Aon Merger Challenge Gets Nov Court Day

Insurance and reinsurance broking giants Aon and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) have now been granted an earlier date for the antitrust trial against the United States Department of Justice, which has objected to the proposed merger, with a November 18 start now proposed.

Previously, a trial date of February 28 2022 had been proposed to the court by the US Department of Justice, which the merger parties had deemed “unacceptable” and a threat to the completion of the deal as it fell well-beyond the outside date set for completing Aon’s acquisition of insurance and reinsurance broking rival Willis Towers Watson.

However, the new start date set for the trial by Judge Reggie Walton is for November 18, which still falls beyond the outside date.

The judge also said that while initial trial proceedings would be held then, he wouldn’t expect to hear the remaining proceedings until December.

As a result, it looks like the trial could easily drag into 2022, which is far outside of Aon and Willis Towers Watson’s initial timeline for the completion of their merger.

The judge also warned that these dates could even be pushed back, as his caseload is currently so high, meaning there appear to be no guarantees for Aon and WTW on when the US Department of Justice trial would begin, or potentially complete.

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