Firms To Watch: Competition and trade

Bird & Bird is acting on an increasing number of merger clearance, competition law compliance, investigation and legislation matters. Clients of the group include Tencent, Activision and Carlsburg.    
Maddocks counts names such as Mercedes Benz and Nissan among its client list. Key fields of expertise include merger clearances, cartel conduct and the structuring/management of service distribution models.

Competition and trade in Australia

Allens

Allens is routinely engaged in high-magnitude ACCC investigations, merger clearances and competition-related private litigation. The practice, which is active in the energy, private capital and healthcare sectors, among others, is headed by Jacqueline Downes, acclaimed for her prowess in complex mergers, consumer law, and competition law investigations. Fiona Crosbie, widely regarded in the market as a prominent antitrust authority, serves as the firm’s elected chair, while Carolyn Oddie is a key port of call for cartel conduct, misuse of market power, and advertising matters. The above-mentioned names operate from Sydney, which is also home to Felicity McMahon who specialises in the ACCC aspects of big-ticket global mergers. Elsewhere, at the Melbourne office, Ted Hill serves as an infrastructure expert, meanwhile, Rosannah Healy is active in the grocery, retail, banking, and telecomms industries; the duo is based alongside Robert Walker, who has recently acted on a number of flagship matters in the TMT space.

Practice head(s):

Jacqueline Downes


Other key lawyers:

Fiona Crosbie; Carolyn Oddie; Felicity McMahon; Ted Hill; Rosannah Healy; Robert Walker


Testimonials

‘Responsiveness, independence, commercial, and a keen knowledge of all relevant industry sectors.’

‘Felicity McMahon and Jacqueline Downes stand out for their experience, expertise and commercial approach. Not only do they have the most thorough understanding of the nuances of the Australian regime of any Australian practitioners that we have worked with (which is many), but they also understand how Australia fits in to the overall global strategy and filings.’

‘Excellent depth in associates and exceptional knowledge of the industry.’

Key clients

Brookfield Asset Management and EIG


Australasian Food Group (Peters Ice Cream)


Veolia Environnement S.A.


Aurora Healthcare


Coles Group


Alinta Energy


Pfizer


Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd


Graco Australia


Origin Energy


Match.com


Pacific Equity Partners


CSL


Samsung


News Corp


Sony Interactive Entertainment


Work highlights


  • Advising a consortium on the proposed acquisition of Origin Energy Limited, the Australia-based integrated energy company primarily engaged in electricity and gas retailing.
  • Acted for Froneri-owned AFG (trading as Peters Ice Cream) in ACCC proceedings where the ACCC alleged AFG engaged in anticompetitive exclusive dealing conduct via its exclusive distribution arrangement with PFD Food Services.
  • Advised Sydney Airport on the acquisition of 100 per cent of its securities by the Sydney Aviation Alliance, a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and IFM Investors and including Australian Retirement Trust and AustralianSuper.

Ashurst

Ashurst, one of the illustrious Silver Circle firms, is regularly instructed on a wealth of market-defining merger clearance, authorisation, and market inquiry mandates, in addition to cartel and regulatory investigation matters. Based in Brisbane, Alyssa Phillips leads the practice, leveraging an in-depth knowledge of the energy and resources, rail, waste and infrastructure industries; she is supported by a number of prominent Sydney-based lawyers including Peter Armitage, notably a key name for Google and Woolworths, and Ross Zaurrini who hones his focus on the automotive, consumer goods, fuel and financial services sectors. Melissa Fraser often defends clients in ACCC enforcement investigations within the healthcare, retail, and infrastructure fields, while Tihana Zuk is noted for digital economy expertise. Over at the Melbourne office, Justin Jones serves as an infrastructure access and energy regulation specialist.

Practice head(s):

Alyssa Phillips


Other key lawyers:

Peter Armitage; Ross Zaurrini; Melissa Fraser; Tihana Zuk; Justin Jones


Testimonials

‘They’re very strong on their competition law knowledge and a really friendly easy bunch to deal with. Ross in particular has a style of simplifying everything into consumable and understandable bites.’

‘The Competition team at Ashurst is a very capable, skilled and responsive team of partners and associates. The judgment the team brings to difficult strategic calls is unmatched in the market in my experience. The team’s advocacy, depth of analysis, cost-consciousness, and the thoughtfulness of their work is all market-leading.’

