#395 Which Side of the V? Larry Buterman on Trying Antitrust Cases for the Government and Against It
Release Date: 09/14/2026
#395 Which Side of the V? Larry Buterman on Trying Antitrust Cases for the Government and Against It
Our Curious Amalgam
Larry Buterman is one of the rare antitrust attorneys who has successfully first chaired landmark cases both at the DOJ Antitrust Division and in private practice. In this career profile, co-hosts Derek Jackson and Lexi Michaud ask Larry about the differences and similarities in representing the DOJ versus representing a private party, about Larry's trial war stories (including his cross-examination of a famous athlete), about advice for aspiring litigators, and more. Listen to this episode to learn about the experience of an antitrust trial lawyer and how you might become one too. With...
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#394 A Tribute to Randy Picker: Revisiting Episode #74 on the Implications of DOJ's Case Against IBM
Our Curious Amalgam
We are re-releasing this episode in tribute to Prof. Randy Picker, who passed away on August 15, 2026. In 2020, Randy joined co-hosts Anora Wang and John Roberti for an episode on the 13-year-long U.S. antitrust case against IBM brought in 1969, exploring how U.S. antitrust dealing with tech ranges from early government cases involving punch cards to government probes into today's platforms, and how antitrust enforcement can impact the technology landscape for decades later. Years later, the episode holds up remarkably well - the questions Randy raised about whether the antitrust past would...
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#393 Who Gets To Say the Price Is Right? State Regulation of AI Pricing
Our Curious Amalgam
Several U.S. states have recently passed legislation aimed at AI pricing tools that use consumer or competitor data. What is driving this spate of legislation, what different approaches are the states taking, and are the states sufficiently accounting for possible unintended consequences? In this episode, hosts Sergei Zaslavsky and Alicia Downey talk to Orrick partner Shannon Yavorksy about the pros and cons of AI pricing and the emerging regulatory patchwork in this area. Listen to this episode to hear about the latest developments in AI pricing regulation and what the future might hold. With...
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#392 Do I Really Need To File? HSR Avoidance and the Edwards/Genesis Settlement
Our Curious Amalgam
For nearly 50 years, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act has given antitrust enforcers a chance to review deals above a certain value before they can close. What happens when the government concludes a transaction was structured intentionally to slip past that review entirely? On this episode of Our Curious Amalgam, we speak with Evan Miller of Vinson & Elkins about HSR Act avoidance and the FTC’s record-setting $12 million settlement with Edwards Lifesciences and Genesis MedTech over Edwards Lifesciences’s acquisition of JC Medical from Genesis. We discuss how the JC Medical deal was valued and...
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#391 Have States Found the Answer to Subscription Traps? Click-to-Cancel and Beyond
Our Curious Amalgam
State legislatures across the country are taking aim at subscription traps and deceptive cancellation practices — but what does effective consumer protection actually look like at the state level? Erin Witte, Senior Counsel to the New Jersey Attorney General and former Director of Consumer Protection at the Consumer Federation of America, speaks with Anna Olson and Anora Wang about the growing wave of state click-to-cancel legislation targeting subscription traps and dark patterns. Listen to this episode to learn what makes a strong state law, how enforcement actions actually unfold, and...
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#390 Circuits, Cargos, and Cures: How Does Singapore Run Competition and Consumer Protection?
Our Curious Amalgam
Singapore’s Competition and Consumer Commission — CCS — has been enforcing competition law for roughly two decades and more recently consumer protection laws as well. How does a small, open, trade-dependent city-state design and enforce a competition regime that punches above its weight — and what does that mean for global practitioners? Mr. Loke Shiu Meng, Assistant Chief Executive of the CCS overseeing Legal Enforcement, joins Subrata Bhattacharjee and Anora Wang to discuss Singapore’s enforcement arc, its voluntary merger regime, the agency’s push against dark patterns and...
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#389 What Should Directors Be Asking? Antitrust in the Boardroom
Our Curious Amalgam
Competition law isn't just for antitrust lawyers anymore—it's increasingly a boardroom issue. What questions should directors be asking to ensure their companies are identifying and managing competition risk before it becomes a crisis? Julie Goshorn, whose career spans the DOJ, FTC, private practice at Arnold & Porter, and global in-house leadership at Visa, speaks with Jeny Maier and Anora Wang about why corporate boards should view antitrust as an enterprise risk alongside cybersecurity, financial controls, and compliance. Listen to this episode to learn about the board’s oversight...
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#388 Who's Minding the Money? The Role of Competition Authorities in Digital Finance
Our Curious Amalgam
Digital financial services are transforming the way we bank, borrow, save, invest, and make payments. But are these innovations creating more competitive markets, or are they simply fostering new forms of market power? On this episode of Our Curious Amalgam, we speak with Beatriz Marques of the OECD Competition Division about the evolving competitive landscape in digital finance. We explore the role of FinTechs, incumbent banks, card networks, and BigTech platforms; the importance of data, interoperability, and open banking; and what competition authorities can do to foster innovation while...
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#387 Can Potential Vertical Integration Harm Be (Silver) Screened Horizontally?
Our Curious Amalgam
Vertical merger review has long rested on the principle that competitive harm is most likely when a merged firm has both the ability and incentive to foreclose rivals, yet courts and enforcers often struggle to establish that harm empirically. But can potentially anticompetitive vertical integrations be screened in advance using observable market characteristics? Charles Hodgson, Assistant Professor of Economics at Yale University and Faculty Research Fellow at the NBER, and Shilong Sun, Senior Economist at Compass Lexecon, join Anora Wang and Panos Dimitrellos to discuss how evidence from the...
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#386 How Is AI Changing the Practice of Antitrust Law? A Discussion With Daniel Schwarz of CompetitionAI
Our Curious Amalgam
AI is transforming all areas of legal practice. But what are the special issues in antitrust? Daniel Schwarz, CEO and Founder of CompetitionAI and a former antitrust attorney at Clifford Chance and the IMF, joins Matthew Hall and Alysha Pannu to discuss the use of AI in antitrust now and in the future and its impact on lawyers and competition authorities. Listen to this episode to learn more about CompetitionAI and the impact of AI on antitrust practice and enforcement. With special guest: Daniel Schwarz, co-founder, CompetitionAI Related Links: Hosted by: Matthew Hall,...
info_outlineLarry Buterman is one of the rare antitrust attorneys who has successfully first chaired landmark cases both at the DOJ Antitrust Division and in private practice. In this career profile, co-hosts Derek Jackson and Lexi Michaud ask Larry about the differences and similarities in representing the DOJ versus representing a private party, about Larry's trial war stories (including his cross-examination of a famous athlete), about advice for aspiring litigators, and more. Listen to this episode to learn about the experience of an antitrust trial lawyer and how you might become one too.
With special guest:
Larry Buterman, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
Hosted by:
Derek Jackson, Cohen & Gresser and Lexi Michaud, Fried Frank