Bar/Bri Antitrust case - class certified

Since we just started our bar review course here in Houston this week, I had to check and see how the Bar/Bri antitrust case was going. Well, Eliot Disner of McGuireWoods LLP just announced last week that the court certified the plaintiff's class to include law students who registered for the bar review course between 1997 and 2006, or approximately 300,000 students.

Among other things, the lawsuit accuses BAR/BRI of an illegal market division agreement with its largest potential competitor, Kaplan. It agreed with BAR/BRI to stay out of the bar review course market, on the condition that hundreds of thousands of dollars per year be paid to it, and that BAR/BRI also stay out of Kaplan's LSAT prep course market. Disner said the claimed conspiracy appears to have resulted in class members being overcharged as much as $1,000 each.

A Special Master has also been appointed to "expedite future proceedings" ahead of the September 12, 2006 trial date.

An interesting case for law students to watch!

[UPDATE] AntitrustProf has copies of the complaint, the class certification, and Order Appointing a Special Master available here.[/UPDATE]