A PYMNTS Company

CPI Talks with James Keyte (Fordham 2020)

By  |  September 9, 2020
Fordham Antitrust Conference

with 
James Keyte
Director, Fordham Competition Law Institute  
“We are excited that the virtual conference enables us to offer a chance to interact with various Heads of Authority from around the globe. Usually, they have their own private workshop at Fordham, but with the virtual conference we can do something more creative. Hence, on workshop day, we are planning a break-out session with several HOA who will answer questions and discuss the topics raised: this is unique to the Fordham Conference, where HOA have had their own workshop for over 15 years running.“

SEE BELOW TO REGISTER CPI:

What have been the challenges for FCLI arising from the pandemic?

James Keyte: First, I want to wish everyone at CPI and its readers the best of health and safety – these have been trying and tragic times for many colleagues and family across the globe, including in the antitrust community.

As for the Institute, we, of course, were well down the road in planning our live 3-day conference, including workshops, keynote speakers and panels. And, as you know, many participants and firms plan meetings and events around the conference.

Given the duration of the pandemic, we realized that we would have to organize the Fordham Conference virtually, but unlike others–for example, the U.S. ABA Spring Meeting–-we had much more time to plan and organize. This primarily meant ensuring that we have the same great keynote speakers (which we do), shortening the programs and ensuring that speakers, sponsors and, most importantly, registrants have a full and interesting virtual experience this coming October 7-9.

It also gave us the opportunity to be more creative and reach a broader potential audience. For example, we are incorporating several opportunities for Q and A as well as interactive virtual networking in both plenary sessions and for several of our key sponsors.

CPI: How is the October 7-9 Virtual Program Shaping Up?

James Keyte: Fantastic in all respects. Our keynotes are, virtually, the leading global enforcers in antitrust: Margrethe Vestager (EU), Makan Delrahim (DOJ), Joe Simons (FTC), and Andrea Coscelli (UK). And we have great panels on mergers, tech and our traditional in-house counsel roundtable. Among our speakers are numerous current and former government officials from all over the world, including: Isabelle de Silva (French Authority), Daniel Francis (FTC), Renata Hesse (Sullivan & Cromwell), Bruce Hoffman (CGSH), Andreas Mundt (Germany Authority), Sharis Pozen (Clifford Chance), Howard Shelanski (Davis Polk), Rod Sims (Australian Authority), and Josh Soven (Wilson Sonsini). Our in-house counsel roundtable, chaired by Karen Lent, is equally impressive, with speakers from Google, AMEX, Verizon and Walmart.

We are also still featuring the economics workshops on Wednesday, October 7, with the Brattle Group offering two mini-panels on the economics of merger analyses and issues surrounding platform-related competition, while Edgeworth will be doing a panel on the economics of class actions in the pharma space.

Also, as part of our plenary networking sessions, I will lead a few “fireside chats”– one with Bill Kovacic (GW) and Barry Hawk (Fordham), the other with Fredric Jenny (OECD) and Terrell McSweeny (Covington, and former FTC Commissioner). These will be informal and forward looking, which should be very interesting in today’s complex and sometimes highly charged antitrust environment.

Finally, we are excited that the virtual conference enables us to offer a chance to interact with various Heads of Authority from around the globe. Usually, they have their own private workshop at Fordham, but with the virtual conference we can do something more creative. Hence, on workshop day, we are planning a break-out session with several HOA who will answer questions and discuss the topics raised: this is unique to the Fordham Conference, where HOA have had their own workshop for over 15 years running.

CPI: Will registrants have greater control to participate actively in the virtual conference?

James Keyte: Absolutely. One benefit of a virtual conference, especially one that involves Q & A as well as networking, is that the audience can participate and see their friends and colleagues from around the globe. We will make sure that the Zoom arrangements and networking technology (Remo) is easy to access and follow. The Fordham Conference has always been an international networking event alongside its serious academic and policy focus; the October 7-9 virtual conference allows us to take full advantage of that objective!

CPI: Does FCLI plan to do virtual conferences in the future?

James Keyte: Yes, although we will always have the 3-day live conference at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus every September or October. And, one silver lining is that this year’s virtual conference allows us to reconnect with those who have attended the live conference in the past and also to introduce the Fordham Conference to many new practitioners, academics and enforcers.

As for the future, we are exploring the use of this virtual experience to set the foundation for any number of virtual conferences, training sessions or other educational interactions during the course of the year. The opportunities are limitless as long as we can offer something useful and easy to access. We at FCLI are all excited about that prospect and will be looking for ideas and planning right after the October 7-9 Conference.

CPI: How can people register?

James Keyte: Quite easily, and we provide links below right here.

For in-house counsel, junior associates (3 years and below), and law students, they can sign up for free HERE.

For Government Employees and Academics, they can sign up at a discounted rate HERE. For more senior practitioners and consultants, etc., they can sign up for the entire conference at a much reduced rate HERE.

And for firms that wish to have access for all of their antitrust practitioners, there is a sustaining sponsorship level that can be accessed HERE.



We hope to have significant attendance from all over the world, and there is no doubt in my mind that with the program and create formats we are offering, Fordham’s virtual conference will be quite enjoyable and informative for all.


Full Agenda & Registration Info Here