Our Curious Amalgam

Are you as AI fluent as you should be? The American Bar Association's "21 Days of AI: A Grit and Growth Mindset Challenge" is a free online resource that offers a path toward becoming adept in the use of AI to enhance legal practice and professional development. In this episode, hosts Alicia Downey and James Hunsberger speak with legal innovation strategist and "21 Days of AI" co-author Gabrielle...

What have been the latest competition law developments across the Middle East and Africa in the last year? Nicolas Bremer and John Oxenham join Matthew Hall and Jeny Maier to discuss new filing regimes, agency priorities and hot topics for competition law compliance in jurisdictions across the Middle East, COMESA, and South Africa. Listen to this episode to get up to speed on what to know about th...

Recently, the role of lobbying in M&A has become the talk of the antitrust bar in current administrations in the U.S. and in other jurisdictions. But what about the related discipline of public affairs? Nat Wood, Managing Director of Rational 360, a strategic communications, public affairs, and crisis management firm, joins Jeny Maier and Puja Patel to discuss what's involved in crafting a public...

What is happening in competition enforcement in Austria and Switzerland? Lukas Cavada, Executive Director for International Affairs at Austria's Federal Competition Authority (BWB), joins Anora Wang to discuss the BWB's most significant accomplishments over the past year, key competition enforcement developments in Austria, and the evolving challenges facing competition authorities in an increasin...

The analysis of mergers in the EU and UK is adapting to take account of a changed worldwide geo-political and trade context. But what does this mean in practice? Stuart Hudson, co-lead of Brunswick's global regulatory practice, joins Matthew Hall and James Hunsberger to discuss the European Commission's draft new EU Merger Guidelines and changes in the UK. Listen to this episode to learn more abou...

The OECD's Competition Division carries out the organisation's work on worldwide competition law, policy and enforcement. But what does this mean in practice? Ori Schwartz, Head of the Competition Division, joins Matthew Hall to discuss the Division's activities. Listen to this episode to learn more about the Division's recent and upcoming focus areas. With special guest: Ori Schwartz, Head, OECD...

What are the latest trends and developments in competition law enforcement in Ireland, Brazil, and Paraguay? Geoffrey Gray of the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), joins Lexi Michaud to discuss his agency's efforts to refine merger analysis and enhance competition in Ireland's taxi and ride-sharing sector. Brazilian CADE President Gustavo Augusto speaks with Matthew Hall...

Benchmarking and information sharing can be procompetitive, but modern data tools can also make it easier for rivals to coordinate on prices. But when does benchmarking cross the line into unlawful antitrust conduct? Norman Lee Morris, Attorney for Mississippi Attorney General, joins Panos Dimitrellos and Alysha Pannu to discuss the evolution of antitrust enforcement, the economic risks posed by r...

What is happening in competition enforcement in Australia and New Zealand? Luke Woodward, Commissioner at the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), joins Lexi Michaud to discuss the ACCC's distinctive joint competition and consumer protection mandate, the ACCC's role in deregulation as a way to unlock innovation, growth, and productivity, and where the ACCC is focused to keep pace w...

Can competition laws keep pace with the AI race? Blanche Savary de Beauregard, General Counsel at Mistral AI, joins co-hosts Anora Wang and Clémence Coppin, in collaboration with the New York State Bar Association, to discuss how a European AI company competes against U.S. and Chinese makers of AI foundation models, the strategic logic behind Mistral's major industry partnerships, and why Europe's...

What has competition enforcement looked like in Italy and Portugal over the past year? Saverio Valentino, Board Member of the Italian Antitrust Authority, joins Jaclyn Phillips to discuss AGCM's 2025 enforcement record, an ongoing digital sector investigation into Meta, and a whistleblower platform that has generated over 600 complaints since 2023. Next, Nuno Cunha Rodrigues, President of the Port...

Algorithmic and AI-driven tools are increasingly shaping how employers set employee compensation. But how can employers avoid compliance pitfalls when use of these tools raises competition and other regulatory concerns? Economist Rose Healy joins Anora Wang and Subrata Bhattacharjee to discuss the legal and economic risks, as well as practical tools such as bias audits and event studies. Listen to...

