Congress passed the first antitrust law, the Sherman Act, in 1890 as a “comprehensive charter of economic liberty aimed at preserving free and unfettered competition as the rule of trade.” In 1914, Congress passed two additional antitrust laws: the Federal Trade Commission Act, which created the FTC, and the Clayton Act. With some revisions, these are the three core federal antitrust laws still in effect today.
Antitrust laws apply to virtually all industries and every level of business, including manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and marketing. The antitrust laws generally do not impose liability upon a firm for unilaterally refusing to assist its competitors, in part because doing so may undermine incentives for investment and innovation.
The intellectual property laws and the antitrust laws share the common purpose of promoting innovation and enhancing consumer welfare. The antitrust laws promote innovation and consumer welfare by prohibiting certain actions that may harm competition with respect to either existing or new ways of serving consumers. Examples of illegal practices are price-fixing conspiracies or collusion, anti-competitive corporate mergers, which may reduce the competitive vigor of certain markets, and predatory acts designed to achieve or maintain monopoly power.
COFFYLAW, LLC has more than 80 years combined experience in legal counseling including antitrust. Our legal team includes ex-patent examiners, patent attorneys, inventors, business attorneys, and technical advisors in mechanical-electrical engineering, and computer technology. Whether preparing patent or trademark applications, reviewing trademark applications, managed services, negotiating corporate agreements, providing guidance, and direction for compliance with various laws in reaching a settlement, COFFYLAW, LLC performed the full complement of managed services.
Drawing on years of experience in national and regional managed services law firms, representing a diverse client portfolio, including Fortune 500, mid-size companies, and entrepreneurs, COFFYLAW, LLC is positioned to strategically stay on top of the laws that affect our clients. COFFYLAW, LLC protects and defends your creations and inventions, preventing others from misappropriating what you have accomplished.
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