‘Peter Armitage’s long experience underpins the excellent judgment he offers on difficult strategic decisions and advice. Alyssa Phillips is highly efficient, analytical and service-oriented. Melissa Fraser’s work with us has been first class – focused, thoughtful, and very service-oriented, and providing excellent practical advice. ’

Key clients

ANZ


Aurizon


AGL Energy


Babcock


Downer Group


EnergyAustralia


Google


ING


Nbn co


SAIC Motors


Woolworths


Uber


Work highlights


  • Advising Google in relation to its response to the ACCC’s Digital Platform Services Inquiry, including its Fifth Interim Report, examining the need for digital platform-specific consumer and competition law rules, and Australian Government’s consultation on the same.
     
     
  • Advising leading digital bank ING to respond to an ACCC enforcement investigation into alleged non-compliance with Consumer Data Right obligations and alleged misleading conduct.
  • Advising Woolworths in relation to the ACCC’s merger clearance review of Woolworths’ proposed $586 million (AUD) acquisition of a 55% interest in  PETstock Pty Ltd (Petspiration Group or PG).

Clayton Utz

One of Australia’s Big Six, Clayton Utz counts its extensive expertise of the telecommunications, infrastructure, transport, technology and retail industries among its key distinguishers. The team’s key fields of activities include ACCC merger clearances, domestic and multinational cartels, private competition proceedings, infrastructure access and regulation, as well as competition and restrictive trade practices. Bruce Lloyd serves as practice head and often acts for some of Australia’s largest infrastructure operators; he is supported by Kirsten Webb, a name well-versed in ACCC investigations and anti-trust litigation, alongside Michael Corrigan whose illustrious 30-year career has seen him engaged in numerous flagship cases. Adrian Kuti is also highly recommended.  Named lawyers are based in Sydney.

Practice head(s):

Bruce Lloyd


Testimonials

‘I have worked with Kirsten Webb (partner) and Sophia Haq (special counsel) on digital platform issues and both were excellent on technical detail and great to work with. They have excellent industry experience that they can bring to bear in our matters. ’

‘The Clayton Utz competition team has great depth and takes a client-focused and practical approach. I have been impressed by their enthusiasm to understand our business and look at issues from a variety of perspectives. They are my go-to team for strategic advice.’

‘Kirsten Webb and Bruce Lloyd are highly experienced, practical, and strategic thinkers.’

Key clients

Apple


Woolworths


APLNG


Jaguar Land Rover


United Airlines


Dye & Durham


Swift Networks Limited


Qteq Pty Ltd


Figma


Port of Newcastle


Volkswagen


nbn


MSD


Cinven (private equity)


Work highlights


  • Acting for the Apple respondents in Apple ats Epic Games, raising issues concerning digital platforms’ market power which are the subject of litigation and regulatory reform and investigation in a number of jurisdictions globally.
  • Advising APLNG in relation to ongoing and comprehensive enquiries conducted by the ACCC with respect to gas supply in the Australian East Coast and sales in international markets and associated matters.
  • Acted for Canadian headquartered technology services company Dye & Durham to secure ACCC informal clearance of its $A2.5 billion proposed takeover of ASX-listed Link Administration Group Limited, which owned a 42.7% stake in PEXA Limited.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

The team at Corrs Chambers Westgarth counts merger control, behavioural investigations, antitrust litigation and cartel investigations among its core strengths. The group is notably able to leverage a distinct level of expertise in big tech and class action matters, and is likewise knowledgeable of healthcare, pharmaceutical, financial services, payments and telecoms-related matters. Mark McCowan enjoys a track record in overseeing cross-border mandates, serving as practice co-head alongside Andrew Korbel, a trade investigation specialist. Richard Flitcroft is also among the key names, boasting over 25 years of representation before the ACCC and other regulators.

Practice head(s):

Mark McCowan; Andrew Korbel


Other key lawyers:

Richard Flitcroft; Ian Reynolds; Lara Hall; Lizzie Knight


Testimonials

‘The firm is uniquely placed to project manage large-scale regulatory investigations and legal proceedings. The firm has a dedicated talent pool to readily draw from, including a team of paralegals and legal technology experts, to support large-scale matters. The legal technology team is able to set up secure document transfer to a Corrs’ portal to streamline the process of document review and cataloging.’

