Goodwin partner and co-chair of the global M&A group Michael Kendall wrote in Law360 that with deregulation and other business-friendly policies expected from the Trump administration, as well as an improving U.S. economy with the potential for further interest rate cuts, a number of market prognosticators are predicting a continued uptick in merger and acquisition activity in 2025. In frothy deal environments, private equity firms tend to broaden their search for attractive investment opportunities, with some deciding to explore investments that are in markets closely adjacent to their existing portfolio companies. Competitive overlap, particularly across industry segments, can lead to conflicts when the companies compete for limited or unique resources, such as acquisition opportunities, executive candidates, and even time and attention from the private equity firm's professional staff.