Jim Sipchen and John Scheid Secure Complete Dismissal of High-Profile Antitrust and Civil RICO Class Action

Jim Sipchen and John Scheid recently secured a significant victory in a closely watched antitrust and civil RICO class action brought against their client in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.  

The lawsuit was brought against an international non-profit association of therapists, counselors, and other professionals who specialize in treating eating disorders by two of its members.  Plaintiffs alleged that the organization violated federal antitrust “tying” laws and engaged in civil racketeering by forcing persons who had qualified to become Certified Eating Disorder Specialists, a widely recognized and well-respected credential in the eating disorder field, to also purchase memberships in the non-profit association.

The case began in Texas, and Jim and John successfully removed it to federal court in the Central District of Illinois.  They also staved off attempts by the plaintiffs to obtain summary judgment and certify a class early on in the case.  After nearly 3 ½ years of litigation, the District Court authored a 27-page opinion granting a complete dismissal of the suit. The court agreed with Jim and John that the plaintiffs failed to adequately allege the relevant product markets and  market power needed to support their antitrust and related claims. 

The matter attracted substantial attention within the legal community. In 2025, Law360 selected the case as one of only three health care antitrust cases nationally to watch.  The case continues to get attention from Law360 and other legal publications due to its implications for professional associations, certification programs, and antitrust law.

The dismissal represents a complete victory for the client and highlights Jim and John’s successful defense strategy in a complex, high-stakes class action case.