The Department of Justice and the states proved that Google broke the law during a bench trial that started in September 2024. In April 2025, the court issued an opinion finding that Google illegally monopolized the ad stack. 

If your business purchased display advertising through Google’s ad platforms between 2016 and 2025, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

What the Court Found

A federal judge determined Google violated federal antitrust laws by:

• Illegally monopolizing the publisher ad server market (DoubleClick for Publishers/Google Ad Manager)
• Illegally monopolizing the ad exchange market (Google AdX) 
• Unlawfully tying its ad server to its ad exchange to eliminate competition
• Charging supracompetitive prices – taking 20% of each transaction, far exceeding competitive rates

These violations allowed Google to overcharge advertisers and publishers for years through a “series of mutually reinforcing practices and policies”. 

How Did Google Monopolize the Market?

Google acquired several firms on both sides of the online advertising marketplace. Through their extensive ownership of both sides of the market, advertisers and publishers alike paid higher transaction fees on advertisements.

Why File a Claim Now?

• Statutes of limitation apply: You have a limited time to assert your rights
• Court has already found violations: The liability findings strengthen your claim
• Treble damages available: Federal law allows for triple the amount of overcharges
• No upfront costs: Claims are handled on a contingency fee basis
• Experienced legal teams: Leading antitrust law firms are representing claimants

How We Can Help

We’ll work with you to determine if you qualify. To complete our confidential eligibility form, we’ll need:

• Your business information
• Approximate total Google advertising spend during the period of 2016-2025
• Documentation supporting spend (i.e. accounting journal entries through QuickBooks or actual billing statements available through your Google AdWords account)
• Types of Google ad products used (AdWords, Display Network, Ad Manager, etc.)
• Email address(s) used to login into Google AdWords account(s)

For more information or help, give us a call at (312) 204-6969 or send us an email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this a class action settlement?

A: No. These are individual arbitration claims based on the court’s findings that Google violated federal antitrust laws. Your recovery is based on your specific damages.

Q: Why arbitration and not a class action?  

A: Google’s terms of service require advertisers to use the mechanism of arbitration to recover damages.

Q: What if I am a publisher and an advertiser?

A: You will need to file an arbitration claim for your advertising activities. There is an ongoing class action lawsuit for the publisher class.

Q: How is this different from the $100M AdWords settlement?

A: That settlement covered a different case (2004-2012 geographic targeting overcharges). This case involves Google’s monopolization of the ad tech market and affects a broader range of advertisers and publishers.

Q: Should I stop using Google Ads to file a claim?

A: No. You can file a claim and continue advertising with Google.  

Q: How long will this take?

A: Arbitration can take time, what state you are in, and the availability of an arbitrator will be the main determinates. The process could take approximately 12-24 months.

Q: Is there a cost to file?

A: No upfront costs. We work on a contingency fee basis – you only pay if you recover compensation.

Q: Is CCC a law firm?

A: No, we are a claims recovery firm. We help identify your eligibility and assemble the information needed to file.  The actual arbitration will be handled by a trusted outside law firm.