In this article, we cover Katherine B. Forrest, head counsel for Cravath, Swaine & Moore law partners as they pair with another successful firm in the battle for entertainment software distribution at the Northern District of the Golden State. The Apple versus Tencent showdown includes major players in the former Justice Department of the United States with expertise in antitrust affairs, regulatory claims, and district courts in the Big Apple. The case tried in California Courts appeals to many stakeholders, from gamers to top level Washington politicians. Even the Attorney General of the Department of Justice wants tougher legal action against Chinese interest in US soil and abroad. Read our report
In a previous article, we covered the other legal firm that currently represents Epic Games. Today, we bring our readers insight into court reports as Epic Games, owned by Chinese company Tencent faces Apple Computer Inc. at a court before Judge Yvonne González.
Meet Katherine B. Forrest, Ross Ulbrich’s Judge
New Yorker born, and raised in the state of Connecticut, Katherine Bolan Forrest earned her Juris Doctor in 1990 and joined Cravath Swaine & Moore right after. She became a partner to that prestigious law firm in 1998 and has a record in the field of antitrust, copyright and digital media. In 2011, she receives a presidential nomination to fill the judicial seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, where she was in charge of handling high profile cases that included price fixing amongst Wall Street banks and the conviction of Ross Ulbricht for running an illegal drug trafficking site called The Silk Road.
Forrest’s day for Epic at a California court began with her presentation of well-known antitrust laws that fundament Epic’s defense. At this phase of the judicial process, each part must present to the court the evidence admissible for trial. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez considers that Riot’s strategy to circumvent Apple’s payment structure was a breach. In her reasonings she considers that Apple has a point in saying that Epic breached their agreement. In the view of the Judge, Epic owes money Apple, and Epic’s claims for caring about their customers are just legal maneuvers because Epic owns a series of shells that have contractual obligations with Apple, amongst them, is the Unreal Engine controversy that Epic brought against Apple in their legal battle over Fortnite out of the App Store.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers partially granted Epic’s request and instructed a restraining order against Apple so that company can’t suspend, restrict or terminate any affiliate of Epic Games from Apple’s Developer Program, effectively saving the developers from getting a boot. As for Fortnite, the game remains outside of Apple’s App Store. Still, Epic Games still plans to fight for its presence in the iOS environment, despite being only a small fraction of their revenue. Apple and Epic Games are scheduled to meet again on September 28, 2020.
