Duane Morris – State Attorneys General Blog

State attorneys general are increasingly challenging federal antitrust settlements and merger approvals—most recently in the $6.2 billion Nexstar/Tegna broadcast television transaction. In addition, congressional Democrats have proposed expanding the Tunney Act to enhance transparency, empower states to continue abandoned federal cases, and constrain merger closings during judicial review. For companies planning strategic transactions, these developments signal that federal clearance alone may no longer end deal risk.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 by Duane Morris

What Practitioners Need to Know About NJ Supreme Court Adoption of “Merits Briefing”

By Robert M. Palumbos, Paul P. Josephson, Christopher H. Casey, Andrew R. Sperl and Justin G. Mignogna

In a February 26, 2026, notice, the Supreme Court of New Jersey announced sweeping amendments to the court rules governing briefing before the court. The new framework provides for merits briefing in all appeals taken on or after February 10, 2026. These changes represent the most significant overhaul of the court’s briefing procedures in years and carry important implications for appellate practitioners, amicus participants and anyone following the court’s docket.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 by Duane Morris

New California Bill Aims to Significantly Broaden Antitrust Law

The California Legislature is currently considering a bill that would substantially expand the scope and enforcement mechanisms of California’s antitrust regime. On January 30, 2026, the California Law Revision Commission officially approved a final legislative proposal to broaden the state’s antitrust statute, the Cartwright Act, to include single-firm conduct and to allow state enforcers to go beyond the federal Sherman Act. While the bill, AB 1776, remains under consideration in the state Legislature, it reflects a broader trend toward more aggressive antitrust regulation and enforcement at the state level, both in California and nationally. Read the Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

February 13, 2026February 17, 2026 by Duane Morris

Multistate Cannabis Operators Face First-of-Their-Kind Antitrust Claims from Ohio Attorney General

By Sean P. McConnell, Wayne A. Mack, Christopher H. Casey, Paul P. Josephson, Tracy Gallegos, Michael D. Schwamm, and James Hearon

The Ohio attorney general recently filed an unprecedented state antitrust enforcement action against nine of the nation’s largest multistate cannabis operators. The complaint alleges these defendants formed illegal cartels through reciprocal supply agreements, competitively sensitive information exchanges and discriminatory distribution practices designed to exclude independent Ohio cannabis operators from the market and artificially inflate consumer prices. The complaint seeks injunctive relief, civil forfeitures of $500 per day per defendant for each day the alleged combinations were in effect, and attorneys’ fees. Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.

October 24, 2025October 24, 2025 by Duane Morris

13 State Attorneys General Move to Intervene in Federal Review of DOJ’s Settlement Allowing $14 Billion Merger

On October 14, 2025, a coalition of 13 state attorneys general, including those from California, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois, filed a motion seeking to intervene in the Tunney Act review by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) settlement that allowed the $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks to proceed.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.