Antitrust

Suit against major automobile manufacturers and their trade association for conspiring delay the development and installation of vehicle air pollution control devices.

Suit against major manufacturers of master key lock systems for conspiring to fix the prices of lock systems for governmental entities.

Suit against major distributors of petroleum product alleging that the defendant oil companies conspired to raise or stabilize prices for refined oil products in violation of § 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1; conspired to create an artificial scarcity of crude oil and refined oil products in the western United States, in violation of §§ 1 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 2; and that the defendants conspired not to compete in bidding on the plaintiffs' annual bulk sale petroleum supply contracts, in violation of § 1 of the Sherman Act.

Suit to enjoin merger of the Lucky Stores supermarket chain with the Alpha Beta supermarket chain. Supreme Court ruled that the California Attorney General could bring this action under section 16 of the Federal clayton Act. The action resulted in a settlement under which the merger was approved with substantial divestiture of markets to a third supermarket company to restore competition in the affected markets.

Suit against major producer of jeans for vertical price-fixing where manufacturer enforced discounting restrictions on its distributors. Resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of consumers in California.

State regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the merger of the San Diego Gas & Electric Company with the Southern California Edison Company. The Commission declined to approve the merger.