61.   However, Silicon Valley antitrust lawyer Rich Gray said attacking Jackson may backfire.

62.   If the injunction is granted, analysts and antitrust lawyers expect the companies to scrap their plans to merge.

63.   If no agreement is reached and a legal battle ensues, it could take as much as five years before the situation is resolved, international antitrust lawyers said.

64.   In the United States, officials must first submit to lengthy court hearings before companies are required to turn over confidential information, antitrust lawyers said.

65.   In the Microsoft case, in particular, many antitrust lawyers say he has crossed the line from judge to prosecutor.

66.   Indeed, some antitrust lawyers said the antitrust issues could have been resolved by divesting selected divisions of a merged company.

67.   Kennard, a former antitrust lawyer, does not hide his activism.

68.   Moreover, antitrust lawyers say that while Lockheed has only a slim chance of of prevailing in this case, the legal fight is worth a try.

69.   Most analysts scoff at the investigation as a Washington sideshow, but antitrust lawyers are less dismissive.

70.   Neil Eggleston, a lawyer representing Zwisler, said his client, who is an antitrust lawyer in Washington, had no comment.