"Clients are approaching deals more cautiously and recognizing that it might be more difficult to get through review. They’re budgeting from an expense and timing perspective that these deals may take longer and be more expensive to get done."

Alan Zoccolillo, a partner at law firm Baker & McKenzie LLP and chair of its North American transactional practices, commenting to Bloomberg for the news report late last month, “Deal Boom Under Threat in Washington as Aon Tie-Up Dies.”