Introduction:

The use of screens has been integral in cartel detection, but also has a very meaningful place in cartel prevention and defense. This briefing room starts by reviewing the way screens, as well as other detection tools, are used in practice to uncover pricing conspiracies and to determine whether collusion is present in a specific market. Leading off this discussion in the form of an engaging webinar series was a panel of knowledgeable experts widely recognized as the premier thought leaders in the subject. This first webinar, held on May 22nd, was a nuanced overview of cartel detection headlined by guest editor Rosa Abrantes-Metz (GlobalEcon, NYU Stern School of Business), Antonio Capobianco (OECD), Carlos Mena-Labarthe (Federal Competition Commission of Mexico), and Carlos Ragazzo (Administrative Council for Economic Defense, Brazil). It was moderated by David S. Evans (GlobalEcon, University of Chicago Law School).

We then turned our focus to a robust webinar discussion on the value of screens in cartel prevention and the creative usage of screens on the defense side. This second webinar, held a week after the first on May 28th, featured guest editor Rosa Abrantes-Metz (GlobalEcon, NYU Stern School of Business), Kai Huschelrath (ZEW), Donald C. Klawiter (Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP), Danny Sokol (Levin College of Law at the University of Florida). This was also moderated by David S. Evans (GlobalEcon, University of Chicago Law School).

About the Experts:

Rosa Abrantes-Metz is a principal in the antitrust, securities and financial regulation practices of Global Economics Group and an Adjunct Associate Professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business. She is the author of several articles on econometric methods and screens and flagged the LIBOR conspiracy in 2008. Her work is regularly featured in the media.	Antonio Capobianco is responsible for proceedings of the Working Party No. 3 of the OECD Competition Committee, Working Party on International Co-operation and Competition Law Enforcement. In this position, Mr Capobianco was responsible for a series of projects and work streams, including the development of the 2009 Guidelines for Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement.
Kai Hüschelrath is head of the research group “Competition and Regulation” at ZEW (Center for European Economic Research). And Assistant Professor of Industrial Organization and Competitive Strategy at WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallender.	Don Klawiter is a partner at Sheppard Mullin in Washington, DC.. His practice focuses on antitrust investigations and litigation with a special emphasis on international cartel matters. In 2005-2006, he served as Chair of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law. Recently, he served as Co-Chair of the Section of Antitrust Law’s Presidential Transition Report Task Force, which made recommendations to the Antitrust Division and FTC on enforcement policy and procedures.
Carlos Mena-Labarthe is head of cartel investigations at the Federal Competition Commission of Mexico (CFC). Prior to his joining the Mexican competition authority he worked for national and international law firms including Basham, Ringe y Correa; Barrera, Siqueiros y Torres Landa and Haynes and Boone. He teaches Competition Law, Regulation and Public Policy at graduate and postgraduate level at ITAM.	Carlos Ragazzo is General Superintendent of Brazil’s competition authority, CADE. Before joining CADE he was a Lawyer for Pinheiro Net Avogados and worked as a trainee at the US’s FTC. He was general coordinator of antitrust at the Secretariat of Economic Monitoring in the Ministry of Finance. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Antitrust Law in Rio de Janeiro at Gertulio Vargas.
Danny Sokol is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and a Senior Research Fellow at the George Washington University Law School Competition Law Center. He is co-editor of the Global Competition Law and Economics book series and of the Oxford Handbook of International Antitrust Economics, and is editor of the Antitrust and Competition Policy Blog.	David S. Evans is Chairman of Global Economics Group and Lecturer, University of Chicago Law School. Evans is the co-author with Professor Abrantes-Metz of a widely discussed proposal for replacing LIBOR.

This briefing room is brought to you by Global Economics Group:

Global Economics Group provides independent, rigorous economic analysis in complex legal, regulatory and policy matters throughout the world. Global Economics Group has expertise in almost every area of litigation, regulation and policy in which economic, financial, and statistical expertise helps analyze and elucidate complex issues. The Global Economics Group team has worked on some of the most significant matters of the last quarter century in antitrust, securities, financial regulation, labor and discrimination, and intellectual property as well as many issues that span several of these areas. In addition to these practices the GlobalEcon team has deep expertise in many individual industries including equity markets, payments, banking, insurance, and other aspects of financial services; energy; mobile and traditional telecommunications; new and traditional media; web-based businesses including social networking, e-commerce, and online advertising; pharmaceuticals and health care.

For more information on our Briefing Room series please contact us at contact@competitionpolicyinternational.com.