Antitrust Cases

$1.2 billion in settlements

Gustafson Gluek was an integral part of the team representing a class of indirect purchases of various automotive components. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants engaged in a sprawling price fixing conspiracy to artificially increase the price of several different automobile components. Gustafson Gluek helped recover over $1.2 billion for the class.

$2.67 billion in settlements

Gustafson Gluek was appointed as member of the Damages and Litigation Committee representing a class of subscribers of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. Plaintiffs alleged antitrust violations by the defendant. The parties have reached a settlement that established a $2.67 billion Settlement Fund. Settling Defendants also agree to make changes in the way they do business that Plaintiffs believe will increase the opportunities for competition in the market for health insurance.

Over $100 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek was appointed as one of the Co-Lead Counsel representing a class of commercial indirect purchasers of chicken. Plaintiffs allege that chicken suppliers colluded to artificially restrict the supply and raise the price of chicken in the United States. Plaintiffs have settled with defendants for over $100 million for the class.

Over $84.million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of indirect purchasers of electrolytic or film capacitors. Plaintiffs alleged that at least fifteen multinational corporations conspired to fix the prices of capacitors that they manufactured and sold worldwide and into the United States. Gustafson Gluek attorneys worked closely with Lead Counsel throughout the litigation, which resulted in settlements of over $84 million for the class.

$225 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of direct purchasers of CRT screens used for computer monitors and televisions. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants conspired to fix the price of these products in violation of the antitrust laws. Gustafson Gluek had a significant discovery role in the prosecution of this antitrust class action, which resulted in settlements totaling $225 million for the class.

Over $376 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of direct purchasers of containerboard products and was a defendant team leader. Plaintiffs alleged that defendant containerboard manufacturers conspired to fix the price of containerboard. As team leader, Gustafson Gluek handled all aspects of discovery, including the depositions of several senior executives. Gustafson Gluek helped to secure settlements of over $376 million for the class.

Gustafson Gluek is Co-Lead Counsel representing a class of farmers alleging that manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers conspired to artificially increase and fix the prices of crop inputs (e.g. seeds, fertilizers, pesticides) used by farmers.

$29.5 million in settlements and case is ongoing

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed as a member of the Steering Committee representing a class of car dealerships. Plaintiffs allege that defendants unlawfully entered into an agreement that reduced competition and increased prices in the market for Dealer Management Systems (“DMS”) and data integration services related to DMS. Plaintiffs reached a $29.5 million settlement with one defendant and the case continues against the remaining defendant.

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed as Co-Lead Counsel to represent a proposed class of farmers who purchased repair services from John Deere. Plaintiffs allege Deere monopolized the market for repair and diagnostic services for its agricultural equipment in order to inflate the price of these services.

Over $118 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represents a class of individuals who purchased contact lenses made by Alcon, CooperVision, Bausch + Lomb, and Johnson & Johnson. Plaintiffs allege that these manufacturers unlawfully conspired to impose minimum resale price agreements on retailers, which restricts retailers’ ability to lower prices to consumers. A class was certified and ultimately the parties settled for over $118 million for the class.

Over $190 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of direct purchasers of drywall in this antitrust case. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendant manufacturers conspired to artificially increase the price of drywall. Gustafson Gluek played an active role in the litigation. A class was certified, and Gustafson Gluek helped recover over $190 million for the class.

Gustafson Gluek is part of a team representing passengers of the airlines alleging antitrust violations against various airlines. There have been settlements with two of the defendants in this litigation.

$52.5 million settlement and case is ongoing

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed one of four Co-Lead Counsel to represents a class of direct purchasers of boxed beef in this antitrust litigation alleging the Defendants conspired to fix and maintain the price of beef in violation of the federal antitrust laws. Plaintiffs further allege that this resulted in supra -competitive prices for beef and harm to the class. Plaintiffs have reached a settlement with one of the defendants for $52.5 million for the class.

Over $310 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek was appointed Co-Lead Counsel for the indirect purchasers in this nationwide class action against both national and international memory-chip manufacturers. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants engaged in a conspiracy surrounding the pricing of the memory chips commonly known as Dynamic Random Access Memory (or DRAM). DRAM is used in thousands of devices on a daily basis. Gustafson Gluek was integral in achieving a settlement of over $310 million for the class.

