
Our Curious Amalgam
Our Curious Amalgam explores topics in antitrust, competition, consumer protection, data protection, and privacy law around the world with leading experts in those areas. It is an amalgam because it is a group of diverse topics all in one place. It is curious because it gets the experts and asks them in-depth questions.
Latest episodes

Jun 21, 2021 • 32min
#120 What Advice Do You Have for a Young Lawyer? Words of Wisdom from Our Guests
In many past episodes of Our Curious Amalgam we asked our guests what career advice they would give to their younger selves. As hosts Alicia Downey, John Roberti, and Jessica Watters discovered, the answers to that question were educational, brilliant, sometimes unexpected, and always heartfelt. The best of that advice is featured in a single episode highlighting words of wisdom from some of the brightest lights in the field of antitrust and consumer protection. No matter where you are in your career path, listen to the episode for inspiration on how to lay the groundwork for success in any practice setting. Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC, Jessica Watters, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and John Roberti, Allen & Overy LLP

Jun 14, 2021 • 29min
#119 Is This Game Over? Competition Law Implications of the Super League.
The Super League didn't last long but the post-game analysis continues. What are the competition law issues raised and do they remain relevant? Dwayne Bach, sports and esports law expert, joins Christina Ma and Matthew Hall to discuss the concerns and their wider relevance. Listen to this episode to learn more about the Super League, how competition law may apply to the proposal and its application to other sports. Related Links: Super League website The Super League and its related issues under EU Competition Law, Dwayne Bach (22 April 2021) Commercial Court of Madrid reference to European Court of Justice (11 May 2021) (in Spanish) Statement by UEFA, the English Football Association, the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), LaLiga, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A in relation to the Super League (18 April 2021) EU General Court judgment in Case T-93/18, International Skating Union v Commission (16 December 2020) An Introduction To The ELF - Europe's New Professional American Football League, Ansgar Faßbender, Dwayne Bach (19 February 2021) Hosted by: Christina Ma, partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Matthew Hall, partner, McGuireWoods London LLP

Jun 7, 2021 • 36min
#118 What’s The Role Of Journalism In Antitrust?: A Conversation With Leah Nylen
People often read more from journalists than from lawyers to learn about antitrust. But what roles does journalism itself play in antitrust, in terms of the development and practice of the law? Leah Nylen, seasoned antitrust reporter at POLITICO, speaks with John Roberti and Anora Wang about everything ranging from meeting in parking garages exchanging secret papers, muckraking and informing the public, to how to speak with a journalist. Listen to this episode to learn all about antitrust journalism. Related Links: https://www.politico.com/states/staff/leah-nylen Hosted by: John Roberti, Allen & Overy LLP and Anora Wang, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

May 31, 2021 • 46min
#117 Can It Be Resolved? The Use of Mediators to Settle Antitrust Class Actions.
Mediation is a tool that litigants can use to resolve disputes. What are the advantages of using a mediator, particularly in high-stakes antitrust class actions? Judge Vaughn Walker, retired Chief Judge of the Northern District of California and now mediator, joins John Roberti and Kayla Odom to discuss how mediation can help parties reach certainty and finality, the best timing for mediation, and strategies mediators use to help participants. Listen in to learn why people should choose mediation, and to learn the "do's" and "don'ts" when it comes to mediation and making settlement possible. Related Links: #112 What Can AI Do? Examining the Possibilities of Using Artificial Intelligence in the Law Hosted by: John Roberti, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP and Kayla Odom, Associate, Freitas & Weinberg LLP

May 24, 2021 • 34min
#116 Can Non-Competes Be Procompetitive?: An Economist’s View
By its name, a non-compete agreement restricts competition. But can non-competes be procompetitive or otherwise designed to minimize the competition concerns? Dr. Paul Wong, Economist and Director at National Economic Research Associates, Inc. (NERA), speaks with Anora Wang and Christina Ma about the interests and tradeoffs involved in a non-compete agreement and relevant enforcement and legal developments in this space, especially at the state level. Listen to this episode to get the economic story behind non-competes. Related Links: Paul Wong, Yun Ling, Emily Walden, Non-Compete Agreements: Might They be Procompetitive in Healthcare?, CPI (May 11, 2020) Comments of the Antitrust Law Section of the ABA in connection with the FTC workshop on "Non-competes in the workplace: Examining antitrust and consumer protection issues" (April 24, 2020) Hosted by: Anora Wang, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and Christina Ma, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

