Mr David Went > Exchange Chambers > Leeds, England > Barrister Profile

Mr David Went

0113 203 1970 went@exchangechambers.co.uk View profile

Work Department

Competition

Position

David is internationally renowned as a leading competition law specialist.
He won the Chambers and Partners 2022 Competition Junior of the Year Award, was noted as a Competition Future Leader in Who’s Who Legal: Competition 2018 (dedicated to the world’s leading competition experts aged 45 and under), and in 2012 was featured in Global Competition Review’s list of leading competition lawyers under 40 years old worldwide. For a number of years now he has been recognised (among only a select number of barristers) in Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2021: Competition Juniors and Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2023.

Prior to returning to his roots as a barrister during 2015 (having originally been called to the bar in 1999), David’s considerable competition law experience has been acquired at two leading US law firms in Brussels and London, most recently as partner at Sidley Austin LLP. David has acted for clients (e.g., ADM, Alberto Culver, Aon, Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, GSK, Hachette, IBM, LG Electronics, Spectris, Viterra, and Western Union) on some of the most significant and complex matters over the past 16 years across the spectrum of competition law work.

Regularly appearing before the main EU and UK courts and competition authorities, David specialises in all litigation and advisory aspects of competition law, covering:

• Abuse of dominance
• Cartels
• Commercial practices
• Compliance
• Damages actions
• M&A
• Public procurement
• State aid
• Related areas of EU, public and regulatory law

David has experience of working in a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, financial services, FMCG, high-tech, insurance, IT/internet, life sciences, manufacturing, media, mining, publishing, shipping, sports, telecoms, and utilities.

He has worked on a large number of multi-jurisdictional matters using, where needed, a network of trusted local counsel. David also has good working relationships with competition law specialists at the main economic consultancies.

As clients make clear in legal directory submissions, David is approachable, practical, and commercially focused. In addition, clients appreciate his ability to quickly understand their business models and needs, coupled with his creativity in finding solutions.

He combines huge commercial knowledge with a second-to-none understanding of competition law. A naturally industrious advocate his attention to detail is truly market-leading.

Career

Called 1998; Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2016 for Competition; Leading Lawyer in IFLR1000 2016 for Competition; Global Competition Review 2012 named David to its list of the top 40 competition lawyers under 40 years old worldwide.

Publications

• “The Use of Divestiture Remedies in UK Market Investigations: What can be learnt from the BAA Saga?” Concurrences No. 2, 2013
• “Getting the Deal Through-Vertical Agreements,” Global Competition Review, 2013
• “UK Competition Law Reform: A Change for the Better?” International Antitrust Bulletin, March 2012.
• “Antitrust Concerns From Partial Ownership Interest Acquisitions: New Developments in the European Union and United States,” Competition Policy International (CPI), January 2012
• “Recent Developments in UK Merger Control – Establishment of Solid Foundations for the New Regime,” European Competition Law Review, December 2007
• Author of “EU Merger Control: Structural versus Behavioural Remedies”, European Competition Law Review, August 2006
• Co-author of the Remedies Chapter of European Merger Control Law: A Guide to the Merger Regulation, Matthew Bender (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006)

Memberships

• Editorial Board of Competition Law International (a publication of the International Bar Association)
• Co-chair of Competition Law Working Party of the Competition Law Association tasked with responding to government and competition authority consultations
• Law Society of England and Wales Competition Section
• Bar European Group

Education

• Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law (Outstanding in Competition Law, 1998)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, (Distinction/1st in year, 1997)
• A. in Literae Humaniores, The Queen’s College, Oxford University (Academic Exhibitioner and Organ Scholar, 1995)