Merger Clearances
A significant aspect of Sidley's
Antitrust practice involves counseling clients concerning contemplated mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, and representing them in literally all phases of the merger control process. We advise on both friendly and hostile transactions, including some of the largest and most complex transactions. Our lawyers have also contested third-party mergers or acquisitions that would adversely affect our clients and competition in the market generally.
We have experience negotiating with enforcement authorities when a challenge to a transaction is threatened, and litigating to defend a transaction when it is challenged in court or, in the United States, before an administrative law judge at the Federal Trade Commission or another agency.
We help clients negotiate remedies, and changes to remedies, to address the concerns of antitrust authorities in merger control proceedings. We have significant experience in obtaining judicial and administrative approval for merger remedies, as well as in advising clients with respect to the ongoing compliance obligations under such remedies. In the EU, our lawyers have assisted companies in negotiating changes to merger remedies previously accepted by the European Commission as a condition for clearing a transaction.
We handle merger filings and clearances in the U.S. and the EU, and have represented parties to mergers that have been reviewed by antitrust authorities in many other jurisdictions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Mexico. We have extensive experience in identifying, on a global basis, the jurisdictions where pre-merger notifications may be required, and in coordinating and formulating strategy in connection with such filings and any ensuing proceedings.
