Al Pfeiffer

Partner

San Francisco
al.pfeiffer@lw.com
+1.415.395.8898

PRACTICES

  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Communications
  • Connectivity, Privacy & Information
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Litigation & Trial

INDUSTRIES

  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Technology

BAR QUALIFICATIONS

  • California

EDUCATION

  • JD, Yale Law School, 1985
  • BA, St. Joseph's University, 1982

PROFILE

Alfred C. Pfeiffer, Jr., former Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Litigation & Trial Department and former Co-Chair of the Antitrust & Competition Practice, represents clients in civil antitrust matters and other complex commercial disputes.

Al, a trial lawyer, represents Fortune 500 companies across industries in high-stakes antitrust and complex commercial litigation. Drawing on more than 30 years of trial experience, he guides clients to successful resolutions, regularly winning at all stages of litigation, including when cases go to trial. He has developed a particular focus on antitrust claims involving dominant firm conduct.

Al's work includes representing clients, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in dozens of jurisdictions across the country, including:

  • Federal district courts
  • United States Courts of Appeal for the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits
  • Arbitration tribunals

He has also successfully represented clients involved in investigations conducted by the US Department of Justice and the California Attorney General.

Al's work has earned widespread recognition from legal publications including:

  • Chambers USA
  • The Legal 500 US
  • Who's Who Legal 2022, Recommended - Competition (Global Leader)
  • Benchmark Litigation, named as a Litigation Star
  • The Deal, named as a “Mover and Shaker”
  • Global Competition Review, Lawyer of the Year Award – Finalist
  • Best Lawyers, listed in the Antitrust Law category every year since 2008
  • Best Lawyers, San Francisco, Antitrust Law Lawyer of the Year 2012
  • Law360, Antitrust MVP 2011
  • California Lawyer, Lawyer of the Year 2000

Leadership

Al has been active for many years in the leadership of the ABA’s Section on Antitrust. He serves on the Long Range Planning Committee and previously served on the leadership Council, as chair of the Intellectual Property Committee, on the Committee Operations Task Force, and as chair of the Communications Industry Committee. He co-authored the ABA Antitrust Section’s Telecom Antitrust Handbook.

EXPERIENCE

Al's experience includes representing:

  • Cox Communications in In re Cox Enterprises Inc. Set-Top Cable Television Box Antitrust Litigation, a rare antitrust trial with a certified class related to the lease of set-top cable boxes. Following trial, a federal judge granted Cox’s post-verdict Rule 50 motion and entered a defense judgment in favor of Cox.
  • Ovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Lundbeck, Inc.), as lead trial and appellate counsel in antitrust lawsuits filed by the FTC and the State of Minnesota challenging the client’s acquisition of exclusive rights to manufacture and sell a neonatal heart medication, NeoProfen. After a rare bench trial on the merits of a government merger challenge, Latham won a complete defense judgment. The 8th Circuit affirmed unanimously the lower court ruling. The win led to Law360 naming Latham Competition Firm of the Year.
  • The Radio Music License Committee in a groundbreaking successful antitrust litigation against SESAC, a performing rights organization, that resulted in a settlement establishing binding rate regulation for the radio industry.
  • A California state agency as plaintiff in a claim against a power conglomerate relating to manipulative conduct during the California energy crisis, resulting in a US$75 million award in the client’s favor.*
  • A major technology manufacturer in nationwide antitrust class actions relating to the alleged monopolization of aftermarkets based on a technology device.
  • Eaton Electric in a Section 2 attempted monopolization case involving aftermarket theories, resulting in a substantial summary judgment victory for the client.
  • Covad Communications as plaintiff in groundbreaking antitrust and Telecommunications Act litigation against Pacific Bell, resulting in an award of US$27.5 million in damages to Covad, and subsequently in a US$750 million business deal settling the dispute.*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham