Antitrust Lawyer Blog

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division (“Antitrust Division”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) will accept Hart-Scott-Rodino (“HSR”) premerger notification filings during the U.S. federal government shutdown.The Antitrust Division and the FTC split reviews under the HSR Act, which requires that mergers or acquisitions worth over $70.9 million must notify the federal government. The HSR…

In June and July of 2013, the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division, at the request of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), filed two civil suits against alleged violators of pre-merger notification filing requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (“HSR”) Act of 1976.HSR Act Currently, the HSR Act imposes notification and waiting period requirements on individuals and…

On April 2, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, (“Charlotte Pipe”), a leading producer and seller of cast iron soil pipes (“CISP”) used for sewage and drainage in the United States, entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the FTC’s concerns related to Charlotte Pipe’s acquisition of its competitor, Star…

On March 12, 2013, the FTC and the Idaho Attorney General jointly filed a complaint in federal district court seeking to block St. Luke’s Health System, Ltd.’s acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group P.A., Idaho’s largest independent, multi-specialty physician practice group. The transaction was consummated on December 31, 2012.According to the FTC, the joint complaint alleges…

On January 10, 2013, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division (“DOJ”) filed a lawsuit challenging Bazaarvoice Inc.’s acquisition of PowerReviews Inc. The transaction was consummated on June 2012.Transaction Was Not Reported Under HSR Act The DOJ’s investigation of this transaction began shortly after the deal was consummated. The transaction was not reported to the U.S.…

On December 17, 2012, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz announced that the Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection will leave at the end of the year. David C. Vladeck will leave the position and return to the Georgetown University Law Center faculty community. Charles A. Harwood will serve as Acting Director of…

On November 28, 2012, the DOJ announced that Amerigroup’s sale of its subsidiary, Amerigroup Virginia Inc., to Inova Health System Foundation (“Inova”) addressed the agency’s concerns with WellPoint’s proposed $4.9 billion acquisition of Amerigroup. The DOJ said that the merger, as originally proposed, would have lessened competition substantially in the provision of Medicaid managed care…

On November 26, 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it will allow Robert Bosch GmbH (“Bosch”) to acquire SPX Service Solutions, U.S. LLC (“SPX”) after Bosch entered into a settlement agreement that resolves the FTC’s allegations that Bosch’s acquisition of SPX, as originally proposed, would have been anticompetitive. In addition, Bosch and the…

On November 16, 2012, the Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against eBay Inc., alleging that it violated antitrust laws when it entered into an agreement not to recruit or hire Intuit Inc.’s employees.The Antitrust Division’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, in San Jose. The…

On November 16, the DOJ announced that Renata B. Hesse was appointed Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. Ms. Hesse takes over for Joseph Wayland. In August 2012, Ms. Hesse became Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal and Civil Operations in the Antitrust Division. Immediately prior to this appointment, she was a Special…