Since their release, the federal antitrust agencies’ 2023 Merger Guidelines (2023 Guidelines) have faced significant criticism from many. There was speculation that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice...more
This year’s M&A Report offers a detailed review of the M&A market and outlook, including a breakdown by various geographies and industry sectors. We examine what might be in store with antitrust and CFIUS under the Trump...more
2/13/2025
/ Acquisitions ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
CFIUS ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Defense Strategies ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Information Reports ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Merger Controls ,
Merger Reviews ,
Mergers ,
Premerger Notifications ,
Private Equity ,
Purchase Price ,
Purchase Price Adjustment ,
Venture Capital
In a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has limited the European Commission’s (EC) ability to review mergers that fall outside thresholds at the EC level and in the Member States seeking to refer the...more
9/6/2024
/ Competition Authorities ,
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Merger Control Regulation ,
Jurisdiction ,
Jurisdictional Thresholds ,
Member State ,
Merger Controls ,
Merger Reviews ,
Mergers ,
Threshold Requirements
On December 18, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice jointly released their final Merger Guidelines. The Guidelines “identify the procedures and enforcement practices [the agencies] most often use...more
On May 16, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint in the Northern District of Illinois seeking to enjoin closing of Amgen Inc.’s proposed $28 billion acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics. This is the first time...more
On 20 April 2023, the European Commission (EC) adopted a package of measures to “simplify” its merger control procedures. The reform expands the scope of the EU’s simplified merger control procedure, introduces a new...more
On 22 September 2021, the EU’s second-highest court, the General Court, confirmed the European Commission’s 2018 decision (Case T-425/18—Altice Europe v. Commission) imposing an EUR 124 million fine on Altice Europe NV...more
The first half of 2020 was a busy time for antitrust in the United States. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) implemented expedited procedures for reviewing collaborations during the...more
8/27/2020
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Popular ,
Technology Sector ,
Vertical Mergers
Since the beginning of the Trump Administration, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has captured headlines for its aggressive public stance regarding merger enforcement. Actions attracting attention...more
10/8/2018
/ Antitrust Division ,
Antitrust Investigations ,
AT&T ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Merger Agreements ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Trump Administration ,
Vertical Mergers
EU and US laws prohibit merging companies from implementing reportable transactions until their deal is cleared or the statutory waiting period has expired. Violations of this principle are colloquially known as “gun-jumping”...more
2/15/2018
/ Antitrust Violations ,
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EU ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Gun-Jumping ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
New Guidance ,
Sherman Act ,
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
Two recent enforcement actions are reminders that there are antitrust risks to be addressed after the deal is signed and even after it has closed. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenged Valeant...more