In Re Packaged Seafood Products Litigation

This antitrust case involved the three dominant producers of packaged tuna in the Cirque Analytics was retained on behalf of the class of direct purchasers to address questions of common impact and damages. Direct purchasers were seeking damages in the form of overcharges paid on packaged tuna as a result of the alleged conspiracy.

Dr. Russell Mangum was retained by counsel for the direct purchasers in this case, and was assisted by D. Scott Bosworth and Anna Laaks in managing the case. The team assisted counsel early in the matter with discovery and production requests, and then utilized large-scale econometric and statistical modeling techniques to estimate overcharges and address common impact and other questions related to class certification. In addition to multiple depositions, Dr. Mangum testified in a bench trial (evidentiary hearing) after which the Court granted motion for class certification. The team then continued work through the merits and settlement phases of the case, with additional deposition testimony, analysis of overcharges, and assisted counsel in preparing for trial, addressing summary judgment motions, and other pre-trial issues.

Plaintiffs successfully negotiated a settlement with Defendants prior to the start of trial in 2024. Courts at both the district and appellate (en banc) level favorably cited Dr. Mangum’s testimony. As a recognition of their efforts in this case, Dr. Mangum, Mr. Bosworth, and Ms. Laaks received the American Antitrust Institute’s award for Outstanding Antitrust Litigation Achievement in Economics in 2023.