Yelp wants Google's lawyers tossed from US antitrust case (updated)

Yelp

25/09/2023 20:32

(Updates with Yelp declining to comment)
    By Mike Scarcella
       Sept 25 (Reuters) - Yelp and a coalition of news
organizations have asked a U.S. judge to disqualify a prominent
U.S. law firm from defending Google  GOOGL.O  in the Justice
Department's ad tech lawsuit, saying the firm has a conflict of
interest because it previously was their advocate on matters
related to the case.   
    Yelp  YELP.N  and News/Media Alliance, which are not
defendants in the litigation but are targets of Google's
subpoenas, argue that law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
Garrison should be disqualified.
    Google has subpoenaed service-recommendation site Yelp and
the alliance for information to challenge claims it has abused
its market dominance for web advertising.
    "This case involves a major law firm switching sides against
former clients" to represent an alleged monopolist, attorneys
for Yelp and the media group told U.S. District Judge Leonie
Brinkema on Friday.
    A spokesperson for Paul Weiss said the "firm's
representation of Google is appropriate in all respects."
    Yelp declined to comment beyond its court filing. Google did
not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    The bid to toss Paul Weiss is the latest flashpoint over
ethics in the litigation, one of two U.S. cases accusing Google
of antitrust violations. Google has denied any wrongdoing.
    Yelp said it hired Paul Weiss in 2016 for counsel on
antitrust issues. The Justice Department's antitrust head,
Jonathan Kanter, was on the Paul Weiss team representing Yelp.
    Google wants Yelp to divulge information about its
advertising technology business and other topics, the attorneys
for Yelp and New/Media Alliance, Charles Molster III and Brandon
Kressin, said.
    Google is also seeking information about Yelp's engagement
letters, invoices and bills related to its Paul Weiss ties.
    This month, Brinkema refused a request from Google to block
Kanter from leading the case. Google argued Kanter should be
barred based on his work in private practice for Yelp and other
Google critics.
    New York-based Paul Weiss, which has about 1,000 lawyers
globally, is also representing Amazon.com in various antitrust
lawsuits.
    The trial in the ad tech case is expected to begin next
year.
    
    The case is United States et al v. Google LLC, U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, No.
1:23-cv-00108-LMB-JFA.

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
US judge will not order Justice Dept. official to exit Google
advertising case    https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-judge-will-not-order-doj-official-exit-google-advertising-case-2023-09-15/
Justice Dept. team suing Google includes longtime Paul Weiss
partner    https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/justice-dept-team-suing-google-includes-longtime-paul-weiss-partner-2023-01-25/
DOJ antitrust nominee reports $20 mln in Paul, Weiss income    https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/doj-antitrust-nominee-reports-20-mln-paul-weiss-income-2021-08-30/
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 (Reporting by Mike Scarcella; editing by Leigh Jones and Rami
Ayyub)
 ((Mike.Scarcella@thomsonreuters.com;))