Executive summary
On June 29, the Supreme Court overruled a 91-year-old precedent that permitted Congress to protect leaders of certain independent agencies from at-will presidential removal. The decision significantly strengthens presidential control over executive agencies and may signal the end of independence for numerous multimember commissions and boards across the federal government. Businesses regulated by…
California has enacted a sweeping new premerger notification law that will significantly expand the state’s visibility into M&A activity. On Feb. 10, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Uniform Antitrust Premerger Notification Act (SB 25), making California the third state—after Washington and Colorado—to adopt a broad, cross‑industry premerger filing regime. The law becomes…
State antitrust enforcement is becoming increasingly significant, with a diverse array of laws across 51 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia. State Attorneys General (AGs) are not merely filling gaps left by federal enforcement but are actively shaping the landscape with robust state-specific laws. This post provides an overview of the current trends and legislative…
When the words “Hart Scott” or “HSR” are mentioned, business executives and deal lawyers often react with indifference. While they recognize the necessity of HSR compliance before closing a transaction, it typically garners little attention unless the deal is expected to face intense scrutiny. The goal is usually to check the HSR box and move…
On Jan. 10, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the annual changes to the notification thresholds for filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR) and certain other values under the HSR rules. The new thresholds will become effective in late February, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.…
On Jan. 23, 2023, the FTC announced annual changes to notification thresholds for filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and certain other values under HSR rules. But this time, the annual changes include a radically different tier structure with much heftier filing fees.…
On Jan. 24, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the annual changes to the notification thresholds for filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR), and certain other values under the HSR rules. The new thresholds will become effective Feb. 23, 2022.…
Last year, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is not authorized to impose civil penalties on parties who violate the FTC Act unless the party is violating a previous cease and order. The ruling took away a major enforcement tool. Now, Axon Enterprises is seeking to attack the entire structure…
Two recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) actions confirm the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR) is not to be ignored. On Dec. 22, the FTC fined both Biglari Holdings and the founder of Werner Enterprises for failure to file with the FTC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) before consummating significant acquisitions of related entities.…
Our last article, New Brandeisians keep their promise, discussed the contents of Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) proposed overarching antitrust legislation, Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act (CALERA). Now, we’d like to take a step back and focus on the arguments supporting and opposing such reform, and in particular the precise manner in which…
