Sysco Corp. has hired new lawyers in its antitrust lawsuits against major pork and beef processors.
Michael Calhoon of Baker Botts will now represent Sysco in the price-fixing lawsuits, according to a Wednesday court filing. Proposed settlements in at least some of the cases have been held up over a fight between the food distributor and litigation funder Burford Capital Ltd., which gave Sysco $140 million to pursue its claims.
The company parted ways with its original lawyer, Scott Gant of Boies Schiller, after it accused Burford of teaming up with Gant to try to block the settlements.
Burford in March obtained a New York arbitration award stopping Sysco from finalizing settlements in the price-fixing lawsuits, which the funder says are “too low.” Sysco previously agreed to give Burford veto authority over the settlement talks—power that Burford says it normally doesn’t have—after Sysco violated the funding deal by assigning some of its legal claims against the processors to customers.
Calhoon represented JSW Steel in its antitrust lawsuit against three domestic steel companies, which the company ultimately lost. He previously represented Liberty Media after a French entertainment group deceived the company in a deal involving USA Networks, that ended in a $956 million award.
The case is: In Re: Pork Antitrust Litigation, D. Minn., 4/19/23
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