Global Competition Review Quotes Corey Roush on DOJ’s Merger Review Proposal
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Akin Gump international trade partner Corey Roush was quoted by Global Competition Review in the article “Lawyers wait to see how DOJ merger review overhaul plays out.” The article addresses a recent announcement by the Department of Justice’s antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, of several changes to the merger review process.
As part of the changes, the article reports that Delrahim said the Antitrust Division will try to close most investigations within six months of filing, as long as merging companies cooperate and comply. He also said unnecessary delays in the merger review process are not good for any of the parties involved.
Roush expressed skepticism of Delrahim’s pledge to cut merger review times, saying, while it “is a great step in the right direction,” the bar has been here before. “Unfortunately, it is a step that over the years has not been followed by the additional necessary steps. Indeed, almost all antitrust enforcers at DOJ and the FTC in the recent past have acknowledged that the merger review process takes too long and have indicated their intent to do something about it,” he said.
Systemic problems make it difficult, Roush added, to carry out such a pledge without overhauling the way the agencies and merging companies currently go about the process.
