G. Patrick Watson concentrates in antitrust and other complex litigation. In addition to litigation, he has assisted companies with internal investigations and responses to government subpoenas, has provided counseling and compliance guidance in the antitrust area and has represented clients in obtaining regulatory approval for mergers.

In the antitrust and trade regulation litigation area, Mr. Watson recently defended a Fortune 500 company in federal and state class action antitrust litigation involving alleged price fixing in the carpet industry, and he represented large corporate plaintiffs who chose to opt out of class action litigation involving price fixing to pursue direct claims. In addition, Mr. Watson has handled litigation for a major foreign brewery and for local cable television companies involving franchising and distribution issues. He also recently defended a small business in a franchise/business opportunity action brought by the Federal Trade Commission and represented a plaintiff in pursuit of state unfair trade practice act claims arising out of a distribution arrangement.

Apart from antitrust and trade regulation matters, Mr. Watson has defended an employer in an ERISA class action for allegedly underfunding a plan and breaching fiduciary duties, and he currently represents a Fortune 500 company in a variety of litigation and disputes arising out of the administration of its health and welfare plans. He also has handled commercial litigation for both defendant and plaintiff involving software development contracts, warranty clauses in asset purchase agreements and other complex business disputes.

Mr. Watson also has counseled various companies on corporate compliance issues, involving antitrust, document retention and other legal areas. He recently co-headed a comprehensive survey of compliance "best practices" at Fortune 200 companies. As part of his compliance work, he has assisted clients with antitrust related audits and in the development of training programs.