Allen et al v. Dairy Farmers of America
Allen et al v. Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. et al (D. Vt.): Cohen Milstein served as Lead Counsel for one of two subclasses of dairy farmers challenging anticompetitive conduct in the Northeast which resulted in lower prices paid to farmers. In April 2017 the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a $50 million settlement between plaintiffs and the remaining defendants, bringing the total settlement to more than $80 million, in addition to industry-changing equitable relief.
Carlin et al. v. DairyAmerica Inc. et al.
Carlin et al. v. DairyAmerica Inc. et al. (E.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein represented tens of thousands of dairy farmers who alleged that cooperative DairyAmerica Inc. and affiliate California Dairies conspired to boost profits by artificially depressing the price of milk products paid to farmers. On May 9, 2019, the Court granted final approval to a $40 million settlement – a remarkable recovery. It is 80% of the $50 million in damages estimated by the USDA Inspector General and approximately 50% of the total damages calculated by Plaintiffs’ experts.
In re Blood Reagents Antitrust Litigation
In re Blood Reagents Antitrust Litigation (E.D. Pa.): Plaintiffs alleged that the two leading producers of blood reagents, Ortho–Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. and Immucor, Inc., conspired to raise prices on traditional blood reagents. In September 2012, Immucor reached a settlement with Plaintiffs. On July 19, 2017, the Court denied in part Ortho’s Motion for Summary Judgement. Ms. Robertson was slated to serve as one of four lead trial counsel in the case, which was set for trial in June of 2018 but ultimately settled for a total recovery of $41.5 million.
In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation
In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation (E.D.N.Y.): Co-Lead Counsel for a proposed class of dental practices and dental laboratories. The case alleges that defendants Henry Schein, Inc., Patterson Companies, Inc., and Benco Dental Supply Company – the three largest dental supply and dental equipment distributors in the United States – fixed price margins on dental equipment, jointly pressured manufacturers to squeeze out competitors, and agreed not to “poach” each other’s employees, in violation of federal antitrust law. The Court granted final approval to an $80 million settlement on June 24, 2019.
In re Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation
In re Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation (E.D. Pa.): Cohen Milstein initiated the investigation, filed the first complaint and then served as co-lead counsel in an antitrust litigation alleging that the seven major U.S. manufacturers of drywall conspired to raise prices. In 2015 we took the lead for the direct purchaser plaintiffs in arguing against the defendants’ summary judgment motions (which were denied by the Court for four of the five defendants). The Court granted final approval to settlements totaling $190 million.
In re Electronic Books Antitrust Litigation
In re Electronic Books Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.): Cohen Milstein was co-lead counsel in a class action lawsuit alleging that Apple and five of the leading U.S. publishers conspired to raise the retail prices of e-books. Mr. Pierson led the Cohen Milstein team, which secured class certification, defeated motions to exclude the class expert, and successfully moved for exclusion of most of Apple’s expert testimony. The five publishing defendants settled for $166 million and a settlement was reached with Apple shortly before trial for an additional $450 million.
In re Google LLC Street View Electronic Communications Litigation
In re Google LLC Street View Electronic Communications Litigation (N.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein was co-lead counsel in a nationwide class action alleging that Google violated the Wiretap Act when its Street View vehicles secretly collected payload data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. Plaintiffs defeated a motion to dismiss raising novel Wiretap Act issues, and the ruling was affirmed on interlocutory appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The court approved a $13 million settlement in March 2020.
In re Lidoderm Antitrust Litigation
In re Lidoderm Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein served as Co-Lead Counsel for the End-Payor Class in a suit alleging that Endo and Teikoku, manufacturers of the Lidoderm patch, paid Watson Pharmaceuticals to delay its generic launch. The case settled on the eve of trial and on September 20, 2018, Plaintiffs obtained final approval of a $104.75 million settlement – more than 40% of Plaintiffs’ best-case damages estimate.
In re Loestrin 24 FE Antitrust Litigation
In re Loestrin 24 FE Antitrust Litigation (D.R.I.): We served as Co-Lead Counsel for the End-Payor Plaintiffs in a case alleging that Warner Chilcott PLC entered into agreements to delay the introduction of a generic version of the contraceptive drug Loestrin and thereafter engaged in a “product hop” to further impede generic entry. The case settled on the last business day before trial for $63.5 million – representing one of the largest settlements in a federal generic suppression case in over a decade. On September 1, 2020, the settlements received final approval.