NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC MERCHANTS- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT ANTITRUST CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Antitrust Violations by Guitar Center, Fender, Gibson and Others
On October 7, 2009, Girard Gibbs filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of consumers and direct purchasers who, from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007, purchased string or fretted instruments, amplifiers or audio recording equipment directly from Guitar Center, Inc., Fender Music Instruments Corporation or Gibson Guitars. The complaint alleges that from 2005-2007, defendants, including the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) -- a 9,000 member association of U.S. manufacturers, distributors, and dealers of musical instruments -- conspired in anti-competitive conduct in violation of federal antitrust laws prohibiting unfair competition.
The Federal Trade Commission has also issued a complaint and consent order settling charges that NAMM violated the antitrust laws by enabling and encouraging the exchange of competitively sensitive price information among its members.
Girard Gibbs Appointed Lead Liaison Counsel
A number of lawsuits surrounding these antitrust allegations were filed throughout the country, and on December 9, 2009, a panel of judges transferred all pending cases to Judge Larry Burns, United States District Court for the Southern District of California. On June 28, 2010, Judge Burns appointed Girard Gibbs as Interim Lead Counsel, responsible for serving as liaison between the Court and the Plaintiffs in the case.
VIEW THE JUNE 28, 2010 ORDER
Why Girard Gibbs LLP?
Girard Gibbs is a national litigation firm specializing in antitrust law, securities litigation, consumer class actions, and complex business litigation. The firm’s senior partners, Daniel Girard and Eric Gibbs, have been chosen as Superlawyers by Law & Politics, recognizing them as among the top 5-percent of attorneys practicing in Northern California.
