An Edge for eBay in Its Dispute With Craigslist

by The New York Times, December 8, 2009.

Meg Whitman is a good witness.

I watched her testimony on Monday (courtesy of Courtroom View Network) in the trial between eBay and Craigslist and was impressed with her calm, cool demeanor. Craigslist and its two controlling stockholders — Craig Newmark and Jim Buckmaster — are being sued by eBay over the the two men’s attempt to strip eBay of governance rights in Craigslist. This trial is the culmination of that effort. Ms. Whitman, eBay’s former chief executive, was the first witness.

The dispute itself is the opening scene in my new book, “Gods at War: Shotgun Takeovers, Government by Deal and the Private Equity Implosion.” I use this story to show how personalities can drive and shape deals and how deal makers can still push the edges of the law in their disputes…(continue reading)