Our Curious Amalgam - American Bar Association

Latest Episodes:

#277 Still Going Strong at 20? A Conversation With the Architect of the EU Merger Regulation 2004 Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

The EU's merger control law--the Merger Regulation--was revised in 2004, and 2024 is therefore the 20th anniversary of the changes. What prompted those changes? Sir Philip Lowe, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition from 2002-2010, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss the background to the changes and what else in EU merger control changed at the time. Listen to this episode to learn more about the basis for the current EU regime and Sir Philip's views on other topical merger control issues.

With special guest:

Sir Philip Lowe, Partner, Oxera Consulting

Hosted by:

Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

#276 Does a Year Make a Difference? The Regulation of Influencers Under the 2023 Revised FTC Endorsement Guides Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

An important component of U.S. consumer protection law includes the regulation of endorsements, a form of advertising where someone other than the seller of a product or service—such as an athlete, a celebrity, or an influencer—is compensated to promote that product or service. In this episode, co-hosts Alicia Downey and Matt Reynolds talk to consumer protection lawyer Caiti Zeytoonian about the Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, which were significantly updated in June 2023 to reflect the rising power and ubiquity of social media influencers. Listen and learn how the new guidance is making a difference in the rapidly evolving world of online endorsements.

With special guest:

Caiti Zeytoonian, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP

#275 What's Happening in New Zealand, Israel, and Norway? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting May 27, 2024

Show notes

While on site at the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Annual Spring Meeting in April 2024, the Our Curious Amalgam team sat down with competition regulators from around the world to talk about their current and future enforcement priorities. We also got to know them a little better as people. In this episode, Alicia Downey finds out what's happening in New Zealand with Andrew Riseley, the General Counsel and General Manager of the Legal Services branch of the New Zealand Commerce Commission. Following that is Alicia's interview with Joshua Sherman, the Chief Economist of the Israel Competition Authority. The episode concludes as Jaclyn Phillips speaks with Tina Søreide, the General Manager of the Norwegian Competition Authority.

With special guests:

Andrew Riseley, General Counsel/General Manager Legal Services, New Zealand Commerce Commission, Joshua Sherman, Chief Economist, Israel Competition Authority, and Tina Søreide, General Manager, Norwegian Competition Authority

Related Links:

New Zealand Commerce Commission

Israel Competition Authority

OCA Episode #175, Who Is Michal Halperin? Meet the Former Director-General of the Israeli Competition Authority

Norwegian Competition Authority

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Jaclyn Phillips, White & Case LLP

#274 What's Happening in Hong Kong and Japan? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting May 20, 2024

Show notes

In April 2024, the Our Curious Amalgam team interviewed international competition law regulators while on site at the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. In this episode, Anora Wang talks to Samuel Chan, Chairman of the Hong Kong Competition Commission, and Commissioner Reiko Aoki of the Japan Fair Trade Commission. Listen to what they had to say about their respective agencies' major achievements of the past year and current and future enforcement priorities, while also getting to know them a little better as people.

With special guests:

Samuel Chan, BBS, JP, Chairman, Hong Kong Competition Commission and Reiko Aoki, Commissioner, Japan Fair Trade Commission

Related Links:

Hong Kong Competition Commission

Educational short videos produced by the Hong Kong Competition Commission

Japan Fair Trade Commission

Hosted by:

Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP

#273 What's Happening in France, Portugal, and Poland? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting May 13, 2024

Show notes

The 2024 edition of the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law regulators from around the world. While on site at the meeting, we sat down with several of them to discuss their enforcement priorities and other issues, while also getting to know them a little better as people. This episode features interviews conducted by three of our OCA hosts. First, Anora Wang discovers what's happening in France with Benoît Cœuré, the president of the French Competition Authority. Next, Jeny Maier speaks with Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, the president of the Portugese Competition Authority, about his agency's competition enforcement priorities, as well as sightseeing recommendations for Jeny's upcoming visit to Portugal. And finally, Barry Nigro hears about what's going on in Poland with Martyna Derszniak-Noirjean Director of the International Cooperation Office of the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

With special guests:

