New York Paralegal Blog

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with Unilever and Alberto-Culver Co. that requires them to divest two hair care brands in order to proceed with Unilever’s $3.7 billion acquisition of Alberto-Culver. The department said that the transaction, as originally proposed, would substantially lessen competition in three product markets – value shampoo, value conditioner and hairspray sold in retail stores. Value shampoos and conditioners are the lowest priced shampoos and conditioners sold in retail stores, typically selling for less than two dollars a bottle. The department’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to block the proposed transaction between three Unilever entities – Unilever N.V., Unilever PLC and Conopco Inc. – and Alberto-Culver. At the same time, the department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive concer...

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Verizon Communications Corp. (Verizon) to divest assets in 100 areas in 22 states in order to proceed with its $28 billion acquisition of Alltel Corp. The Department said that the transaction as originally proposed would have substantially lessened competition to the detriment of consumers of mobile wireless telecommunications services in those areas, and likely would result in higher prices, lower quality and reduced network investments. The divestitures cover the entire states of North Dakota and South Dakota; large portions of the states of Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming; and portions of the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. The Department’s Antitrust Division, along with the Attorneys General of the states of Alabama, California, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota...