Antitrust enforcement in 2021 and beyond: Insights from the ABA’s Antitrust Spring Meeting
On March 23-26, 2021, the American Bar Association’s Section of Antitrust Law held its annual Spring Meeting virtually. This annual event—which brings together government enforcers, policymakers, and antitrust practitioners on antitrust and consumer protection issues—was more relevant than ever at a time of a change in presidential administration in the United States, as well as vigorous enforcement agendas for both U.S. federal and state attorneys general and non-U.S. competition authorities.
Panelists from government and the private sector discussed a range of topics, including general enforcement agendas, sector-specific enforcement priorities, and the remedial authority of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”). Remarks from the Spring Meeting underscore the point that this coming year will be another high-profile one for antitrust, featuring developments in the highly-publicized lawsuits against major technology firms, the priorities of a new presidential administration, and continued interest in pursuing enforcement actions and reforming the antitrust laws for enforcers and policymakers across the political spectrum.