Benoît Cœuré, President, Autorité de la concurrence (France), Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President, Autoridade da Concorrência (Portugal), and Martyna Derszniak-Noirjean, Director, International Cooperation Office, Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (Poland)

Related Links:

Autorité de la concurrence (France)

Autoridade da Concorrência (Portugal)

Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (Poland)

Hosted by:

Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, and Barry Nigro, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

#272 What's Happening in the EU? A Conversation With DG COMP Director-General Olivier Guersent at the 2024 Spring Meeting May 06, 2024

Show notes

The 2024 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law enforcers from around the world. In this episode, host Matthew Hall asks Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (DG COMP), about what's been happening in the European Union since we interviewed him at the 2023 Spring Meeting. Listen and learn about DG COMP's current and recent work and what competition law policy and enforcement trends the Director-General sees on the horizon.

With special guest:

Olivier Guersent, Director-General, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission

Hosted by:

Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

#271 What Does the UN Do For Consumers? UNCTAD's Role in Promoting Competition and Consumer Protection Apr 29, 2024

Show notes

The UN General Assembly has entrusted UNCTAD (now rebranded as UN Trade and Development) to be the focal point within the UN on competition and consumer protection issues. How does UN Trade and Development implement this role? Teresa Moreira, Head of the Competition and Consumer Policies Branch (CCPB) at UN Trade and Development, joins Alicia Downey and Matthew Hall to discuss the work of the CCPB, including its focus on developing countries and its working groups and specific projects. Listen to this episode to learn more about UN Trade and Development's work promoting, reinforcing and advising on competition and consumer protection law and policies in support of its overall goal to help developing countries meet the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN General Assembly in 2015.

With special guest:

Teresa Moreira, Head, Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Related Links:

UNCTAD website

Competition and Consumer Protection Branch website

Global competition law and policy approaches to digital markets (March 2024)

Consumer dispute resolution in the world (March 2024)

UNCTAD model law on competition after 30 years: some reflections (Feb 2024)

Hosted by:

Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

#270 Want To Be an Antitrust Scholar? Meet the ABA's International Scholar-in-Residence Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

Many practitioners wonder what it would be like to be an academic, diving deeply into the leading international legal and policy issues at the forefront of antitrust and competition law. But what does an academic researcher do all day? Natalia Moreno Belloso, one of the ABA Antitrust Law Section's International Scholars-in-Residence, joins Jeny Maier and Anora Wang to discuss her research on conflicts between competition values and non-competition values in digital markets. Listen to this episode if you want to learn more about the life of an academic researcher and the latest trends in digital market regulation.

With special guest:

Natalia Moreno Belloso, European University Institute

Hosted by:

Jeny Maier, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Anora Wang, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP

#269 What's New in Antitrust and Tech? Unpacking United States v. Apple Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

On March 21, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and sixteen Attorneys General sued Apple, alleging that "Apple undermines apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone, promote interoperability, and lower costs for consumers and developers." In other words, many of the DOJ and AGs' allegations boil down to lock in - that is that the features chosen by Apple lock in developers and users to stay in Apple's ecosystem by making it harder to switch or jump between platforms. We discuss the case and the claims advanced, and what it might mean for antitrust enforcement, tech, and consumer experiences.

With special guest:

Stephen Calkins, Professor of Law, Wayne State University Law School

Related Links:

U.S. v. Apple Complaint

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Remarks on Complaint

Steve Calkins' Guide to Classical Music Concerts

Hosted by:

Jana Seidl, Baker Botts LLP and Barry Nigro, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

#268 Bringing Big Tech to Heel? Compliance Day Under the EU Digital Markets Act Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

The EU Digital Markets Act introduces a radical change to regulation of the digital sector in the EU. But what does it require and what have the designated "gatekeepers" been doing to ensure compliance? Aleksandra Zuchowska, Competition Policy Manager at CCIA in Brussels, appearing in her personal capacity, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss the DMA and its impact. Listen to this episode to learn more about the principles underpinning the DMA, its requirements, the compliance steps being taken, the act's impact on choice, innovation and online safety, the compliance workshops in Brussels and next steps.

With special guest:

Aleksandra Zuchowska, Competition Policy Manager, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Brussels (personal capacity)

Hosted by:

Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP

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