Competition & Regulatory: Simplifying complexities

Cartels

We represent clients involved in both EU and UK cartel investigations. We also advise on settlement procedures and leniency applications which can reduce or even remove the prospect of fines altogether.

Competition Law & Commercial Agreements

We represent clients in advising on competition law compliance in connection with a wide variety of commercial agreements including distribution, licensing, R&D, information exchange, joint ventures and commercialisation arrangements as well as negotiating these agreements and resolving disputes. We also advise on competition compliance strategies to help minimise the risk of competition law breaches and the substantial financial liability which can flow from an infringement decision.

Market Conduct & Dominance 

We advise clients in a position of market power to ensure their trading practices and policies comply with competition law as well as smaller companies who may be adversely affected by the abusive business practices of larger rivals. With the growth of e-commerce and digital platforms competition law is playing an increasing role in regulating the activities of platform operators and businesses that use those sites to distribute their goods. We have experience of representing parties in proceedings relating to abusive market behaviour before the EU Commission and national Member state competition regulators and national courts.

Competition Litigation

We act for both claimants seeking redress and clients seeking to defend themselves in the face of individual or class action competition claims before the national courts of EU Member States or subject to arbitration. Within our  dedicated competition litigation team  we combine  in-depth specialist knowledge of competition law with the skills and shrewd tactical acumen of  our experienced litigators to provide the right team to deal successfully with our clients’ claims.

Merger Control

Our EU & Competition Team provides experienced and commercially focused advice on how best to obtain appropriate merger clearances to allow the timely completion of our clients’ deal or transaction. We provide strategic advice on how to best structure your transaction and advise on where to file necessary or advisable merger filings as well as submitting and coordinating the appropriate notifications. In this we work closely with our Corporate Team on transactions. However, we are also instructed independently by clients or foreign and other counsel as competition law specialists to handle domestic, EU or global merger approvals.

Public Procurement 

We have extensive experience of advising both suppliers to the public sector and public contracting authorities of compliance and enforcement of the EU public procurement rules across a range of sectors and jurisdictions. We have represented clients before the national courts of the EU Member States, the European commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

EU Regulatory Advice 

We advise manufacturers, suppliers and importers wishing to distribute products in Europe on the application of UK and EU product safety directives, the CE marking regime as well as the provisions of EU environmental protection Directives and Regulations (e.g. REACH,WEEE, RoHS).

Sectoral Regulation

We advise clients across a wide range of regulated sectors at both an EU and UK level which include electronic communications, media and broadcasting, gaming, transport, electricity, gas, post, water, healthcare and financial services. We advise on the interface between the general competition law regime and sector specific competition rules as well as purely regulatory issues within these.

International Trade & Customs

After Brexit regulations in relation to the import and export of goods and services to and from the UK and Europe will change significantly. Whether the UK will trade on WTO terms or those of a negotiated trade deal with the EU is yet to be seen. We have an experienced team able to help our clients successfully negotiate their way through the maze of Brexit regulations and the new international trading relationships upon which the UK is embarking.