May 17, 2021 • 32min
#115 Are We Witnessing a Revolution? Putting the Debate Over Antitrust Reform Into Context.
Accepted norms and standards are increasingly being questioned in the antitrust world as calls for reform grow louder. Why is this groundswell of dissent from traditional doctrine occurring now, and what are the implications for the future of antitrust law? Stanford Law School Professor Doug Melamed joins Sergei Zaslavsky and Christina Ma to put the current debate over antitrust doctrine into context. Listen to this episode for an insightful perspective on populist and technocratic calls for reform, including the potential pitfalls of making drastic changes to antitrust doctrine and potential pathways for achieving change without undermining antitrust's core strengths. Related Links: Senator Klobuchar's Legislative Proposal (Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act) Doug Melamed, Antitrust Law and Its Critics Hosted by: Christina Ma, Wacthell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Sergei Zaslavsky, O'Melveny & Myers

May 10, 2021 • 41min
#114 What Are the Generic and Biosimilar Industries Worried About? Current Competition Law Issues Impacting the Sector.
Generics and biosimilars are an important part of the pharmaceutical landscape in Europe. What are the competition law issues faced by suppliers of those products? Adrian van den Hoven, Director General of trade association Medicines for Europe, joins John Roberti and Matthew Hall to discuss the key concerns of generic and biosimilar suppliers and also the dramatic impact of COVID-19 on them. Listen to this episode to learn more about the application of competition law to pharmaceuticals and the background to the 2020 comfort letter granted by the European Commission at the request of Medicines for Europe. Related Links: Medicines for Europe White Paper on Barriers to Generic and Biosimilar Market Entry Medicines for Europe Paper on Patent Linkage Medicines for Europe Paper on Divisional Patents Hosted by: John Roberti, Partner, Allen & Overy and Matthew Hall, Partner, McGuireWoods London LLP

May 3, 2021 • 34min
#113 Are “UDAPs” Protecting Consumers or Promoting Chaos? Exposing the Fault Lines under State Statutes Prohibiting Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices
State UDAP laws are powerful tools for private plaintiffs and state Attorneys General to redress marketplace misconduct and abuse of consumers. But with the growing proliferation of lawsuits based on novel theories of what constitutes "unfair" trade practices, is it time to rein them in? In this episode co-hosts Alicia Downey and Christina Ma talk to Matt Sawchak, UDAP scholar, antitrust litigator, and former solicitor general for the state of North Carolina, about the ongoing debate over the scope of and remedies afforded by UDAP legislation. Listen to this episode to learn about the sources of tension between state UDAP statutes and U.S. antitrust law. Related Links: North Carolina Opera The Official Tourist Website for Prague Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Christina Ma, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Apr 26, 2021 • 39min
#112 What Can AI Do? Examining the Possibilities of Using Artificial Intelligence in the Law
Artificial Intelligence has been an increasingly important element of legal practice, including in antitrust and consumer protection. What is the next step for Artificial Intelligence? Joshua Davis, a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law, joins Kayla Odom and John Roberti to discuss the potential and limits for the next generation of Artificial Intelligence. Listen to this episode to learn about whether robo lawyers may be appearing before robo judges anytime soon. Related Links: Law Without Mind: AI, Ethics, and Jurisprudence Artificial Wisdom? A Potential Limit on AI in Law (and Elsewhere) AI and Interdependent Pricing: Combination Without Conspiracy? Hosted by: John Roberti, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP and Kayla Odom, Associate, Freitas & Weinberg LLP

Apr 19, 2021 • 33min
#111 A Never-Ending Issue? The Report of the EU Expert Group on Standard Essential Patents
Standard Essential Patent (SEP) licensing and valuation is an extremely challenging and difficult area worldwide. What does the January 2021 report of the EU SEPs Expert Group add to the discussion? Aleksandra Kuznicka-Cholewa, a member of the Expert Group, joins Christina Ma and Matthew Hall to discuss the work of the group and the proposals made in its report. Listen to this episode to learn more about the key SEP licensing and valuation issues which are being grappled with in the EU and elsewhere. Related Links: Group of Experts on Licensing and Valuation of Standard Essential Patents: Contribution to the Debate on SEPs UK Supreme Court judgment Unwired Planet Referral to European Court of Justice Nokia/Daimler Hosted by: Christina Ma, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Matthew Hall, Partner, McGuireWoods London LLP