After years of defending itself against a barrage of antitrust claims, Intel Corporation has cleared one of the last of those cases off its docket.
On Thursday, the New York Attorney General dismissed its antitrust suit against Intel. Filed in November 2009, the complaint accused the company of bribing or coercing computer makers to secure exclusive agreements for its computer chips. Under the agreement, Intel will pay $6.5 million to help cover some of New York's litigation costs, but did not have to admit liability or alter its business practices. Intel was represented by Keker & Van Nest, Bingham McCutchen, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and Potter Anderson & Corroon.
The trial had been scheduled to start on February 14, but a ruling by Delaware federal district court judge Leonard Stark last December significantly narrowed the state's case, spurring both sides to settle. In a 19-page opinion, Stark ruled that the state could not bring claims under the Donnelly Act, a state statute that allows for treble damages for injuries suffered by the state. Stark found that the allegations all involved injuries to private individuals and companies, rather than to state agencies or officials. In a separate opinion, Stark also dismissed several claims as barred under the statute of limitations.