Photo of T.J. Benedict

T.J. Benedict is an associate in the Governmental Practice in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.

On October 6, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB325, a law targeting the use and distribution of certain algorithmic pricing tools. This law is part of a larger legislative trend to try to rein in algorithmic pricing. But while other bills have focused narrowly on the rental housing market and languished in state legislatures, California’s bill targets pricing algorithms in all markets and will take effect in 2026. However, a violation of the new law requires a conspiracy or price coercion, so as a practical matter, it may not extend the range of violations already encompassed by the Cartwright Act.Continue Reading California Passes Broad Limits on “Common Pricing Algorithms”

State oversight of healthcare transactions is continuing to undergo a significant transformation. As tracked in our updated Healthcare Merger Matrix, the number of states implementing or considering expanding antitrust laws targeting proposed deals continues to rise.[1] For instance, Washington and Colorado’s premerger notification laws went into effect on July 27 and August 6, 2025, respectively, and Indiana recently modified its existing transaction notice law to exempt certain practitioner-owned practices.[2] Additionally, New Mexico enacted a permanent version of its temporary transaction notification law with enhanced oversight and enforcement.[3]Continue Reading State Antitrust Enforcement Roundup: Updates to Healthcare Merger Matrix; New Potential Legislation Targeting Private Equity and Other For-Profit Entities in Healthcare

On Tuesday, July 8, the DOJ Antitrust Division announced a first-of-its-kind Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program (the “Program”). But the Program’s fine print suggests it may not be as lucrative for whistleblowers as it appears at first blush.Continue Reading New DOJ Antitrust Postal Whistleblower Rewards Program: A Look Under the Shiny Hood

The number of U.S. states implementing or considering new antitrust laws (or supplementing existing laws) targeting proposed transactions continues to grow. As detailed in our healthcare merger matrix, many states have focused their attention on the healthcare industry, and that continues to be the case, for example, in New York, where a broad range of proposed transactions involving health care entities could be subject to filing requirements and suspensory rules before they can close.Continue Reading State Antitrust Enforcement Roundup: New Laws; New Potential Legislation; and New (and Broader) Areas of Focus

Four days before President Trump took office, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) (together, “the Agencies”) under the Biden administration released their “Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers” (“The Guidelines”). These Guidelines replace and expand upon antitrust guidance for HR professionals that the Obama administration issued in 2016. The new Guidelines aim to clarify how the DOJ and FTC “identify and assess business practices affecting workers that may violate the antitrust laws.”Continue Reading DOJ and FTC Issue Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers