No Class Certification in Lithium Battery Antitrust Case

Class certification was denied in a suit alleging Japanese and Korean manufacturers of lithium ion battery cells conspired with their American subsidiaries to fix prices.

The plaintiffs, indirect purchasers like retailer Sears Roebuck & Co. and computer makers Dell Inc. and Acer Inc., pinned their hopes for class certification on expert testimony from economist Edward E. Leamer.

Leamer offered a model showing alleged overcharges were passed through to each successive link in the distribution chain, and ultimately to the plaintiffs. His calculations suggested damages could run as high as $573 million for plaintiffs in the 30 states that permit suits ...