DOJ Clears Unilever's Acquisition of Alberto Culver

A Compass Lexecon team including Professor Dennis Carlton, Mary Coleman, Jonathan Bowater and Loren Poulsen assisted Deborah Feinstein of Arnold & Porter, LLP, Unilever's outside counsel in obtaining U.S. Department of Justice approval for Unilever’s acquisition of Alberto Culver. The Compass Lexecon team worked with counsel to draft several white papers outlining the economic evidence which showed that the acquisition would not likely have any anticompetitive effects in the mid-tier shampoo, conditioner, and styling aids segments. The transaction was then approved by the DOJ subject to an agreement to divest the VO5 brand and Suave Rave Hairspray brand to resolve concerns in the retail store value shampoo/conditioner and hairspray segments.