Antitrust & Competition
Antitrust & Competition Law Attorneys in North Carolina
Antitrust trade regulation touch nearly every aspect of how businesses operate, from pricing and distribution to trade association participation, employment agreements, and the protection of confidential information. Whether you need proactive counsel to avoid exposure or defense when a claim arises, Manning Fulton’s attorneys provide the strategic, experienced representation North Carolina businesses need.
Manning Fulton’s attorneys represent clients in disputes arising under state and federal antitrust laws and trade regulation statutes. Our antitrust team operates on two tracks: helping clients understand and avoid legal exposure before it arises and defending clients when litigation arises.
We work with businesses of all sizes from closely held companies to large commercial enterprises as well as trade associations, navigating the risks that come with modern business competition.
The most effective antitrust strategy is one that prevents problems before they start. Manning Fulton advises clients on:
- Identifying and avoiding antitrust violations under federal and state law
- Understanding how antitrust laws and competition issues affect day-to-day business decisions
- Advising trade associations on the inherent antitrust risks and how to structure programs, communications, and meetings to stay compliant
- Responding to Department of Justice subpoenas — protecting client interests from the earliest stage of a government inquiry
Manning Fulton represents clients in disputes under the Sherman Act, the Robinson-Patman Act, and the relevant North Carolina antitrust, unfair and deceptive trade practices. Our attorneys have experience handling:
- Price-Fixing Claims
- Discriminatory pricing violations
- Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act (UDTPA) claims
- Unfair competition claims
When antitrust claims are brought on a class-wide basis, the damages exposure can be enormous and the litigation demands significant. Manning Fulton defends businesses facing large-scale antitrust class actions.
Protecting what your business has built, its proprietary information, client relationships, and competitive advantages, is a core part of competition law practice. Manning Fulton helps businesses:
- Protect confidential information and trade secrets
- Litigate misappropriation of trade secrets claims
- Protect business relationships
Competition disputes frequently arise from the employment relationship or the sale of businesses.
- Covenants not to compete
- Non-solicitation and restrictive covenants
- Lanham Act claims
Partner with Manning Fulton
Whether you are structuring a new business arrangement, responding to a competitor’s conduct, facing a government investigation, or defending complex litigation, our antitrust and competition attorneys are prepared to help. Contact one of our Antitrust attorneys to discuss your legal challenges and develop a strategy that protects your business and positions you for long-term success.
Who We Serve
Our antitrust and competition clients include:
Businesses of All Sizes
Companies seeking to understand their antitrust exposure and operate confidently within the law.
Trade Associations
Associations navigating the heightened antitrust scrutiny that can come with collective member activity.
Companies Facing Government Investigations
Businesses responding to DOJ investigations, civil investigative demands, or other enforcement inquiries that require experienced counsel from the moment of first contact.
Businesses Defending Antitrust Class Actions
Companies facing class action claims where damages exposure and reputational risk are both significant.
Employers & Competitors
Parties involved in non-compete, trade secret, or unfair competition disputes.
Innovation-Driven Companies
Businesses in industries where intellectual property, antitrust, and competition law intersect.
Related Professionals
Accolades
Best Lawyers in America®
Twenty-seven Manning Fulton attorneys were recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® across a broad range of practice areas.
2027
Recognized attorneys
- Eugene F. Dauchert, Jr. - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Randolph M. Fletcher - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law
- Dieter Mauch - Employment Law Management; Labor and Employment Litigation
- Charles L. Steel IV - Corporate Law; Tax Litigation and Controversy; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
- Reich L. Welborn - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law
- Holly B. Martin - Trusts and Estates
- Joseph B. Bass - Real Estate Law
- Stephen T. Byrd - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
- Alison R. Cayton - Commercial Finance Law; Real Estate Law
- William S. Cherry III - Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Employment Law Management; Insurance Law; Insurance Litigation; Real Estate Litigation; Labor and Employment Litigation
- Sandra Martin Clark - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Corporate Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
- James H. Clarke - Corporate Law; Healthcare Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jessica L. Elliott - Real Estate Law
- William B. Gwyn, Jr. - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Deborah L. Hildebran-Bachofen - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
- Thomas I. Lyon - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law
- Barry D. Mann - Real Estate Law
- Michael T. Medford - Antitrust Law; Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law; Antitrust Litigation; Insurance Litigation; Labor and Employment Litigation; Tax Litigation and Controversy
- Charles H. Munn - Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
- Kevin A. Prakke - Business Organizations; Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Regulation
- Natalie M. Rice - Commercial Litigation
- Douglas J. Short - Real Estate Law
- William C. Smith, Jr. - Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights; Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Construction Litigation
- Ritchie W. Taylor - Business Organizations; Corporate Law; Franchise Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jessica B. Vickers - Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law
- Jennifer L. Weaver - Business Organizations; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Trust and Estates
- Judson A. Welborn - Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Franchise Law; Banking and Finance Litigation; Construction Litigation; Land Use and Zoning Litigation; Real Estate Litigation; Tax Litigation and Controversy
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
Eight Manning Fulton attorneys were recognized in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.
2027
Recognized attorneys
- Matthew Muntean - Business Organizations; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- J. Patrick Bailey, Jr. - Real Estate Law
- Angela C. Baldwin - Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Trusts and Estates
- Cecilia Barreca - Business Organizations
- Chris N. Bobby - Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law
- Lawrence D. Graham - Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Real Estate Litigation
- Corinne E. O’Reilly - Business Organizations
- B. Zack Taylor, Jr. - Real Estate Law
Business North Carolina “Legal Elite”
Fifteen Manning Fulton attorneys were recognized in Business North Carolina’s 2026 “Legal Elite,” with three additional attorneys named “Legal Elite Young Guns.”
2026
Legal Elite
- Mike T. Medford - Antitrust & Complex Business Disputes
- William C. Smith - Bankruptcy
- Judson A. Welborn - Construction
- Jennifer L. Weaver - Corporate Law
- Thomas I. Lyon - Corporate Law
- William B. Gwyn - Corporate Law
- William S. Cherry - Employment
- Jessica B. Vickers - Litigation
- Alison R. Cayton - Real Estate Law
- Douglas J. Short - Real Estate Law
- Joseph B. Bass - Real Estate Law
- Jessica Elliott - Real Estate Law
- B. Zachary Taylor - Real Estate Law
- Sandra M. Clark - Tax & Estate Planning
- Steve T. Byrd - Tax & Estate Planning
- Chris Bobby
- Lawrence D. Graham
- Matthew P. Muntean
2026 Best Law Firms: Metropolitan Tier 2
2026
Recognized in:
- Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
- Litigation – Antitrust
- Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
2026 Best Law Firms: Metropolitan Tier 3
2026
Recognized in:
- Antitrust Law
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Securities Regulation
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