The firm’s practice consists of a highly skilled team of lawyers, senior associates and partners that take time to intimately understand client concerns and business operations for matters they support. Lawyers have diversity in skills to pivot across multiple aspects of a matter (eg financial data analysis) and are reliable with communication and work output. The firm’s practice adopts a collaborative and collegial approach to managing client matters and expectations. Of most help has been the firm’s ability to update clients on regulatory and legal developments on a needs basis (non-billable service) and provide a direct line of communication to present to a client’s Executive leadership team. ’

‘Richard Flitcroft is a stand-out legal professional. He approaches matters with a strong understanding of the key legal risks at hand and is pragmatic when advising on strategies for clients.

Richard is personable, readily available, and an absolute pleasure to work with. ’

‘The premier FIRB practice in Australia. They have a wealth of experience practicing before FIRB and approach every situation with a commercial and practical mindset. ’

‘Lizzie Knight is brilliant and adept at briefing private equity and other complex transaction structures to FIRB. She is excellent at calibrating engagement and communications with FIRB to produce exceptional outcomes.’

Key clients

Google


Meta (Facebook)


Fuji Xerox Australia


Avast


Coles


Wesfarmers


TPG Telecom


Work highlights


  • Appointed to defend Google in a landmark private antitrust litigation commenced by Epic Games, a US$30 billion online gaming giant responsible for Fortnite.
  • Successfully defended Google LLC in Federal Court proceedings brought by the ACCC alleging that Google breached the Australian Consumer Law by misleading users about the collection and use of data about their web and app activity.
  • Advised mining giant Rio Tinto on all aspects of a major iron ore joint venture with China Baowu Group in the Pilbara region of Western Australia – a multibillion mining deal.

Gilbert + Tobin

Gilbert + Tobin is equipped to oversee highly complex merger filings, including spanning across the entirety of Asia-Pacific region, in addition to private and enforcement strategic litigation, strategic advice and competition/consumer law matters. Operating from Sydney, Elizabeth Avery  covers the full array of related matters, acting for flagship clients such as Microsoft and Westpac; she acts alongside Charles Coorey, whose recent highlights include Australian Consumer Law enforcement matters, and Louise Klamka, an aviation and digital markets expert, who is acclaimed for her ACCC merger clearance and cartel knowledge. Special counsel Haidee Leung is noted for providing ‘fantastic engagement‘ with clients. The team also enjoys a strong presence in Melbourne where Simon Muys  has notable expertise in the utilities and infrastructure sectors.

Practice head(s):

Elizabeth Avery


Other key lawyers:

Charles Coorey; Louise Klamka; Simon Muys; Haidee Leung; Liana Witt


Testimonials

‘Excellent communication, availability, and technical expertise. I felt confident we were in safe hands and that G+T would make sure we met all deadlines, and the work product would be first-rate.’

G+T’s competition team has deep expertise from their partners to their junior lawyers, which is a real strength in how the firm is able to deliver advice and rely on its more junior members of the team accordingly. The team also has very strong relationships with the ACCC, with a number of their lawyers having worked at the ACCC, which gives them unique insights into the agency’s perspective, organisational structure, and personnel. ’

The best thing about G+T is that no matter who you are working with, they are first rate. There is a very reassuring consistency in advice and skill across the firm. This applies to partners, special counsel, and all the way down to graduates and paralegals. This is driven in part by the trust that G+T partners have in their lawyers – most of whom are operating at a level that is years above what would be expected for their PQE.’

Key clients

Microsoft


Telstra Group


Prosegur Australia


Virgin Group


Culligan Group


CHC Group


Korean Air


NSW Ports


eftpos Payments Australia


APA Group


Oz Minerals


Jaybro Group


BlueScope


PAG


Westpac Bank


CSR Limited


Jemena


Aon


Ausgrid


Qube Logistics


Carnival Cruises


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


GrainCorp


Tabcorp


ASX Limited


Elanco


Macquarie Bank


Maersk


Switzer


Work highlights


  • Acted for Prosegur Australia in applying for merger authorisation to combine its national cash-in-transit and ATM businesses with Linfox Armaguard.
  • Acted for Telstra on its ACCC merger authorisation application for its A$1.8 billion deal with TPG; the merger authorisation, opposed by the ACCC, was appealed to the Australian Competition Tribunal, with a decision currently pending.
  • Successfully represented NSW Ports (owner of privatised leases of Ports Botany and Kembla) in ACCC proceedings alleging terms of privatisation were anticompetitive, winning at trial and on appeal.

