CHICAGO, Oct. 10, 2023 — The American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section will sponsor a conference exploring antitrust law and sustainability on Oct. 16 at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. The event will feature leading thinkers from government, academia, private practice, business and the public interest community.
What:
“Antitrust and Sustainability: Friends or Foes?”
Sponsored by the ABA Antitrust Law Section
When:
Monday, Oct. 16, 4–6:30 p.m. EDT (in-person and zoom). Reception to follow.
Where:
Howard University School of Law
Hon. Damon J. Keith Moot Court Room
2900 Van Ness St. NW
Washington, D.C.
Faced with the threat of climate change, firms are increasingly considering a wide range of conduct that could, at once, adversely affect competition and promote environmental justice and sustainability. In response, congressional leaders and state attorneys general have raised serious antitrust concerns about these efforts.
The conference will explore whether the antitrust concerns are legitimate or simply a pretext to oppose environmental, social and governance policies. It will also consider what balance the government should strike between protecting competition and promoting initiatives to save the planet.
The program will feature a keynote address from William Kovacic, Global Competition Professor of Law and Policy and director of the Competition Law Center at The George Washington University Law School. Kovacic is also a former chair of the Federal Trade Commission.
The first panel, “Public Sector – What Role Should Government Play in Protecting Competition and Promoting Sustainability?” will be moderated by Grant Bermann, partner at Milbank LLP, and will include representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the FTC, the D.C. Attorney General’s Office and Earthjustice.
The second panel, “Private Sector – What Actions Should Firms Take in a World Without Clear Rules?” will be moderated by Anne Catherine Faye, vice president at Analysis Group, and will include representatives from law firms, business and academia.
The conference agenda can be found here. Faculty are listed here. The program is free and open to the public and media, and media interested in attending should email [email protected] by 5 p.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 15, and note whether attendance will be in-person or virtual. A link will be sent to those who wish to view the program virtually.
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