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Farrah Short

Special Counsel

[email protected]

+1.202.585.3518

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Farrah advises on all aspects of antitrust and competition law, including merger review, competitor collaborations, government investigations, private class action litigation, and general antitrust compliance.

Farrah specializes in counseling clients through the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) merger review process at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, including responding to Second Requests and providing substantive antitrust risk analysis for strategic acquisitions. She has obtained antitrust clearance for major, multi-billion dollar transactions in a variety of industries. Farrah also regularly advises on HSR reporting triggers for securities investors and provides strategic advice for non-reportable transactions with significant competitive implications.

She also has significant experience counseling clients on a wide range of other antitrust compliance issues, including information exchanges, competitor collaborations, joint ventures, licensing deals, exclusive dealings, and the creation of internal antitrust compliance programs. In addition, Farrah represents clients in state antitrust investigations, and provides guidance on navigating ex-U.S. merger control requirements.

Outside of her antitrust practice, Farrah serves as chief outside counsel to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. She also actively supports the firm’s pro bono program, representing indigent clients in immigration matters, including successful asylum and U visa applications. She previously served as chief outside counsel for a nonprofit that provides need-based education scholarships for the families of U.S. military personnel.

Prior to her legal career, Farrah was a program associate for the launch of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Experience

  • Served as antitrust counsel to one of the largest American retail pharmacies. Our team represented the corporation in its transactions, litigation, and other matters before both state and federal antitrust authorities.
  • Represented one of the nation’s leading hospital and physicians networks in connection with its acquisitions of three community hospitals and a large physician group.
  • Represented a market leading producer and distributor of environmentally-safe household products in its acquisition by another transnational consumer goods company.
  • Represented a leading provider of sample and assay technologies in the antitrust aspects of its $1.5 billion acquisition of another life sciences company.
  • Served as antitrust counsel for a hospital in its merger with another medical center.
  • Served as antitrust counsel for a leading provider of sample and assay technologies, and are currently involved in counseling and representing the company in merger and acquisition activities.
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viewpoints

This antitrust alert highlights two filings made by the DOJ last week in cases pending in federal district courts in North Carolina and Washington.
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2019 HSR Notification Thresholds Announced

February 19, 2019 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Robert Kidwell, Farrah Short

Read about the FTC’s new “size of transaction” and “size of person” thresholds requiring reporting under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.
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Divergent Views on Vertical Mergers Apparent in FTC’s Staples Merger Consent

February 4, 2019 | Advisory | By Bruce Sokler, Robert Kidwell, Farrah Short

Read about FTC commissioners’ divergent views on vertical mergers detailed in statements filed with a proposed consent order regarding Staples’ acquisition of Essendant.
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Antitrust Case Against BCBS to Continue Under Per Se Standard

December 14, 2018 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Farrah Short

Read about the 11th Circuit's denial of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s appeal of a ruling that its allegedly restrictive practices must be analyzed under the per se standard.
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DOJ Provides Additional Insight into Its Recent Anti-Steering Settlement

December 7, 2018 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Farrah Short

This alert reviews the DOJ’s Competitive Impact Statement on the Atrium case, which suggests that providers including anticompetitive steering restrictions in payor contracts may face antitrust risks.
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Read about a DOJ Antitrust Division proposed settlement that would bar Atrium Health from using anticompetitive steering restrictions in payor contracts.
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Last week, Bruce Sokler and Farrah Short from Mintz’s Antitrust practice group published a detailed alert regarding the Third Circuit’s reinstatement of an antitrust suit brought by medical device manufacturer LifeWatch Services, Inc. (“LifeWatch”) against the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and five of its member insurance plan administrators: LifeWatch
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The Third Circuit reinstated an antitrust suit brought by a medical device seller that alleged Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and five of its member insurance plan administrators shut out the seller by conspiring to deny coverage for its device. LifeWatch Services Inc. v. Highmark Inc. et al., Case No. 17-1990 (3rd Cir. Aug. 28, 2018). Critical to the Third Circuit’s reversal of the lower court’s dismissal of the suit was market definition. In this buyer-side conspiracy case, where the seller alleged a concerted refusal to deal by purchasers of its product, the relevant market is comprised of buyers who are seen by the seller as reasonably good substitutes for each other regarding the purchase of its product. Thus “[a] concerted refusal to deal with all sellers of telemetry monitors, regardless of its equality, may still restrain competition in the alleged market for the purchase of outpatient cardiac monitors.” The lower court had instead focused on the market for the seller’s product.