Herbert Smith Freehills

Herbert Smith Freehills, a Silver Circle firm, is home to market leading expertise in respect of mergers, cartel matters, misuse of power investigations and breaches of consumer law. Linda Evans is a financial services, transport, energy and telecommunications sector specialist who heads the team from Sydney; she acts alongside Patrick Gay, acclaimed for cartel and distribution arrangement matters, in addition to regulatory enforcement issues. Stephanie Panayi made partner in May 2023 and, among other matters, is often active on vertical and horizontal competition considerations arising from M&A.

Practice head(s):

Linda Evans


Other key lawyers:

Patrick Gay; Stephanie Panayi; Sarah Benbow; Patrick Clark


Work highlights


King & Wood Mallesons

Home to a full-service offering spanning merger, consumer law, cartel, ACCC enforcement and regulatory investigation mandates, among others, King & Wood Mallesons has recently noted an uptick in instructions with digital industry, finance and sustainability components. Based in Sydney, Luke Woodward is distinctly knowledgeable of sectors such as gas, electricity, water, rail, seaports and airports; he is supported locally by Peta Stevenson, often involved in global investigations, and Wayne Leach who notably serves as counsel to Google and Meta. In addition, Tamara Hunter is a veteran of numerous standout ACCC investigations, while the promising Christopher Kok notably made partner in June 2023. At the Melbourne office, Caroline Coops deploys her extensive expertise on behalf of names such as NAB, Telstra and Alliance Airlines, while Lisa Huett is particularly focused on the enforcement and application of cartel law. Simon Cooke is likewise a standout, having forged a particularly prominent reputation in the infrastructure space.

Practice head(s):

Luke Woodward


Other key lawyers:

Peta Stevenson; Wayne Leach; Tamara Hunter; Christopher Kok; Caroline Coops; Lisa Huett; Simon Cooke


Testimonials

‘Exceptional attention to detail and efficiency. Very accessible. Communicates complex concepts and nuance very effectively.’

‘KWM have a lot of sector-specific experience which puts them in a unique position of being able to deliver thoughtful, tailored advice for their clients. They are very focussed on delivering good outcomes for their clients and are highly receptive to feedback. This enables them to continually adapt and strive to better service their clients. KWM also have a very good grasp compared to other firms of the policy environment, not just the legal environment, in which their clients work which makes them well-rounded advisors. ’

‘Luke Woodward is a standout partner in the practice, with unparalleled experience and knowledge of ACCC strategy. He has the ability to cut through to isolate key issues, thinks laterally about problems, and gives clear, commercial and on-point guidance. ’

Key clients

3A Composites GmbH


AGL


Airtasker


Alliance Airlines Pty Limited


APA Group


Block Inc


Bluescope


Bristol-Myers Squibb Company


Citigroup


Department of Defence


Endeavour Group


Fitbit


Google


Mercury Capital Investments Pty Ltd


META PLATFORMS, INC.


National Australia Bank


NPP Australia Limited


Palisade Investment Partners Limited


Port Waratah


Royal Bank of Scotland


Tabcorp


Telstra Corporation Ltd


Transurban Limited including JV


United Petroleum


Westpac Banking Corporation


Woodside Petroleum Limited


Woolworths Group Limited


Zoetis Inc


Work highlights


  • Acting for Woodside on its company-defining $60 billion merger with BHP Petroleum.
  • Acting for Aurizon on its acquisition of One Rail for AUD $2.35 billion.
  • Acting for Natwest in defence of a class action alleging cartel conduct in connection with global foreign exchange trading.

Baker McKenzie

Active on ACCC enforcement and investigation matters, in addition to merger clearances, consumer/competition law matters and advisory affairs, Baker McKenzie is headed by Georgina Foster; her illustrious track record includes a number of flagship cartel conduct and pricing/distribution strategy mandates. Lynsey Edgar is noted for her knowledge of misleading and deceptive conduct, unconscionable conduct and advertising issues.

Practice head(s):

Georgina Foster


Other key lawyers:

Lynsey Edgar; Helen Joyce


Testimonials

‘The team is genuinely capable and connected globally and can instruct and manage firms in and outside their network including in other areas of legal practice. They are very strong locally across the areas we need. We pay on a time-recorded basis but with a long-term regular client discount.

