Ex-FTC lawyers create new antitrust firm

By rahmat hidayat

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

+ Elon Musk's X sues New York.

Global news you can trust. Download the Reuters App. The Afternoon Docket The Afternoon Docket A newsletter by Reuters and Westlaw By Sara Merken What's going on today? The 9th Circuit will hear arguments today on Trump's authority to deploy the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles amid protests and civil unrest. The ABA defended its diversity scholarships as protected free speech. A Cadwalader partner left to join Roberta Kaplan's law firm.   Ex-FTC lawyers form new firm targeting US antitrust enforcement 'gaps'   REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao/File Photo Three former FTC lawyers and a U.S. attorney who resigned in January opened a new plaintiffs law firm focused on unfair competition, price discrimination and other antitrust law violations. Read more from Mike Scarcella. They are launching the New York-based firm, Simonsen Sussman, as private antitrust litigation has surged in recent years, and as the FTC has shed staff under the second Trump administration. Catherine Simonsen, Shaoul Sussman and Nicolas Stebinger, who departed senior roles at the FTC in recent months, formed the firm with Kate Brubacher, a former U.S. attorney for Kansas during the Biden administration. The firm said underutilized laws and institutional constraints at federal agencies have left "gaps" in antitrust enforcement that the lawyers hope to fill. More top news Small business seeks early Supreme Court review of Trump's tariffs NAACP threatens to sue Elon Musk's xAI over Memphis air pollution ABA defends its diversity scholarships as protected free speech Coinbase seeking US SEC approval to offer blockchain-based stocks Trump says he will probably extend TikTok deadline again Apple wins appeal to overturn $300 mln US patent verdict FCC says China Mobile could face US fines for failing to cooperate in probe Cadwalader partner leaves to join Roberta Kaplan's law firm US appeals court to rule on Trump's Los Angeles troop deployment  Elon Musk's X sues New York to block social media hate speech law   REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Elon Musk's X Corp sued New York, challenging the constitutionality of a state law requiring social media companies to disclose how they monitor hate speech, extremism, disinformation, harassment and foreign political interference. X said the law known as the Stop Hiding Hate Act violated the First Amendment and state constitution by subjecting it to lawsuits and heavy fines unless it disclosed "highly sensitive and controversial speech" that New York may find objectionable. Jonathan Stempel has more on the lawsuit. In other news ... The Trump administration disbanded a group focused on pressuring Russia, sources said … Iran leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has seen his inner circle hollowed out by Israel … A shrinking FEMA has put a lake town's rebuilding plans in limbo … Immigration raids in Los Angeles have hit small business owners … In a historic first, the NAACP will not invite Trump to its annual convention. Contact Sara Merken   sara.merken@thomsonreuters.com @saramerken Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website The Afternoon Docket is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you've engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions © 2025 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036

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