What is happening in competition enforcement in Malaysia and Hong Kong? Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MYCC), joins Anora Wang to discuss MYCC's actions against bid-rigging, ongoing market reviews of the digital economy, and Malaysia's broader plan to consolidate competition oversight over regulated sectors like energy, with phase one targeted for...

Five years after the Supreme Court's AMG Capital Management decision limited the FTC's ability to seek monetary remedies under Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, the agency continues to look for ways to obtain money in consumer protection and privacy cases through other authorities and theories. At the same time, it is grappling with how to define and measure consumer injuries and...

Hospitals, as well as insurers, have been increasingly purchasing physicians practices, home health providers, and nursing facilities. But what are the competitive implications of these acquisitions? Dr. Zack Cooper, economist and public health expert at Yale University, joins Derek Jackson and Anora Wang to discuss both the theoretical and empirical competitive harms and benefits to vertical inte...

M&A deals impacting the EU that are not caught by standard merger control thresholds can still be reviewed under general competition law rules. But how does this work? Frédéric Manin, lawyer at Advant Altana in Paris, joins Matthew Hall and James Hunsberger to discuss the implications of the 2023 European Court of Justice judgment in the "Towercast" case. Listen to this episode to learn more about...

In February 2025, new rules for the pre-merger notification requirements in the U.S. came into effect. But will a February 2026 court decision undo these changes? Daniel Rosenthal, partner at Kirkland & Ellis, joins Jaclyn Phillips and Lexi Michaud to discuss a decision vacating the new rules, the subsequent appeal, and what might happen next. Listen to this episode to learn more about how to navi...

Over the last few decades, prior approval requirements were considered an extraordinary remedy in merger settlements, yet their use has fluctuated in agency enforcement across recent administrations. Where do the FTC and DOJ stand in their current practice? Bilal Sayyed, a Counsel at the Cadwalader law firm, and antitrust professor and former FTC policy leader, speaks with Anora Wang and Jeny Maie...

States have become increasingly active participants in merger enforcement, often conducting independent analyses and, at times, intervening alongside federal agencies in high-profile cases. What goes into states' analyses and decisions to intervene? Anthony Mariano, Chief of the Antitrust Division at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, speaks with Lexi Michaud and Anora Wang about ho...

State attorneys general are taking a more active role in merger control, with Colorado and Washington leading the way on new "mini-HSR" notification regimes. What do these new state pre-merger filing laws require, and how should companies and practitioners navigate them alongside the federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Act? Assistant Attorneys General Paula Pera Czollak and Bryn Williams join hosts Puja Pat...

China's antitrust regime has evolved rapidly over the past decade. What role does economic analysis play in the actual enforcement? Anora Wang and Kathleen Hu speak with Dr. Vanessa Zhang of Compass Lexecon about the growing role of economic analysis in Chinese competition law, drawing on her experience advising China's antitrust authority and serving as a testifying expert in high-stakes cases. T...

Businesses are increasingly considering the use of generative AI for work that historically relied on human creativity, including in the area of marketing and advertising. But can ads made with gen AI really be more effective than human-created ads? Professor Vilma Todri of Emory University Goizueta Business School joins Kathleen Hu and Jaclyn Phillips to discuss her recent research on the impact...

In 2006, various parties came together to form Brazil's Amazon Soy Moratorium in an effort to curb illegal deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Today, challenges regarding Brazil's Soy Moratorium continue to mount, with passionate advocacy from farmers, environmentalists, government agencies, and international organizations. What might seem a cut-and-dry conflict between free enterprise and env...

The past few years have been a critical time in the development of data privacy laws and the regulation of AI in the United States. As we look toward 2026, the complexities are only increasing. In this episode, the Antitrust Law Section's Privacy and Information Security (PRIS) Committee joins forces with OCA to focus on the highlights of 2025 and predictions for 2026. Hosts Alicia Downey and Anor...

The UK merger control regime is undergoing procedural and substantive changes. What is happening and what should practicioners know? John Schmidt, solicitor at Arnold & Porter in London, joins Matthew Hall and Jaclyn Phillips to discuss the changes introduced by the UK Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) and the UK government. Listen to this episode to learn more about new CMA jurisdictional...