Insights

The FTC notched a recent win in federal court, securing a permanent injunction halting the combination of the two dominant brands of construction adhesives, Loctite and Liquid Nails.  In the recently unsealed decision, the court focused on the extensive head-to-head competition between the parties and the importance of brand equity in siding with the FTC, offering important lessons for merging parties.   

On July 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division announced that it will again use targeted Second Request investigations and released a revised Model Timing Agreement, another signal that this Antitrust Division continues to take a more business friendly approach toward merger review. The model introduces an optional “Expedited Consideration” process that gives merging parties the option to address discrete competitive concerns identified by the DOJ before undertaking full Second Request compliance.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has released its revised 2026 Arbitration Rules (the 2026 Rules), which entered into force on 1 June 2026. The revisions represent a significant update to the 2021 ICC Rules (the 2021 Rules) and reflect a clear institutional focus on efficiency, procedural flexibility, and expedited dispute resolution.