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Freehills’s ‘small but effective’ team is described by clients as ‘first rate’ and takes a ‘practical’ approach to dealing with regulators or handling investigations. Recent matters included advising National Foods in the A$910m acquisition of Diary Farmers, and assisting Deutsche Lufthansa in the ongoing air-freight cartel class action. Department head Paul Hughes ‘enjoys the trust of regulators’; Bob Baxt is also recommended.

Gilbert + Tobin is at the ‘top of the tree’ in competition law, and possesses ‘very deep competition experience across a wide range of industries, and a lot of depth in the team’. Gina Cass-Gottlieb is a ‘brilliant strategist’ for regulatory work, while Paula Gilardoni is developing similar acumen; Peter Waters is recommended for telecoms; Simon Snow advised Pfizer in obtaining clearance for its acquisition of Wyeth.

A ‘first choice’ for many clients, Mallesons Stephen Jaques has ‘a very deep level of expertise’. Rainmaker Roger Featherston has ‘unparalleled experience and judgement’, while David Poddar is also highly recommended. The firm acted for Chinese state-owned Hunan Valin in its cross-border acquisition of an interest in Fortescue Metals Group, and for British Airways regarding its proposed merger with Qantas.

Clients are ‘very pleased’ with the ‘deep industry knowledge’ of Allens Arthur Robinson, a ‘strong team that works very well together’. It is a favourite for advice on mega-mergers, representing St George on its merger with Westpac, and Hutchison on its combination with Vodafone. Wendy Peters is ‘particularly good’ and Jacqueline Downes ‘respected and trusted’.

Andrew Christopher’s team at Baker & McKenzie frequently acts for the ACCC in competition matters. The firm is skilled in cartel defence and merger clearance: it represented Bayer in relation to an alleged rubber chemicals cartel, and advises new market entrants, particularly in the energy sector.

Peter Armitage’s ‘great team’ at Blake Dawson is praised for its ‘timely advice and good industry knowledge’. Stephen Ridgeway and the ‘outstanding’ Bill Reid are also recommended. Replete with a high-profile cartel and antitrust litigation practice, the firm recently advised key client BHP Billiton in regard to its attempted joint venture with Rio Tinto; it also defended against applications by Fortescue Metals for access to BHP’s Pilbara railway line.

Clayton Utz provides strategic advice on complex competition matters, representing clients such as Origin Energy, Vodafone Australia and Seven Network. Michael Corrigan heads the group, which advised Woolworths on obtaining immunity from the ACCC for an exclusive consumer payment system involving HSBC credit cards.

The ‘pragmatic and proactive’ Stephen Kroker at Corrs Chambers Westgarth heads a team that displays ‘exceptional quality’; Bill Keane and Richard Flitcroft ‘truly know their stuff’. The firm assisted Primo Smallgoods in acquiring Hans Continental Smallgoods, which reduced major market participants in this sector from three to two. Other clients include BP, Boeing, British Gas and the Australian government.

DLA Phillips Fox’s practice has a heavy regulatory bent, particularly in infrastructure, where it advised Fortescue Metals on access to BHP’s Pilbara railway. The ACCC asked the firm to advise on the Vodafone-Hutchison merger, while other competition work included advising Cathay Pacific on price-fixing allegations. The ‘technically excellent’ Simon Uthmeyer heads the practice.

Johnson Winter & Slattery won a role as Qantas’ core competition law adviser, which it represents in global airfreight cartel proceedings. Aldo Nicotra’s media team advises clients such as the Australian Communication Media Authority, and ESPN on a case in Indonesia. Other clients include Fosters and PepsiCo.

Arnold Bloch Leibler is instructed on high-profile, complex trade practices matters, and recently defended Visy Industries and its senior officers in relation to a cardboard box cartel case. Other clients include Telstra and Challenger Financial Services. Zaven Mardirossian heads the team.

Atanaskovic Hartnell regularly acts for the ACCC, as well as institutions and corporates on merger clearance matters. Clients include Transurban and Babcock & Brown, and the firm has been instructed in cases that have set merger ground rules, including the C7 case.

Competition clearance is a core feature of Chang, Pistilli & Simmons’ M&A practice. The team’s experience also includes Mark Pistilli’s successful defence of APA during an attempted take-over by Alinta, which involved applications to the Takeovers Panel, the ACCC and the Federal and High Court of Australia.

Deacons is a leader in franchising and is growing its private sector competition work. The firm acted for WPP on its £1.1bn acquisition of Taylor Nelson Sofres, and is advising Japan Airlines on the airfreight cartel case. Calum Henderson and Nick McHugh are recommended.

Murray Deakin at Middletons is known primarily for contentious competition work, defending clients under investigation by the ACCC. Bernard Evans specialises in compliance issues under the Trade Practices Act. Clients include Kodak and Carter Holt Harvey.

Minter Ellison has a broad Australasian practice led by Russell Miller. Recent matters included representing Singapore Airlines in class action and administrative law proceedings arising out of the alleged airfreight cartel, and advising American Express in dealings with the ACCC concerning an exclusive dealing notification with regard to the use of PayPal facilities by eBay merchants.

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