Katharine O’Connor
Subscribe to Katharine O’Connor's PostsKatharine (Kate) O’Connor focuses her practice on complex antitrust litigation, antitrust investigations brought by the US antitrust regulators and state attorneys general, and counseling clients on antitrust compliance questions. She also regularly represents clients before the antitrust regulators related to mergers and acquisitions. Kate has experience representing clients in a wide array of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, food and finance. Read Katharine O’Connor's full bio.
Texas Court Issues Nationwide Injunction Striking Down FTC Noncompete Ban
By Rachel B. Cowen, Brian Mead, Katharine O’Connor and Alex Grayson on Sep 12, 2024
Posted In Employment, Labor
On August 20, 2024, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a nationwide injunction barring the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Rule that bans all noncompete agreements. Read more about the court’s decision and what it means for employers and business entities here.
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Pennsylvania Court Rejects Attempt to Block FTC Noncompete Ban
By P. Kevin Connelly, Brian Mead, Katharine O’Connor and Alex Grayson on Jul 25, 2024
Posted In Employment, Labor
On July 23, 2024, US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania declined to stay the September 4, 2024, effective date of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Final Rule that bans all new noncompete agreements nationwide and renders existing noncompete agreements binding most workers unenforceable. This ruling comes 20 days after a federal court...
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Key Takeaways From the FTC’s Final Noncompete Rule: What It Means and Next Steps for Employers
By Paul Hughes, Brian Mead and Katharine O’Connor on Jun 7, 2024
Posted In Employment
During a recent webinar, Paul Hughes, Brian Mead and Katharine O’Connor shed light on pressing questions about the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) rule preventing all employers from using noncompete clauses. They explained the impact of the Final Rule on current noncompete agreements, examined the legal issues around enforcing a noncompete ban and ensuing litigation, and outlined what employers...
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FTC Issues Rule Banning Worker Noncompete Agreements
By Rachel B. Cowen, Brian Mead, Katharine O’Connor, Lisa Rumin, Stephen Wu and Alex Grayson on Apr 30, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Executive Compensation, Labor
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 3-2 along party lines to ban all new noncompete agreements nationwide and render existing noncompete agreements binding most workers unenforceable. The Final Rule, slated for publication in the Federal Register, provides that employers’ use of noncompete agreements amounts to an “unfair method of competition” that runs afoul...
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Growing Antitrust Scrutiny of Healthcare Mergers: What Healthcare Executives Need to Know
By Katharine O’Connor on Oct 5, 2022
Posted In Health and Welfare Plans
How can healthcare executives navigate the growing antitrust scrutiny of healthcare mergers, and what are some of the key issues facing executives in the current regulatory environment? In this conversation with The Chartis Group, McDermott Partner Katharine O’Connor discusses the legal considerations for healthcare executives seeking to navigate mergers. Access the article.
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