MCI WorldCom Merger Suits
GTE v. MCI and WorldCom
Cable and Wireless v. MCI and Worldcom

Suit #1.  GTE Corp. et. al., v. WorldCom Inc. and MCI Corp., Case No. 98-CV-1155, filed May 7, 1998, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia. 

Suit #2.  Cable and Wireless plc v. MCI  Corp. and WorldCom Inc., Case No. 98-CV-1460, filed June 10, 1998, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia.

Nature of the Cases.  Both of the suits arise out of the planned merger between telecommunications companies WorldCom and MCI.  Telecommunications competitor GTE sued them alleging that they will concentrate too much Internet backbone, in violation of antitrust laws.  MCI subsequently contracted to sell certain of its Internet backbone assets to Cable and Wireless plc.  Cable and Wireless then brought the second action, seeking to enjoin MCI from negotiating to sell its Internet assets to any other company.

Plaintiffs.

• GTE Corporation.
• Cable and Wireless plc.

Defendants.  The Defendants are the same in both suits, MCI and WorldCom.

Chronology with links to Pleading -- GTE v. MCI and WorldCom.

• 5/7/98, Complaint filed in U.S. District Court.  (Story.)

Chronology with Links to Pleadings -- Cable and Wireless v. MCI and WorldCom.

• 5/28/98, contract between MCI and Cable and Wireless announced. (Story: )
• 6/10/98, Complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
• 6/12/98, Judge Jackson denied Cable and Wireless' Motion for Preliminary Injunction.   (Story.)

Other Resources

Websites

• MCI | MCI's Merger Information Page.
• WorldCom | WorldCom's Merger Information Page | Press Releases.
• Cable and Wirelesss.
• GTE.

Attorneys for GTE.

• William P. Barr, Richard W. Stimson, David E. Wheeler, GTE Service Corporation, One Stamford Forum, Stamford, Connecticut  06904, 203-965-2000.
• Paul T. Cappuccio, Counsel of Record, Steven G. Bradbury, Eugene F. Assaf, John P. Frantz, Kirkland & Ellis, 655 Fifteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, 202-879-5000.
• James F. Rill, Collier, Shannon, Rill & Scott, 3050 K Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20007, 202-342-8400.
• Robert S. Ruyak, Mark C. Schechter, Scott E. Flick, Howrey & Simon, 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 202-783-0800.

Attorneys for Cable & Wireless plc.

• Charles F. Lettow, George S. Cary, Michael R. Lazerwitz, and L. Burton Davis
  CLEARY, GOTTLIEB, STEEN & HAMILTON, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20006-1801, 202-974-1500.
• Christopher E. Austin, CLEARY, GOTTLIEB, STEEN & HAMILTON, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006-1470, 212-225-2000.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

• 333 Constitution Ave., Washington, DC, 20001.
• Presiding Judge: Thomas Penfield Jackson.