Antitrust Lawyer Blog
On November 7, 2014, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division announced that it obtained a $5 million settlement with Flakeboard America Limited; its parent companies, Celulosa Arauco y Constitución S.A. and Inversiones Angelini y Compañía Limitada; and SierraPine for illegal pre-merger coordination in violation of the antitrust laws and of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (“HSR Act”). The action underscores the Antitrust Division’s resolve to vigorously scrutinize the conduct of merging parties prior to consummation of the transaction.
Law Regarding Pre-Merger Coordination
There is a lot of excitement when companies plan a merger. Company executives do not want to lose any time because there is pressure to integrate and achieve the synergies of combining operations as soon as possible. Merging parties, however, must temper that enthusiasm, otherwise, they risk not only losing the transaction, but also being punished by the Antitrust Division.