Apparently Google's Lawyers Were Prepped For Google/Apple Antitrust Inquiry
from the just-look-at-our-website dept
With the (not particularly surprising) news coming out that the FTC was looking at the relationship between Apple and Google (specifically the ties between the Board of Directors of both companies), John Paczkowski noticed that Google's outside law firm (full disclosure: it's our outside law firm as well, though it's a big, big law firm), Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati had not only already prepared a presentation on the issue but had posted it to its website. Soon after noticing it, WSGR pulled down the presentation. So Paczkowski pointed to the Google cache of it... only to see that disappear quickly as well. Amusingly, Danny Sullivan noted that it's still available in Microsoft's cache. Either way, it seems like Google should be quite prepared for the issue, though Eric Schmidt's initial responses to questions about it don't seem very reassuring. You would think that he would have thought through a slightly more nuanced answer than saying that he hadn't even considered leaving Apple's board. Either way, it seems pretty clear that Google is going to spend an awful lot of time in the antitrust spotlight -- justified or not -- over the next few years, and the company better get used to it.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: antitrust, ftc
Companies: apple, ftc, google, wilson sonsini
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leave google alone!
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boyscout
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Re: boyscout
Prepared is good. But having that info publicly available... is a bit weird.
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Re: Re: boyscout
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Re: Re: Re: boyscout
For example: somebody robs a 7-11 near your home. robber's description is similar to you. getaway car is same make and model as your own. (not an unreasonable situation) You look guilty even if you aren't. Best thing for you to do would be to get ready for the police to give you a visit. Maybe even head over to the police station to clear your name before they even start investigating.
I'm not commenting on the actual case, just that getting ready to answer accusations that haven't yet been made isn't an admission of guilt.
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Re: boyscout
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WSGR Rocks
One of the coolest things they've done lately is to put up a "term sheet generator" based on some of their internal processes for startups. (be warned though, the generator is an extensive questionnaire that likely simply proves why a lawyer is a good idea instead of a DIY template...)
http://www.wsgr.com/WSGR/Display.aspx?SectionName=practice/termsheet.htm
(note: I don't work for WSGR or have any current business with them - not for lack of tryin' though:)
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Re: WSGR Rocks
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Correct
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Ready for anything
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Fool me once, Shame on.. Shame on.. You. You Fool Me You can't get fooled again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKgPY1adc0A
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Why Tech?
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Tell me about it! Let's start with the telcos leveraging their market power to either extort consumers, Time Warner, or prevent competition in the form of township's providing broadband service to their residents.
Last time I checked in order to trigger anti-monopoly regulation you actually have to be abusing your power of monopoly.
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