ABA Antitrust Law Section Podcast Features Zak Goodwin on Updated HSR Rules

Antitrust partner Zak Goodwin joined the American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section’s weekly podcast, Our Curious Amalgam, to discuss how the new Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification form and rules, which were implemented in February 2025, are affecting deal planning and filings in practice.

Drawing on experience across a broad range of transactions, Zak highlighted key takeaways for practitioners and in-house teams. “The expanded disclosures can, in some cases, reduce the need for short-form inquiries or voluntary access letters,” Zak explained, noting that clearer overlap descriptions and ordinary-course documents now included in filings may allow agencies to resolve questions without outreach.

He also cautioned that compiling vertical supply data remains a heavy lift for complex organizations with disparate systems, while the new supervisory deal team lead custodian has been “manageable in most matters.” Early preparation - especially mapping data sources, identifying custodians, and inventorying ordinary-course materials - “pays dividends,” he said.

On timing, Zak observed that preparation periods “vary widely” by complexity, with 20 business days now common for many filings.