On July 11, 2019, the Department of Justice Antitrust Division
(DOJ) issued guidance with respect to significant changes to its
incentive policies for antitrust compliance in the context of
criminal antitrust investigations. For the first time, the DOJ will
consider compliance programs at the charging stage in criminal
antitrust investigations and may provide incentives to companies
who have effective compliance programs in place. This modification
involves revisions to the DOJ's Justice Manual as well the
issuance of new guidance documents.
Out with the Old and In with the New
The Justice Manual previously referenced the DOJ's policy
"that credit should not be given at the charging stage for a
compliance program." Thus, the DOJ previously directed its
attorneys not to consider complaince programs in criminal antitrust
cases with respect to sentencing. Instead, the DOJ thought its
leniency program incentivized companies to self-report any
antitrust activity. Under