Bruce retired from Mintz in 2026. Bruce was previously the Chair of the Antitrust Section.
viewpoints
5th Circuit Confirms Avanci SEP Pool is Safe: No Antitrust Issue with Avanci’s Pool
July 6, 2022 | Blog | By Daniel Weinger, Michael Renaud, Bruce Sokler, James Thomson
Avanci’s pool retains its 5th Circuit win, in a slightly different way, after an unusual turn of events where the panel rescinded its prior opinion and issued a new one. The new opinion affirms the district court’s ruling that Continental failed to state a claim under the Sherman Act (antitrust laws) thereby dismissing the case. The original opinion found that Continental lacked standing to pursue its claims because it was not a third party beneficiary of the standard setting organization contract. Although the new ruling leaves some questions unanswered in the long-running dispute between a would-be implementer (Continental) and holders of standard essential patents (SEPs), the opinion rejects applying the antitrust laws in the SEP/FRAND context.
Vet Clinic FTC Settlement Puts Private Equity On Notice
June 17, 2022 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Tinny Song
The FTC Democratic majority imposes prior approval and prior notice provisions (as well as divestitures) for private equity firm’s acquisition of veterinary services clinics, while expressing skepticism regarding private equity roll-up business model.
FTC Chair Khan Gives a Look Behind the Curtain of United States Merger Reform
May 10, 2022 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler
This alert covers FTC Chair Lina Khan’s remarks at the 2022 International Competition Network Conference in Berlin, which focused on the merger guideline revision being undertaken by the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.
DOJ Loses Two Criminal Antitrust Labor Trials, Stymied by (Lack of) Evidence
April 19, 2022 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Tinny Song
Last week, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) was handed two losses after federal juries in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado acquitted defendants accused of violating the antitrust laws by fixing wages and conspiring to suppress competition through no-poach agreements, respectively.
FTC and DOJ to Host Public Forums on Effects of Mergers Ahead of Issuance of New Merger Guidelines
March 22, 2022 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Tinny Song
No Harm, No Foul, and No Standing for Would-be SEP Implementer: 5th Circuit Changes Narrative on Patent “Hold Up”
March 3, 2022 | Blog | By Daniel Weinger, Michael Renaud, Bruce Sokler, James Thomson
Increased HSR Notification Thresholds for 2022
January 24, 2022 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Robert Kidwell, Farrah Short
FTC, DOJ Launch Proceeding to Revise Antitrust Merger Guidelines
January 19, 2022 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Robert Kidwell, Farrah Short
FTC Issues Fines Totaling Nearly $2 Million For Failures To File HSR Notifications
December 27, 2021 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Farrah Short
DOJ and FTC Virtual Workshop: Agencies Discuss Whole-of-Government Approach and New Solutions to Address Competition Issues in Labor Markets
December 10, 2021 | Blog | By Bruce Sokler, Tinny Song
News & Press
Five Mintz Attorneys Recognized as ‘Top Authors’ by JD Supra
February 24, 2026
Mintz is pleased to announce that five Attorneys have been named ‘Top Authors’ in their respective fields by JD Supra in its 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. This annual award recognizes top authors and firms for their thought leadership in key topics and reaching high levels of visibility and engagement.
173 Mintz Attorneys Across 53 Practice Areas Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2026
August 28, 2025
173 Mintz attorneys across 53 practice areas have been recognized by Best Lawyers® in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Five Mintz attorneys received 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” awards, and 61 firm attorneys were included in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
JD Supra has recognized ten Mintz attorneys in its 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards recognize attorneys and firms whose articles on the JD Supra platform were most read by C-suite executives, in-house counsel, media, and other professionals during 2024.
How DOJ's Visa Debit Monopolization Suit May Unfold
October 28, 2024
An article written by Member Bruce Sokler and Associate Payton Thornton was recently published by Law360 about the Department of Justice’s Visa debit monopolization suit and how it might unfold.
Thirteen Mintz attorneys named to Lawdragon’s 2025 “Leading Litigators in America” list
September 12, 2024
Thirteen Mintz attorneys have been named to Lawdragon’s 2025 “Leading Litigators in America.” The list honors the “best litigators the US has to offer – in antitrust, intellectual property, white collar and investigations, securities and corporate governance litigation, and a vast array of class actions, product liability and other complex civil litigation,” according to the publication.
The Best Lawyers in America 2025 Recognizes 184 Mintz Attorneys across 56 Practice Areas
August 15, 2024
187 Mintz attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers® in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Notably, three Mintz attorneys received 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” awards, and 64 firm attorneys were included in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
FTC Theories Of Harm After Anesthesia Co. Ruling
June 3, 2024
The Capitol Forum Interviews Mintz's Bruce Sokler
April 22, 2024
Senator's Hold on FTC Nominee Robs Agency of Political Diversity, Regulatory Attorneys Say
January 29, 2024
Antitrust Co-Chair Bruce Sokler shared his insights with the National Law Journal on Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak’s nominations to the Federal Trade Comission. Bruce acknowledged that both Ferguson and Holyoak have state-level experience, which could be a “useful perspective” on the commission.
Are the Google, Amazon Suits This Generation's Microsoft?
November 26, 2023
Antitrust Co-chair Bruce Sokler was quoted in a National Law Journal article discussing the US Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust cases against Google and Amazon, drawing parallels to the Microsoft case of 2001. Bruce noted that like the Microsoft case, the DOJ and FTC have each singled out a dominant entity in the market, Google and Amazon.
Antitrust Co-chair Bruce Sokler spoke to the National Law Journal on the influential role of the European Union in establishing regulatory standards across various domains, prompting US regulators to address issues such as artificial intelligence.
FTC-DOJ's Proposed Merger Guidelines Gain Health Care's Scorn, Agriculture's Praise
September 19, 2023
Antitrust Co-chair Bruce Sokler spoke to The National Law Journal on the closure of the comment period for the Federal Trade Commission and US Department of Justice’s proposed merger guidelines. Responses were received from several industry groups, including heath care.
Thirteen Mintz Members Named To Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators List
September 11, 2023
Mintz is pleased to announce that thirtneen Members have been named to Lawdragon's 500 Leading Litigators in America list, which honors the nation’s most elite courtroom advocates.
FTC, DOJ Guidelines Could Hinder Health Care Industry Mergers, Antitrust Lawyers Say
August 17, 2023
Antitrust Co-chairs, Bruce Sokler and Joseph Miller, were quoted in The National Law Journal in an article analyzing The Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Justice Department’s proposed merger guidelines.
FTC Pharma Merger Digest May Offer Policy Clues
June 15, 2023
Law360 published an article jointly authored by Antitrust Co-chairs, Bruce Sokler and Joseph Miller, alongside Member Robert Kidwell examining the FTC's summary of the June 2022 joint workshop with the Antitrust Division of the US Justice Department titled "The Future of Pharmaceuticals: Examining the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Mergers."
NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mintz is pleased to announce that Therese Doherty, Stephen J. Gulotta, Jr., and Bruce Sokler, have been named by corporate counsel to BTI Consulting Group’s Client Service All-Stars 2023, an elite list of client service leaders among law firms nationwide.
WASHINGTON, DC – Mintz is pleased to announce the inclusion of five Members to the 2023 Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers list.
Twelve Mintz Members have been named to the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list, which honors the nation’s most elite courtroom advocates.