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed Co-Lead Counsel for a proposed class of indirect purchasers of fragrances and fragrance ingredients. Plaintiffs allege that the world’s largest fragrance manufacturers conspired to fix and maintain the price of fragrances and fragrance ingredients in violation of federal and state antitrust laws resulting in supra-competitive prices for plaintiffs and proposed class they seek to represent.

Gustafson Gluek represents a class of Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs and is part of a team of law firms alleging anti-competitive conduct by more than twenty generic drug manufacturers with respect to more than 100 generic drugs, including drugs used to treat common and serious health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed to the Leadership Committee representing a class of publishers who sold digital advertising space via Google. Plaintiffs allege that Google’s anticompetitive monopolistic practices led to digital publishers being paid less for their advertising space than they otherwise would have been paid in a competitive market.

Gustafson Gluek represents a class of indirect purchaser end user plaintiffs who purchased products containing Hard Disk Drive (HDD) suspension assemblies. Plaintiffs allege that the defendant HDD suspension assemblies manufacturers unlawfully conspired to fix the prices of the HDD suspension assemblies and manufactured and sold the component worldwide and into the United States at an inflated price.

$19.5 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek served as Co-Lead Counsel with two other firms representing a class of indirect purchasers of interior molded doors. Plaintiffs alleged that two of the country’s largest interior molded door manufacturers conspired to inflate prices in the market. Defendants settled with the class for $19.5 million.

$139 million dollars in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of direct purchasers of lithium ion batteries in a multidistrict class action. Plaintiffs alleged collusive activity by the world’s largest manufacturers of lithium ion batteries, which are used in everything from cellular phones to cameras, laptops and tablet computers. Gustafson Gluek had a significant discovery role in the prosecution of this antitrust class and helped recover over $139 million for the class.

Gustafson Gluek represents a class of indirect purchasers of packaged (shelf-stable) tuna products in this antitrust class action.  Plaintiff allege that the major producers unlawfully conspired to maintain and increase the price of packaged tuna products, causing consumers to overpay for such products.

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed as one of the Co-Lead Counsel representing a proposed class of automobile dealerships and other reseller plaintiffs who purchased tired from defendants.  Plaintiffs allege that the defendants conspired to fix and maintain the price of replacement tires in violation of the antitrust laws and resulting in harm to the plaintiffs and the proposed class.

$6.2 billion dollars in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represented a class of merchants who accepted defendants’ credit cards and was a member of the executive committee appointed by Co-Lead Counsel. Plaintiffs alleged that Visa, MasterCard and a number of their member banks conspired fix the price of interchange fees charged to the merchants who accepted those cards. Defendants have agreed to pay the class over $6.2 billion in settlements.

$20 million settlement and case is ongoing

Gustafson Gluek has been appointed as Interim Co-Lead Counsel representing a class of consumers who purchased pork products. Plaintiffs allege pork producers, who control over 80% of the wholesale pork market in the U.S. conspired to fix prices by, among other things, agreeing to restrict production to artificially increase prices. The class has obtained a $20 million settlement with one of the defendants.

$33.4 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek worked closely with Lead Counsel representing indirect purchasers of linear resistors. The Plaintiffs alleged that the defendant manufacturers conspired to increase the price of linear resistors, thereby causing indirect purchasers to pay more. After engaging in extensive discovery, Plaintiffs recovered a total of $33.4 million in settlements for the indirect purchaser class.

$10 million settlement and is ongoing

Gustafson Gluek is part of a Lead Counsel Committee representing a class of pharmacies alleging that defendants Surescripts, RelayHealth, and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions conspired to monopolize and restrain trade in the e-prescription services market. The class has obtained a $10 million settlement with one of the defendants.

Over $450 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek served as Co-Lead Counsel representing a class of direct purchasers of freight forwarding services in this international case against 68 defendants. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants engaged in an international conspiracy to fix, inflate, and maintain various charges and surcharges for freight forwarding services in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. Gustafson Gluek secured over $450 million in settlements for the class.

$30 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek was appointed Co-Lead Counsel representing a class of purchasers of hospital healthcare services. Plaintiffs alleged that defendant Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan used its market position to negotiate contracts with hospitals that impeded competition and increased prices for patients. Gustafson Gluek worked to secure settlements of $30 million on behalf of the class.

$33 million in settlements

Gustafson Gluek represents a proposed class of indirect purchasers of farm-raised Atlantic Salmon. Plaintiffs allege that several major Salmon producers coordinated to artificially raise the price of Atlantic salmon. Plaintiffs secured a settlement with the defendants for $33 million on behalf of the class.