‘Lynsey Edgar and Jeremy Hardy are individually and collectively excellent. They each have the legal, technical and commercial acumen and experience we need and are up-to-date with regulatory action and cases. ’

‘The individuals in the practice have extensive expertise in the area, are diligent and incredibly thorough, and think legal issues through in terms of further consequences both practical and commercial. The senior associates in this team are outstanding.’

Key clients

SUEZ / Veolia


Sika AG


Mastercard


Airbnb


Cochlear


WiseTech


Australian Competition and Consumer Commission


Sika AG


Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific


Australian Energy Regulator


Fujifilm Australia


JB Hi-Fi


British American Tobacco


Mandiant


Work highlights


  • Acted for SUEZ in Australia in relation to Veolia’s global merger with SUEZ and obtaining ACCC merger clearance.
  • Acting for Mastercard, a global payments and technology company, on proceedings filed by the ACCC in 2022 in the Federal Court alleging misuse of market power, exclusive dealing and anti-competitive conduct in relation to its arrangements with more than 20 major retail businesses.
  • Acted for Mercedes-Benz in defence of Federal Court enforcement proceedings brought by the ACCC in relation to the global recall of Takata airbags.

Johnson Winter Slattery

Johnson Winter Slattery is predominantly active within the energy, resources, aviation, healthcare and financial services sectors, acting on matters such as mergers, cartels, market power misuse and access to infrastructure. The team is headed from Sydney by Sar Katdare, often involved in ACCC investigations for both national and international clients. Aldo Nicotra is another name to note whose recent workload includes significant matters for names such as Qantas and Mastercard.

Practice head(s):

Sar Katdare


Other key lawyers:

Aldo Nicotra; Michele Laidlaw; Jennifer Dean


Testimonials

‘JWS’ real strength is their collaborative, commercially informed approach. The Competition team at JWS really knows our business and the industry in which we operate, which makes their advice actionable and hyper-relevant.’

‘Aldo Nicotra blends extensive technical expertise with pragmatic commercial advice to guide his clients through an increasingly complex area of Competition and Trade.’

‘Sar Katdare is a stand-out partner who is commercial, and pragmatic and has taken the time to really get to know our business. He is a complete pleasure to work with and has built strong trusted advisor relationships with our internal legal team as well as members of senior management across our business. We can rely on him for timely, relevant, commercial, and actionable advice, every time.’

Key clients

Qantas


Ramsay Healthcare


Unilever


Domain


ACCC


Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA)


InvoCare


Flinders Ports


Prysmian


Pepsi


Elders


University of Adelaide


Cooper Energy


Greencross


Liverpool Partners


Cuscal


LexisNexis


Illion


Work highlights


  • Advising Qantas in relation on its acquisition of the remaining shares in Alliance Airlines, in response to the ACCC’s announcement in May 2023 that it would oppose the acquisition.
  • Advising the ACCC on its Federal Court proceedings against Mastercard for alleged misuse of market power and other anti-competitive conduct in breach of Australia’s competition laws in the supply of debit card acceptance services.
  • Acted in the first criminal cartel where individuals have been sentenced to jail and also the first case involving the Australian Federal Police.|

Minter Ellison

The practice at Minter Ellison is headed by Paul Schoff who serves as a go-to for misuse of market power, price fixing and merger clearances, among other affairs; he works from the firm’s Sydney office where Haydn Flack serves as an expert for ACCC cartel investigation and consumer protection matters. At the Melbourne office, Miranda Noble is a standout for clearances pertaining to global transactions, while senior associate Tom Faulls is routinely involved in the group’s standout matters.

Practice head(s):

Paul Schoff


 


Other key lawyers:

Haydn Flack; Miranda Noble; Tom Faulls; Geoff Carter; Katrina Groshinski; Karla Nader


Testimonials

‘The team worked under difficult circumstances and had to adapt their usual process in order to comprehend the documents and understand the case. Their out put was exceptional under very difficult circumstances whilst keeping the client informed and as calm as possible. ’

‘Paul Schoff and Haydn Flack are excellent in understanding a very complex case under difficult circumstances and Haydn was outstanding in managing the client throughout the process.’

