What Is Antitrust Law? The area of antitrust law is complex and confusing. Antitrust law seeks to make businesses compete fairly and have been enacted by federal and state governments to regulate trade and commerce among businesses. It stems from the belief that free trade benefits the economy, businesses, and consumers alike, while also preventing unlawful restraints, price-fixing, and monopolies. Antitrust laws promote competition, and encourage the production of quality goods and services at the lowest prices, with the primary goal of safeguarding public welfare by ensuring that consumer demand will be met by the manufacture and sale of goods at reasonable prices.
Antitrust laws and regulations have had a serious effect on business practices and the organization of U.S. industry. These fall into four main areas: Agreements between competitors, contractual arrangements between sellers and buyers, the pursuit or maintenance of monopoly power, and company mergers.
Why Antitrust Law Matters. Antitrust law is important to businesses and consumers that have been either injured by anti-competitive abuses or accused of employing them. The fundamental purpose of the antitrust laws is to promote strong competition in the markets while also attempting to prohibit anti-competitive monopolists, cartels, and conspiracies. If you operate a company and have to deal with antitrust issues, you need a competent and experienced attorney to assist you.
If you have any questions about antitrust law, please contact Mr. Gourde at (949) 825-6525.