Litigative Economics

RRC has extensive experience in assisting attorneys in relating complex legal matters to economic, financial, and statistical evidence. RRC has been successful in the analysis of issues such as contract violations, product liability and warranty, theft of trade secrets, discrimination, monopolization, price-fixing, monopsony purchasing, boycotts, licensing restrictions, and damage theories. Often economic evidence suggests a line of argument, supported by sound economic theory, which narrows
the scope of a case and offers an efficient, effective avenue for successful litigation. 

Product Distribution and Resale

Most manufacturers utilize resellers to market their products, often requiring dealers to agree to vertical restrictions on displays, inventories, minimum orders, credit terms, and territorial boundaries. Legal disputes often focus upon the effects of vertical restrictions on intra-brand competition and the resulting impact upon inter-brand competition. Restrictions must be evaluated as potential efficiency-enhancing methods of competition. Economists are asked to evaluate the impact of certain vertical restrictions, both as per se violations and as violations under the Rule of Reason. Important statistical evidence is sometimes found among distributors' files, industry association reports, and competitors' sales records. Discovery in such disputes is important in developing the necessary economic evidence. To the extent that sufficient monopoly power must be shown, discovery from competitors can be the only reliable source of usable data.