the transaction at issue
- Prepare Hart-Scott-Rodino pre-merger notification filings
- Review proposed transactions for antitrust issues
- Develop antitrust compliance programs to minimize potential antitrust liability arising from not only mergers and acquisitions, but joint ventures and various contractual arrangements that may raise issues
- Analyze and advise on structure of proposed mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures
- Develop premerger integration plans
- Advise on acquisition and licensing of intellectual property
- Counsel clients on pricing of products and services
- Develop and review franchise and distribution agreements
- Evaluate trade association activity
- Prepare challenges to hostile tender offers
