Merger control
About
White & Case focuses on obtaining timely clearance for globally oriented, creative mergers. In addition to our market position as a one-stop shop for global deals, we also field a number of trial-tested lawyers across the world to handle merger challenges and related litigation.
We work closely with clients to develop a deep understanding of their business to assist with:
- Strategic deals involving competitors and vertical integration
- Cross-border and domestic deals
- Public and private M&A, asset acquisitions, joint ventures and investments
- Negotiated and hostile offers
- Merger litigation
We have a reputation for removing deal uncertainty by:
- Advocating and negotiating directly with national and international merger review authorities
- Providing coordinated strategy across jurisdictions through our global network of dedicated White & Case practitioners
- Developing many innovative "firsts" in antitrust, precedents that our team has conceived of, implemented and won
- Publishing White & Case's Global Antitrust Merger StatPak (WAMS), a first-of-its-kind clearinghouse tracking merger control filing activity by competition authorities around the world
Our unequaled global presence allows us to offer clients uniquely transnational counsel, facilitated by our Antitrust/Competition practitioners in jurisdictions rarely covered by other law firms. In addition to a strong presence in major hubs such as Brussels, Düsseldorf, London, New York, Milan, Paris, Tokyo and Washington, DC, we also have robust and well-regarded practices in other major jurisdictions, including China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Poland, among others.
View more information on Mergers & Acquisitions
View more information on Cartel investigations
View more information on Antitrust litigation & class actions
View more information on Pharmaceutical antitrust litigation
View more information on Drug Pricing
View more information on Due process
View more information on European state aid
View more information on Competition compliance
View more information on Antitrust/Competition
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Only team to win "Competition Group of the Year" 7 times
Law360
Top 3
Global Elite
GCR 100 2023
Top 5
Merger Clearance
GCR 100 2023
Top 6
Cross-Border Antitrust
Chambers Global 2023
Tier 1
SPACs
Chambers USA 2023
Tier 1
CFIUS
Chambers USA 2023
Tier 1
Antitrust & Competition and Joint Ventures
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023
"White & Case LLP has a strong record in securing clearances for business-critical, global transactions, and is a destination practice for a number of high-profile deals, handling DOJ and FTC investigations, regulatory challenges, and multijurisdictional approvals."
The Legal 500 US 2023
"In addition to its market position as a one-stop shop for global deals, the firm also fields a number of trial-tested lawyers across the world to handle challenges and related litigation."
The Legal 500 US 2020
"The merger control team at White & Case specializes in obtaining clearance for globally-oriented, creative mergers."
The Legal 500 US 2020
"The team is also adept in handling high-value and complex arrangements in a variety of sectors, such as energy, technology, and infrastructure, defending contested mergers against FTC and DOJ scrutiny, and has a strong record in SPAC deals, alongside a growing portfolio of major global tech clients."
The Legal 500 US 2022
"This team is a go-to for complex cross-border issues that require specific subject matter expertise in multiple jurisdictions—a perfect match for large multinational companies dealing with increasingly complex regulatory and legal regimes around the world."
The Legal 500 US 2021
"It has wide experience, deep bench strength and is able to expertly navigate the hurdles that foreign jurisdictions provide. Its ability to cover a vast geography ensures its clients receive Rolls-Royce service internationally."
Chambers USA 2021
"What makes the practice stand out is its sound knowledge of competition law, its in-depth industry experience and its strong relationship with competition authorities and regulators."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2022
"They really break down complex deals and provide practical, out-of-the-box solutions that really deliver the bottom-line objective."
Chambers USA 2018
White & Case is "professional, aggressive in defending their client, flexible and open-minded about getting the deal done."
Chambers USA 2018
Experience
Largest petrochemical merger in world history
Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, in its successful US$70 billion acquisition of SABIC. White & Case secured unconditional merger approvals for the deal in 25 jurisdictions, including the EU, China, India and Brazil.
Facebook's largest single investment
Facebook's US$5.7 billion investment into a leading Indian ecommerce platform, Jio. The largest foreign direct investment into India's technology industry to date, as well as the largest investment worldwide for a minority stake by a technology company.
Recombining two businesses the FTC broke up nearly 20 years ago
Metso Corp. in its €4 billion merger with Outotec Oyj in the mineral processing equipment industry, obtaining merger clearances in 19 worldwide jurisdictions in an expedited timeframe.
First 4-to-3 mobile phone merger in Europe to be unconditionally approved
Deutsche Telekom on its merger in the Dutch mobile telecoms sector between Tele2Netherlands (Tele2 NL) and T-Mobile Netherlands, approved unconditionally after a Phase II investigation by the European Commission.
Significant pigments industry merger
DIC Corporation, a Japanese fine chemicals company, and its US subsidiary Sun Chemical in its €1.15 billion acquisition of BASF's global pigments business. The case presented complex issues of market definition in the pigments industry, given the lack of legal precedents in the past ten years and the continuous evolving technology developments in color-matching software.
Innovative strategy and speedy resolution for Zimmer Holdings
Zimmer Holdings, a world leader in musculoskeletal health solutions, in obtaining merger clearances for its US$13.35 billion acquisition of Biomet, Inc. This complex Phase II case was cleared two months prior to the official deadline.
Merger clearance in Aegean/Olympic II
In a first for EU merger control, achieved significant success for Aegean Airlines before the European Commission, which cleared the Greek carrier's proposed acquisition of its rival, Olympic Air. This was the second time the two companies had tried to merge, following Olympic/Aegean I, when the Commission prohibited the transaction.
European Commission's merger investigation — Merck KGaA
Merck KGaA in the European Commission's investigation related to provision of information in the context of the merger notification of Merck KGaA's US$17 billion acquisition of Sigma Aldrich.
Panasonic's US$8.5 billion acquisition of Blue Yonder
Panasonic Corporation on its acquisition of Blue Yonder, a leading end-to-end, digital fulfillment platform provider. Panasonic purchases the remaining 80 percent of shares of Blue Yonder at an enterprise valuation of US$8.5 billion on a cash-free debt-free basis, adding to the 20 percent stake Panasonic acquired in July 2020, also with the assistance of White & Case.
