Aug 9 (Reuters) - Two competing groups of law firms are

pressing a judge to appoint them as leaders of potentially

lucrative consumer class actions accusing Apple ( AAPL ) of

monopolizing the smartphone market.

The opposing coalitions of plaintiffs lawyers on Thursday

made their pitches to U.S. District Judge Julien Neals in New

Jersey, who is presiding over private antitrust cases that were

filed against Apple ( AAPL ) after the U.S. Justice Department and a

coalition of states sued the iPhone maker in March.

The firms seeking to represent consumers who bought iPhones

from Apple ( AAPL ) include Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, Girard Sharp,

Seeger Weiss and Carella, Byrne, Cecchi, Brody & Agnello on one

side, with Hausfeld and Susman Godfrey on the other.

At stake is the chance to win an outsized share of legal

fees stemming from any settlement of judgment in the

consolidated case, which could be worth billions of dollars if

it succeeds. The firms all have a track record of securing large

antitrust recoveries.

The civil cases mirror the Justice Department's complaint,

which accused Apple ( AAPL ) of violating antitrust law by using

contractual restrictions to force developers to play by its

rules. The lawsuits allege Apple ( AAPL ) has set up roadblocks

diminishing consumer choice for third-party services.

Cupertino, California-based Apple ( AAPL ) has denied the

government's claims and asked the court to throw them out. Apple ( AAPL )

has not responded yet in the consumer cases. Apple ( AAPL ) and its

defense lawyers at Kirkland & Ellis did not immediately respond

to requests for comment.

Lawyers at the plaintiffs firms vying to lead the cases did

not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In their pitch, Hagens Berman's Steven Berman and his team

said their rivals' coalition "would place the fate of this

groundbreaking case in the hands" of just two law firms. They

called that proposal "unrealistic" given the complexity, size

and stakes of the case.

Hausfeld and Susman Godfrey in their counter proposal said

the interests of the class in a single-defendant case would not

"be served by the inefficiencies that come from a sprawling,

multi-firm, multi-layered leadership structure." The two firms

touted their "efficient, lean leadership structure."

A third set of firms, facing no opposition, have asked to

represent "indirect" purchasers such as consumers who bought an

iPhone from a mobile phone carrier. Those law firms include

Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky and Berger Montague.

A coalition of several other firms, including Korein

Tillery, MoloLamken and Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel &

Frederick, asked to lead a class of only Apple Watch purchasers.

In Re: Apple Inc Smartphone Antitrust Litigation, U.S.

District Court, District of New Jersey, 2:24-md-03113-JXN-LDW.

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