Legal News

Lawyers Galore! Legal Eagles Swooping En Masse into Intel Case

By Ashby Jones

How many lawyers does it take to work an FTC antitrust lawsuit against a big tech company like Intel?

Someone unacquainted with the ways of high-stakes litigation might think — what — six? Eight? Certainly no more than 10, right? Five for each side? An old one to order everyone around, a young one to get ordered around, and three in the middle? Seems about right.

Oh, but you’d be wrong. So wrong. According to this article at the BLT blog by Jenna Greene, the number of lawyers in the case has mushroomed in recent weeks. Click here for Greene’s post; here for previous LB coverage of the FTC/Intel smackdown.

The FTC on Dec. 16 charged Intel with allegedly using its dominant market position to illegally stifle competition and increase its market share. Trial is set for September.

But between now and then, there could be a lot of lawyerly activity. A lot. According to Greene, Microsoft, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Via Technologies, Lenovo, Acer and Gateway have all been hit with subpoenas for documents either by the FTC, Intel, or both. And that, naturally, has led to a flood of motions asking for a variety fo things: more time to comply, to limit the scope of the requests, etc.

So, the lawyers: According to papers filed with the agency, Microsoft is represented by Jonathan Kanter and Amy Ray of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.

Oracle has retained Hogan & Hartson partners Clay James and Joseph Krauss.

Via Technologies has retained David Gelfand, Patricia McDermott, and Daniel Culley of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.

Lenovo Group, is represented by W. Andrew Copenhaver of Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice.

Hewlett-Packard has tapped Kristofor Henning and Victoria Wesner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Henning is based in Philadelphia and is a partner in the firm's litigation group. Wesner is an associate.

Acer America and Gateway are represented by Peter McMahon and Pamela Kelly of McMahon Serepca.

According to Greene, Intel has added more lawyers to its team. She writes:

The company was already represented by Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; and Howrey.

Back in the mix is James Hunt of Bingham McCutchen. . . .

Intel also added Roy Englert, Jr. of Robbins Russell Englert, Orseck, UntereIner & Sauber in Washington.

Of course, the FTC has to man up as well, and has, by adding two new lawyers, Richard Dagen and Andrew Mann.

By our count, that’s 16 lawyers. But this almost assuredly doesn’t include dozens of others who don’t get necessarily get listed on every FTC filing.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on April 02, 2010 (boomark / email).