Judge Rejects State AG Challenge To Block T-Mobile/Sprint Merger

In a highly anticipated decision, Judge Victor M. Marrero of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York rejected the merger challenge filed by 13 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia against the T-Mobile/Sprint merger and entered judgment in favor of T-Mobile and Skadden's client Sprint. The firm represented Sprint during the state AG investigation and in the litigation, including through trial. The lawsuit alleged that the proposed transaction would substantially lessen competition in the market for retail mobile wireless telecommunications services and requested that the court enjoin the merger. A two-week bench trial was held in the Southern District from Dec. 9-20, 2019, with closing arguments held on Jan. 15, 2020. On Feb. 11, 2020, Judge Marrero ruled in favor of the defendants, denying the plaintiff states’ request to enjoin the transaction.