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Not Just Mergers – FTC Highlights Commonly Missed HSR Reportable Transactions

May 16, 2018 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Robert Kidwell, Farrah Short

The Premerger Notification Office (the “PNO”) of the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) recently issued a reminder about often overlooked “transactions” that may require notification under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”).
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Out with the Old: DOJ Seeks to Terminate Outdated Antitrust Judgments

April 26, 2018 | Alert | By Bruce Sokler, Farrah Short

The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a new initiative to terminate “legacy” antitrust judgments that “no longer protect competition.” In 1979, the DOJ adopted a general practice to include sunset provisions that automatically terminate judgments, typically 10 years after entry.
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News & Press

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San Francisco Managing Member Stephen Osborn and Member Robert Burwell led Mintz’s advisory team in facilitating a transformative combination for Muse Group with Hal Leonard, securing growth investment from Francisco Partners. This impactful collaboration merges Muse’s leadership in music content and creation with Hal Leonard’s renowned sheet music and music-learning expertise. The deal underscores Mintz’s commitment to supporting innovative technology companies in the Bay Area’s Private Equity landscape.
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An article published by The Deal featured remarks made by Mintz Member and Co-chair of the firm’s Antitrust Practice Bruce Sokler, Member Robert Kidwell, and Special Counsel Farrah Short during a firm webinar held earlier this month focused on recent antitrust developments and what companies should know as they conduct business and plan transactions and investments.
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Firm plays a key role in the largest health care acquisition to date in 2020.
In this article, authors Bruce Sokler and Farrah Short discuss a long-running anti-trust case, the Eleventh Circuit recently denied defendant Blue Cross Blue Shield’s interlocutory appeal of the district court’s ruling that certain allegedly restrictive practices of defendants must be analyzed under the per se standard rather than the more lenient rule of reason standard.

Mintz is proud to be recognized by JD Supra in its 2018 Reader’s Choice awards. The annual program highlights the most widely read authors and articles throughout the past year. Five Mintz attorneys were named JD Supra Top Authors in four different industries.
Mintz advised GPB Capital on its acquisition of a majority equity stake in Westwood, Massachusetts-based Prime Motor Group. The acquisition by Capstone Automotive Group, an affiliate of GPB, expands the group’s footprint throughout New England.
Chair of Mintz’s Antitrust section Bruce Sokler, along with Member Rob Kidwell and attorneys, Farrah Short Shawn Skolky collaborated on an article regarding the Washington state attorney general’s office suit against the expansion efforts of Franciscan Health System.  
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JD Supra has recognized Mintz in its 2017 Reader’s Choice awards, highlighting the most widely read authors and articles over the past year. Eleven Mintz attorneys were named JD Supra Top Authors in four industries and Mintz was recognized as the Top Firm with readers in the Energy Industry.
A team of Mintz attorneys author this column discussing the Korean Fair Trade Commission’s steep fine against Qualcomm for antitrust violations and the continued antitrust concerns raised by Qualcomm’s licensing practices.
Mintz attorneys represented Seventh Generation, Inc. in its recent sale to Unilever. Based in Vermont, Seventh Generation is a pioneer in corporate responsibility and sustainable product innovations, including plant-based detergents and household cleaners.
Farrah Short, Special Counsel on antitrust matters in Washington, DC, is quoted in a Cook County Record article on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois ruling in a matter involving OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and Unity Point Health-Methodist.
Mintz Members Bruce Sokler and Robert Kidwell, and Special Counsel Farrah Short, authored this Law360 column about the war being waged between businesses that accept payment cards and payment card fees and protective network rules.
Farrah Short, Special Counsel, is quoted in a Legal Newsline article on a lawsuit brought against the NCAA by a former Northern Illinois University football player. The plaintiff claimed that the NCAA’s scholarship and transfer rules violate antitrust laws.
Chair of Mintz’s Antitrust Practice Bruce Sokler and Farrah Short, Antitrust Special Counsel, authored this Law360 column on a legal battle between two rodeo associations.
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Events & Speaking

Panelist
Feb
3
2015
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Recognition & Awards

  • Washington D.C. Super Lawyers: Rising Star - Antitrust Litigation (2015)

  • City Year Idealist of the Year (2015)

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