Paramount Lawyer Maintains WBD Merger On Track Amid Lawsuits

Paramount’s lead antitrust counsel Jeffrey Kessler said the Warner Bros. Discovery merger can still close on time this quarter (by Sept. 30) despite lawsuits by multiple state attorneys general and a Writers Guild suit; a potential happy agreement or a judge’s decision failure could keep the deal moving, with an appeal to the Supreme Court possible if blocked. Paramount has pledged a $650 million quarterly ticking fee while the deal remains pending, DOJ has approved the merger and UK/EU approvals are still pending.