Priceless

The Case that Brought Down the Visa/MasterCard Bank Cartel

Business & Finance, Business Reference, Government & Business, Industries & Professions, Industries, Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, True Crime
Cover of the book Priceless by Lloyd Constantine, Skyhorse
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lloyd Constantine ISBN: 9781620875490
Publisher: Skyhorse Publication: September 1, 2012
Imprint: Skyhorse Language: English
Author: Lloyd Constantine
ISBN: 9781620875490
Publisher: Skyhorse
Publication: September 1, 2012
Imprint: Skyhorse
Language: English

Lloyd Constantine began his career in legal services, representing impoverished clients in civil rights and constitutional cases. Decades later, he would make headlines for representing retailers and consumers against a cartel that undermined one of the fundamental tenets of commerce in America: competition. A man who thrives on competition himself, Constantine now gives us the insider's story on the biggest antitrust lawsuit in history—a case that pitted his small firm against financial-industry giants Visa and MasterCard, along with Clifford-Chance, the largest law firm in the world.

Combining the real-life legal drama of A Civil Action with the relentless pace of a John Grisham novel, Constantine delivers the definitive account of a case that made history and will be studied for years to come. Beginning in the 1980s, when Visa and MasterCard—whose combined market share topped 95 percent—announced the merger of their debit card networks, Priceless traces the fallout of this catastrophic union, from raised eyebrows among attorney generals to the launch of a major class-action lawsuit. For the five merchants initially represented by Constantine's firm (Wal-Mart, Sears, Circuit City, Safeway, and The Limited), the reality of the situation was clear: millions of U.S. businesses were being illegally coerced in a scheme that forced excessive fees on merchants every time a customer used a debit card. When a $3.4 billion settlement was reached in 2003, the court estimated that the case would save stores and shoppers up to $87 billion in the first decade alone.

A suspense-filled story with a vibrant cast of characters—and a smoking-gun document known as "The Shark"—Priceless travels from corporate backrooms to the courtroom to capture one of America's biggest triumphs in the high-stakes world of antitrust litigation.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Lloyd Constantine began his career in legal services, representing impoverished clients in civil rights and constitutional cases. Decades later, he would make headlines for representing retailers and consumers against a cartel that undermined one of the fundamental tenets of commerce in America: competition. A man who thrives on competition himself, Constantine now gives us the insider's story on the biggest antitrust lawsuit in history—a case that pitted his small firm against financial-industry giants Visa and MasterCard, along with Clifford-Chance, the largest law firm in the world.

Combining the real-life legal drama of A Civil Action with the relentless pace of a John Grisham novel, Constantine delivers the definitive account of a case that made history and will be studied for years to come. Beginning in the 1980s, when Visa and MasterCard—whose combined market share topped 95 percent—announced the merger of their debit card networks, Priceless traces the fallout of this catastrophic union, from raised eyebrows among attorney generals to the launch of a major class-action lawsuit. For the five merchants initially represented by Constantine's firm (Wal-Mart, Sears, Circuit City, Safeway, and The Limited), the reality of the situation was clear: millions of U.S. businesses were being illegally coerced in a scheme that forced excessive fees on merchants every time a customer used a debit card. When a $3.4 billion settlement was reached in 2003, the court estimated that the case would save stores and shoppers up to $87 billion in the first decade alone.

A suspense-filled story with a vibrant cast of characters—and a smoking-gun document known as "The Shark"—Priceless travels from corporate backrooms to the courtroom to capture one of America's biggest triumphs in the high-stakes world of antitrust litigation.

More books from Skyhorse

Cover of the book Quartered Safe Out Here by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book The Vampire Survival Guide by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Like a Rose by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Natural Soap at Home by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Empire of Fear by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Carson Valley by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book The Wandering Jew by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Chewing Gum in Holy Water by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Swiss Chalet Book by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book The Orvis Streamside Guide to Trout Foods and Their Imitations by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Winning Strategies for Test Taking, Grades 3-8 by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book Gun Trader's Guide, Thirty-Fifth Edition by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book War Is a Racket by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book The Ultimate Avocado Cookbook by Lloyd Constantine
Cover of the book The Unknown Henry Miller by Lloyd Constantine
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy