A quartet of former federal enforcers is stepping out of the bureaucratic shadows and into the litigation spotlight, forming a new law firm aimed squarely at plugging holes in America’s ailing antitrust enforcement system.
Simonsen Sussman, headquartered in New York, is the brainchild of three recent Federal Trade Commission veterans—Catherine Simonsen, Shaoul Sussman, and Nicolas Stebinger—joined by Kate Brubacher, a former U.S. attorney for Kansas. Their mission: to go after corporate giants exploiting regulatory blind spots through unfair competition, discriminatory pricing, and other aggressive market tactics.
“The law’s already on the books—we just plan to use it,” Simonsen said, pointing to forgotten statutes like the Robinson-Patman Act, which once served as a bulwark against price discrimination but has since gathered dust in federal drawers. According to the team, regulatory timidity and political shifts have left swathes of the marketplace unprotected.
The timing of their venture is no accident. Antitrust litigation is booming, even as the FTC itself has faced significant internal shrinkage—losing nearly 100 employees this year alone, with the Trump-era goal of reducing headcount by 10% continuing to reshape the agency’s capabilities. Just last month, the FTC dropped its Robinson-Patman case against Pepsi, raising eyebrows among critics who accuse the agency of pulling its punches. Pepsi, for its part, denied any misconduct.
Simonsen Sussman sees an opportunity in that void. In their crosshairs: companies skating past scrutiny due to regulatory inertia, and legal tools neglected by overburdened agencies.
They’re also looking westward. California’s potent unfair competition statute—famously wielded in the Epic Games v. Apple showdown—is another weapon the firm plans to wield. While Apple dodged federal antitrust claims, a California judge ruled it violated the state’s law. The case signaled a key insight for the new firm: sometimes, federal laws lag where state provisions can strike.
In an era where monopoly whispers echo louder in every corner of the economy, Simonsen Sussman isn’t waiting for Washington to act. They’re building their own courtroom offensive—armed with dusty statutes, fresh momentum, and an eye for corporate overreach.
