New California Law Increases Antitrust Penalties

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has significantly escalated its antitrust investigation into Nvidia Corp., the world's leading AI chipmaker, by issuing subpoenas not only to Nvidia but also to third-party companies.

Major antitrust developments from August 2026 span multiple jurisdictions, including U.S. court rulings on oil price-fixing and printer cartridge restrictions, FTC quantum computing merger reviews...

On August 7, 2026, the Delaware Court of Chancery ordered Verisk Analytics, Inc. to move forward with its purportedly terminated $2.35 billion proposed acquisition of AccuLynx.com.

The Department of Justice announced a landmark $250 million settlement with KKR & Co. for allegedly submitting deficient Hart-Scott-Rodino Act notification forms across at least 16 transactions. This unprecedented penalty, the largest ever for HSR violations, raises critical questions about merger notification compliance obligations and the consequences of systemic noncompliance with federal antitrust review requirements.

The U.S. Department of Justice recently closed its investigation into a merger between two leading sales enablement software providers, citing AI competition as a key protective factor against potential competitive harm. This decision offers important insights into how antitrust agencies are evaluating AI-native companies as competitive constraints and implementing more efficient, targeted merger review processes in technology sector transactions.

Prior to the 2010 merger, Live Nation Entertainment was the largest producer, marketer, and seller of live concerts globally, controlling more than 75 concert venues in the United States...

The Justice Department has resumed targeted Second Request investigations to expedite merger reviews, while major entertainment industry consolidation faces legal challenges and the FTC secures record penalties for Hart-Scott-Rodino Act violations. These developments signal a shifting landscape in federal merger enforcement, balancing efficiency with rigorous antitrust scrutiny across multiple industries.

The General Court of the European Union has upheld the European Commission's prohibition of Booking Holdings' acquisition of eTraveli Group, endorsing for the first time a 'reverse leveraging' theory of harm in conglomerate mergers. This landmark judgment establishes that dominant companies can be blocked from acquiring complementary businesses even when the target operates in a market where the acquirer lacks dominance, fundamentally reshaping merger control enforcement in digital and ecosystem-driven mark

On December 22, 2025, the FTC reopened and set aside the FTC's 2024 consent order against the AI company Rytr LLC.

The Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation of IonQ's acquisition of SkyWater Technology after the Commission's two sitting members divided over whether the transaction warranted a negotiated behavioral consent order. These detailed statements reveal how each Commissioner analyzes vertical transactions and their claimed benefits, offering critical insights for parties planning vertical transactions in defense and national-security sectors.

The United States Embassy in India today announced it is implementing a new visa processing system throughout India.

Thirteen Democratic AGs, led by Colorado AG Phil Weiser, have moved to intervene in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California's review of an antitrust settlement...

On December 5, 2024, the New York City Council approved with modifications the NYC Department of City Planning's (DCP) City of Yes for Housing Opportunity...

Texas AG Ken Paxton has announced a settlement with TPC Group, Inc. and TPC Group LLC (collectively, "TPC"), to resolve lawsuits alleging that TPC violated Texas law through conduct that resulted in an explosion that leveled a chemical manufacturing facility in Port Neches, Texas.

The FTC secured a settlement with Growth Cave, LLC and related entities ("Growth Cave"), along with the company's co-CEOs...

A bipartisan coalition of 23 AGs and several state banking regulators submitted a comment letter urging the OCC to withdraw two proposals...

Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell settled with Franklin Credit Management Corporation (Franklin Credit), to resolve allegations that the mortgage servicer violated the commonwealth's foreclosure-prevention law...

The Court granted petitions for panel rehearing in two precedential cases: NRA Group, LLC v. Durenleau and Murrin v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The panels issued amended opinions making minor changes in each case...

In an article about the state's current sports-betting tax rate published in BestInAu, Kaitesi is quoted as saying "the 51% tax rate makes it nearly impossible for smaller...

Daniel Harrington, writing for the American Bar Association Litigation Section, discusses the perils of practicing law...