Dan Webb is a source of wisdom, eloquence and trust about some of the nation's - and the world's - most pressing legal issues. As an incredibly skilled litigator, he has the bona fides necessary for any discussion about law, politics or economics. In the December 22nd issue of The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) there is an article by Anita Raghavan about how U.S. prosecutors are increasingly winning cooperation from foreign governments in prosecuting antitrust offenders. As this blog has mentioned previously, with great conviction and supporting evidence, antitrust legislation will play an enormously influential role in our so-called global economy. Whether these prosecutions are all successful or even just is, pardon the expression, almost beside the point. The fact is: there is a real push for more enforcement in this area, which means companies need to have skilled attorneys who can provide insight about this issue. Dan Webb is one such advocate who can speak about this topic with clarity and independence.

Dan Webb is a source of wisdom, eloquence and trust about some of the nation's - and the world's - most pressing legal issues. As an incredibly skilled litigator, he has the bona fides necessary for any discussion about law, politics or economics. In the December 22nd issue of The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) there is an article by Anita Raghavan about how U.S. prosecutors are increasingly winning cooperation from foreign governments in prosecuting antitrust offenders. As this blog has mentioned previously, with great conviction and supporting evidence, antitrust legislation will play an enormously influential role in our so-called global economy. Whether these prosecutions are all successful or even just is, pardon the expression, almost beside the point. The fact is: there is a real push for more enforcement in this area, which means companies need to have skilled attorneys who can provide insight about this issue.

Dan Webb of Winston & Strawn is one of the country's most talented litigators because he has extensive experience representing major clients. In the field of antitrust there are several notable companies that have a stake in this area of the law. President Bush’s nominee for Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division is Thomas Barnett. In a Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) article in the Review and Outlook Section on December 18th, two Senators, both Republicans, Jon Kyl of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas, are opposed to the nomination of Barnett to this antitrust position. It is noted that Mr. Barnett was opposed to the merger of United Airlines and U.S. Airways. Later both air carriers sought bankruptcy protection due to the fact that they were unable to merge. Companies such as Microsoft and Oracle have experienced similar problems in the antitrust area, which seems to be in direct opposition to the Republican attitude when it comes to the conduct of business in this country. Mr. Bush may have an uphill battle with Mr. Barnett’s nomination.

Dan Webb of Winston & Strawn is one of the nation's best litigators for an obvious reason: he has the talent, experience and public sacrifice that combine to make a good person an exceptional attorney. I am curious to know his thoughts about an antitrust lawsuit filed against Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP PLC that claims the two oil giants are conspiring to crush competition and restrict the nation's supply of natural gas. The story, which was first reported by the Associated Press (ap.org), raises a number of legal and governmental issues that deserve closer examination, not more false outrage or convenient political posturing. For we should not simply attack recognizable corporations merely because these businesses are either unpopular or unwilling to concede the moral high ground to extremists or questionable opponents of this industry.