Amazon has deep bench of defence lawyers to fight US FTC lawsuit

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s monopoly lawsuit against Amazon.com filed on Tuesday poses perhaps the biggest legal test so far for the platoons of lawyers who have defended the technology giant for years against allegations of antitrust and consumer protection violations.

The long-awaited FTC case against Amazon, joined by 17 state attorneys general, accuses the company of abusing its dominance as an online retailer to thwart competitors and harm sellers and customers that rely on its platform.

The company vowed to fight the lawsuit, saying its practices have spurred competition and innovation.


Kevin Hodges, a partner at law firm Williams & Connolly, was the first member of Amazon's defence team identified in a court document in the case.

Williams & Connolly, known for its focus on litigation, in April successfully defeated a separate private lawsuit accusing the company of curbing competition for shipping and fulfillment services.

Williams & Connolly is also a lead defence firm in another major antitrust case targeting Big Tech.

Partner John Schmidtlein heads a team comprised of several big law firms defending Alphabet's Google in an ongoing landmark trial over the company’s alleged monopoly power in online search.

An Amazon spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about its legal team.

The company is likely to rely on multiple law firms to defend the FTC case.