Apple to Face 6 Big Law Firms in Antitrust Lawsuit

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Apple is facing an anti-trust lawsuit filed on behalf of millions of customers over allegations of antitrust violations
• A New Jersey judge has appointed lawyers for six law firms to represent the customers
• The tech giant denied any wrongdoing, saying that it was facing a fierce competition from well-established rivals

Apple Inc., one of the largest technology companies globally, is set to battle with six law companies over allegations that it violated the United States’ antitrust law.

US District Judge Julien Xavier Neals, who presided over the case, appointed lawyers for each law firm to lead the litigation. It included Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Girard Sharp LLP, Seeger Weiss LLP, Carella Byrne Cecchi Brody & Agnello PC, Susman Godfrey LLP, and Hausfeld LLP.

The firms will represent customers who purchased iPhones directly from Apple stores before reaching an agreement on the lineup.

If the case succeeds, the lead counsel team is poised to secure a substantial amount of the legal fees from any settlement or judgment against the technology giant, which according to reports, could be worth billions of dollars.

The firms all have a track record of winning huge antitrust cases.

Apple sets up roadblocks for its benefit

The civil cases mirrored a lawsuit filed by the US Justice Department in March this year which accused Apple of violating an antitrust law by using contractual restrictions to force developers to play by its rules.

Allegedly, this resulted in consumers getting fewer choices for third-party services such as digital wallets, mobile cloud streaming services, cross-platform messaging, and smartwatch services, among others.

This is the third time that the Justice department has sued Apple for antitrust violations in the past 14 years.

In a previous press briefing, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Apple’s efforts “smothered an entire industry.”

Meanwhile, it denied any wrongdoing, saying that it was far from being a monopolist. Instead, it said that it was facing a fierce competition from well-established rivals.

“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” said Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz.

Apple moved to dismiss the case, emphasizing that its limitations on developers’ access to its technology were reasonable, adding that forcing it to share technology with its competitors would chill innovation.

Separately, the judge appointed another group of law firms to represent consumers who bought iPhones from mobile phone carriers in October of this year. The law firms named were Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky, Berger Montague, Lockridge Grindal Nauen and Spector Roseman & Kodroff.

Meanwhile, three other firms, composed of Korein Tillery, MoloLamken and Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, will lead a proposed class action on behalf of Apple Watch purchasers.