Thursday’s announcement that 49 states and the U.S.

Two Japanese automotive parts suppliers have agreed to pay a combined $548 million in criminal fines for their roles in price-fixing and bid-rigging conspiracies in the sale of products to automobile manufacturers in the United States, in what the Justice Department describes as the largest criminal probe its antitrust division has ever pursued.

It’s not just regional law firms in the United States that are combining operations. Recent major tie-ups beyond U.S

Seven people and two companies have been charged with running one of the largest online piracy rings in the world, the Justice Department has announced. Officials said alleged members of the conspiracy, which operated Megaupload.com, generated more than $175 million in revenue and cost copyright holders $500 million. On Thursday, authorities in New Zealand arrested four of the defendants, including the alleged founder of Megaupload, Kim Dotcom.See related story: DOJ, Universal Music Websites Targeted After Piracy Arrests

A Mississippi state court judge has tossed a $322 million jury verdict against Union Carbide and Chevron Phillips — the largest-ever award for a single-plaintiff asbestos personal injury case. Defense lawyers discovered last year that the trial judge’s family was involved in related asbestos litigation.