Antitrust M&A

Weil has an impressive track record of obtaining antitrust clearance in “bet-the-company” mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

Notable Representations, Key Contacts

Weil offers global solutions to our clients’ Antitrust/Competition transactional needs with one of the largest, most diversified and well-respected practices in the world. Trusted with many of the largest mergers in the last two decades, we bring to bear a combination of law firm and public-sector experience.

We coordinate multi-jurisdictional filings to assure maximum chances for swift approval and protect our clients against the adverse effects of mergers through effective advocacy before various governmental agencies.

Recognized as a “powerhouse merger clearance team” by Chambers USA, Weil helps clients structure transactions and business practices that minimize antitrust concerns. We provide integrated solutions to competition related business issues by collaborating with lawyers in various practices including Mergers & Acquisitions, Intellectual Property, Restructuring and Public Company Advisory Group.

Former Government Officials

Many of our partners were high-level government antitrust officials and formerly headed divisions at the Federal Trade Commission, where they were responsible for the review of mergers and acquisitions in numerous industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, aerospace, defense, industrial, scientific, technology, retail, hospitals and consumer products.

This background provides the group with significant experience and insight into the merger review process and the substantive analysis that may be applied to transactions in these and other industries.

Shaping U.S. Antitrust Policy

Our team has consistently been at the forefront of U.S. antitrust policy and procedure, and while serving in important government positions, assisted in developing the government’s approach to merger enforcement, influenced the body of Hart-Scott-Rodino rulings, and designed the government’s merger discovery process.

International Competition

Our Antitrust/Competition international network helps multinational companies meet the challenges of globalization, including increased scrutiny of mergers and acquisitions by regulatory agencies throughout the world. We have achieved significant success before major authorities and courts in the U.S., Europe, and many other jurisdictions.

Weil has the international reach and experience to handle multinational reviews of mergers and acquisitions with competition lawyers in the United States and European Union. In countries where Weil does not have offices, we have developed strong and effective collaborative relationships with the best local competition law firms.

Selected Representations

Complex transactions across an array of industries

Abbott Laboratories

AbbVie

ALFA

Allergan

BASF

ExxonMobil

Health Management Associates

Johnson & Johnson

Kinder Morgan

Sanofi

Scripps Networks Interactive

Sherwin-Williams

Signet Jewelers Limited

Walgreens Boots Alliance

Weil represented Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) in its acquisition of almost 2,000 Rite Aid stores, a transaction valued at $4.377 billion. Clearance was obtained from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission following a two-year review that required a creative restructuring of the transaction.
Weil represented WBA in a joint venture in which a newly formed company controlled by KKR, with WBA as a minority investor, acquired PharMerica Corporation, a leading provider of institutional pharmacy, specialty infusion and hospital pharmacy management services. The all-cash transaction was valued at approximately $1.4 billion. Clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission was achieved without a Second Request being issued.
Weil represented Walgreens (n/k/a Walgreens Boots Alliance) in successfully securing antitrust clearance for its $23.8 billion acquisition of the 55% it did not already own of Alliance Boots GmbH (Switzerland), and in its previous purchase of a 45% interest in Alliance Boots, the largest acquisition in Walgreen’s company history.
Weil, in an earlier transaction, successfully represented Walgreens in connection with the company’s (and Alliance Boots’) acquisition of an equity position in AmerisourceBergen (one of the nation’s leading drug wholesalers), and the strategic, long-term alliance between the three companies. As part of this transaction, Walgreens entered into a 10-year comprehensive distribution agreement with AmerisourceBergen and provided AmerisourceBergen access to Walgreens and Alliance Boots’ joint venture to purchase generic and branded pharmaceuticals. This highly complex and innovative transaction was reviewed in multiple jurisdictions and raised a wide range of potential issues. As a result of our substantial industry expertise and effective advocacy, Weil was able to successfully coordinate the global antitrust process and obtain unconditional clearance for the transaction without a Second Request.
Weil also successfully represented Walgreens before the antitrust authorities in numerous other transactions, including the company's $1.1 billion acquisition of Duane Reade.

Willis Towers Watson

Key Contacts

Steven A. Newborn

Partner

Washington, D.C.

+1 202 682 7005
steven.newborn@weil.com

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Firm News & Announcements

Weil Advises Churchill Capital Corp IV in its $11.75 Billion Merger with Lucid Motors Deal Brief — February 22, 2021
Weil Advises Advent-Backed ATI Physical Therapy in its $2.5B Business Combination with Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II Deal Brief — February 22, 2021
Weil Advised American Securities in its Acquisition of Beacon’s Interior Products Business Deal Brief — February 10, 2021
Weil Advises Gores Holdings VI, Inc. in its $2.9B Business Combination with Matterport, Inc. Deal Brief — February 08, 2021
Weil Advised GI Partners in its Acquisition of Vast Broadband Firm Announcement — February 01, 2021

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“A powerhouse merger clearance team…Regularly sighted handling the antitrust aspects of some of the most substantial global M&A deals.”

Chambers USA

Weil Recognized as Counsel for Matter of the Year Award

Global Competition Review, 2019

Global Head of the Antitrust/Competition practice Steve Newborn recognized as a Band 1 Antitrust attorney in Washington, D.C.

Chambers USA 2019

Weil Ranked Tier 1 for Merger Control

Legal 500 US 2019

Leading Firm for Competition/Antitrust in the United States

Chambers Global 2019

Weil Named Antitrust Firm of the Year

Legal Media Group’s Life Sciences Awards 2018

Global Head of the Antitrust/Competition practice Steven Newborn and Antitrust partners Steven Bernstein and Jeffrey Perry named “Trailblazers” by The National Law Journal in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively

Competition Law Firm of the Year

Law360 2017

Awards and Recognition, Guides and Resources, Speaking Engagements, Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements, Firm News & Announcements

Awards and Recognition

Weil Recognized in Global Competition Review's Matter of the Year for 2019 Award Brief — Global Competition Review Awards
Jeff White Named 2018 Rising Star for Antitrust/Competition by Law360 Award Brief — Law360 2018
Weil Named “Antitrust Firm of the Year” Award Brief — Legal Media Group’s Sixth Annual Life Sciences Awards, 2018
Weil’s Antitrust Practice Ranked Among the “Global Elite” in 2018 Award Brief — Global Competition Review, GCR 100 2018
Weil Named 2017 Competition Practice Group of the Year Award Brief — Law360 2017
Weil’s Counsel to Allergan Wins “Merger Control Matter of the Year” for the Americas Award Brief — Global Competition Review Awards 2017

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Speaking Engagements

Remedying Merger Remedies Speaker(s): Jeffrey H. Perry
February 15, 2019 — Antonin Scalia Law School, Arlington, VA — George Mason Law Review 22nd Annual Antitrust Symposium
Joint Conduct 101: Information Exchange Speaker(s): Kevin B. Goldstein
October 20, 2016 — Weil Antitrust/Competition associate Kevin B. Goldstein moderates a panel discussion sponsored by the ABA Section of Antitrust Law on information exchange issues in mergers, litigation and counseling. Panelists explain the legal standards and DOJ/FTC guidelines applicable to information exchange, and discuss how those standards apply in practice. Merger lawyers discuss information exchange during various phases of a deal from initial diligence to integration planning. Cartel litigators discuss how to understand the risks and lines between lawful and unlawful when exchanging information outside the deal context through trade associations and less formal direct competitor contacts.

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