Ann O'Brien

FTC and DOJ MOUs with NLRB Reflect the Administration’s Ongoing Focus on Restrictive Labor Relationships and the Gig Economy

By Daniel Kaufman, Marc Antonetti and Ann O'Brien on July 28, 2022 Posted in FTC

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that the agencies had entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The FTC press release touted the MOU as a big deal, stating that it would “bolster the FTC’s efforts to protect workers by promoting competitive U.S. labor markets and putting … Continue Reading

No More Blurry Searches: 1-800 Contacts Settles Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Search Term Restraints

By Darley Maw and Ann O'Brien on May 21, 2020 Posted in Class Actions

Last week, mega-online retailer 1-800 Contacts settled claims brought by a class action suit in the Central District of Utah alleging that the company was the mastermind of a scheme to prevent competition in the online contact lens market. The plaintiffs, consumer purchasers of contact lenses, alleged that 1-800 Contacts coerced some of its competitors … Continue Reading

COVID-19 Update: Pricing During COVID-19 Without Gouging or Fixing

By Ann O'Brien and Jeanne-Michele Mariani on April 8, 2020 Posted in FTC

We recently blogged here about the FTC and states combating scams, price gouging and deceptive ads, and our antitrust group issued an alert on navigating antitrust issues in the wake of COVID-19. Today, we write to provide updates about the recent focus on price gouging and how you can set prices in these difficult times … Continue Reading