DOJ Sees Mixed Results in Litigation-Focused Antitrust Strategy

The DOJ antitrust division has vowed to go to court to press its more expansive enforcement views. A victory in a major book publishers case followed a trio of early defeats.

November 07, 2022 at 07:00 AM

8 minute read

Antitrust

Andrew Goudsward

What You Need to Know

A judge's decision to block the merger of two major book publishers was a victory for the Justice Department's more expansive view of antitrust.
The DOJ lost three earlier merger challenges, raising questions about its litigation strategy.
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter has said the government needs to bring difficult cases to change the direction of antitrust law.

The U.S. Justice Department's successful challenge to the merger of two major book publishers provided a burst of momentum for the Biden administration's progressive antitrust approach following a string of early defeats.