Samsung Electronics

Electronics Leader Defeats Antitrust Onslaught Over Key Component

O’Melveny defeated antitrust claims seeking more than US$1 billion in actual damages—US$3 billion in treble damages—in multidistrict litigation alleging Samsung was part of a conspiracy to fix prices of optical disk drives, a key component for reading and writing data on CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs found in computers, video game consoles, and other devices. The litigation included claims brought by indirect purchasers, direct purchasers, retailers, and states.

Achieving dismissal was particularly noteworthy given that other disk makers had previously settled for tens of millions of dollars and agreed to guilty pleas following a Justice Department investigation. This victory was achieved on the eve of trial, saving the client hundreds of millions of dollars (the cost of settlement) or a potential nine-figure jury verdict. And in August, the parties reached a final settlement, effectively concluding eight years of litigation, discovery, and investigations.

The firm was named a finalist for the “Global Litigation/Dispute Resolution of the Year” award for its representation of Samsung in this matter.