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How moves to ‘litigate the fix’ in US M&A review could affect future deals
17 February 2023 00:00
Duration: 9:56
Assa Abloy’s move to outflank a US Department of Justice attempt to block the Swedish-based conglomerate’s acquisition of a Spectrum Brands unit has sparked a heated debate. After the DOJ moved to block the deal, amid competition concerns, Assa Abloy announced it was ready to divest two of its divisions to scupper the DOJ’s competition concerns. But its next move was to take those remedies to a court — a move dubbed “litigating the fix.” The tactic is likely to advance federal caselaw and may set the stage for future clashes, as the US’s antitrust agencies strengthen their position on remedies.
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01 February 2023 18:34 by Serafina SmithThe Department of Justice’s lawsuit to block Assa Abloy’s proposed acquisition of a Spectrum Brands
Editorial Team
James Panichi Senior Editor, Asia Pacific

James, an Australian journalist with over 25 years’ experience in print and electronic media, helps to oversee MLex’s coverage of regulatory risk in Asia, with special attention to Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, James was appointed as MLex’s managing editor for continental Europe, overseeing the Brussels bureau’s coverage of EU regulatory affairs and managing a team of 16 journalists in Brussels and Geneva. Previously James worked for the European Voice newspaper, before joining the... Read more
Serafina Smith Reporter

Serafina Smith covers mergers and acquisitions for MLex from New York. Before becoming a journalist, Serafina was a paralegal supporting the United States Department of Justice, where she worked on foreign bribery and money laundering cases. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Georgetown University.