Antitrust Zeal to Morph but Won’t Fade Under Next President

Antitrust watchdogs are expected to continue to scrutinize companies and deals no matter who wins the White House, according to litigators who focus on competition law.

“You can’t unscramble the egg,” said Kellie Lerner, who left Robins Kaplan to launch a boutique firm last month. “What this administration has done to push forward antitrust is not something that can be pushed back in any easy way.”

The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission under President Joe Biden have ramped up merger challenges, pushing more companies to abandon those deals than in at least two decades. That’s made antitrust an ...