‘The firm has a very strong competition practice, with key partners supported by a talented group of lawyers. The practice makes excellent use of legal technology (particularly in relation to document searching and production) and the technology services area is integrated into the legal practice so that it feels like one ‘seamless’ service when those technologies are leveraged. ’

‘Haydn Flack and Paul Schoff are leaders in this practice area, and both also have an excellent understanding of the telecommunications industry. Haydn in particular is very service-oriented and accessible and has proven that he is able to get on top of highly technical, technology-based subject matters very quickly. Karla Nader is definitely an senior associate on the rise in the Competition area. ’

Key clients

iRobot


VMware


Qantas Airways / Jetstar Airways


Singtel Optus


Juno


Allianz


Cargotec


State of New South Wales


Linfox Armaguard Pty Ltd


THL


IKEA


oOh! Media


Work highlights


Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright is active on a diverse range of domestic and international matters, often working in close tandem with its overseas offices in the EU, US, and UK. Key fields of expertise include merger clearances and approvals from the Foreign Investment Review Board, with the team recently noting an uptick in matters in the digital, energy, resources and consumer fields. Nick McHugh has extensive expertise in the economic regulation of the gas, water, transport, telecommunications, electricity, and water industries; he works from Sydney alongside Martyn Taylor, with the duo co-leading the team jointly with Jo Feldman, a member of the Perth office. Claire Forster, also a member of the Sydney office, is praised for her ‘commercially astute‘ knowledge, particularly in the energy field.

Practice head(s):

Nick McHugh; Martyn Taylor; Jo Feldman


Other key lawyers:

Andrew Riordan; Claire Forster; Zoe Lonard


Testimonials

‘The team stands out for the timeliness and accuracy of the advice provided in situations where there is little time to respond.’

‘Claire Forster and special counsel Zoe Lonard stand out as commercially astute and capable. Their understanding of our business lead us to make legally well-informed and sound commercial decisions.’

Key clients

Amazon


AT&T


Ashley & Martin Pty Ltd


Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)


Australian Energy Regulator


Fuji Film


Honda


HSBC Bank


Megaport Limited


Michelin


Net Zero Insurance Alliance (United Nations)


QBE Insurance


Sandvik AB


Sumitomo


Stanmore Resources


TPG Telecom


Vodafone Group


Westpac Banking Corporation


World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)


WPP


Zurich


Work highlights


  • Acting for Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in world-first prosecution of Google’s collection, retention and use of location data and doubleclick.
  • Acting for Stanmore in AUD 1.68 billion merger clearance for Stanmore’s acquisition of Dampier Coal from BHP.
  • Acting for Sandvik in its high-value acquisition of S-Process Equipment Australia.

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP counts merger control, market investigations and antitrust litigation as the three key pillars of its offering. The firm is able to leverage its presence in China and Hong Kong, among other APAC locations, and counts the digital, tech, finance, natural resources, and energy industries among its key industries. Peter McDonald heads the practice from Sydney, having previously served as a senior officer at the ACCC.

Practice head(s):

Peter McDonald


Other key lawyers:

Lisa Emanuel


Testimonials

‘Very knowledgeable, commercial and creative.’

‘Peter McDonald is an outstanding creative and commercial thinker.’

Key clients

Google


Property Exchange Australia Limited (PEXA)


Dulux


Fortescue Future Industries


Woodside


Alinta Energy


One Rail


Singtel


George Weston Foods


Bupa


Work highlights


  • Acting for Google in relation to the ACCC’s 5-year Digital Platform Services Inquiry.
  • Acting for Woodside and Alinta in the ACCC’s ongoing East Coast Gas Inquiry into the supply and demand for wholesale gas in Australia.
  • Represented Fortescue Future Industries in relation to a proposed joint venture arrangement with Power Plug Industries for the manufacture and supply of hydrogen fuel cell products and related systems and infrastructure.

Jones Day

Jones Day fields a global team of over 135 competition experts, present throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas; its team in Australia is active on merger clearance, supply arrangement, competitor collaboration, cartel and misuse of market power matters, and is active in industries including infrastructure, digital platforms, transport, healthcare and tourism. In Melbourne, energy and infrastructure specialist Matthew Bull leads the team with Sydney-based Prudence Smith, a standout name for cross-border matters involving Singapore and the wider ASEAN region.

Practice head(s):

Matthew Bull; Prudence Smith


Testimonials

‘Prudence Smith is always available and has an exceptionally deep knowledge of competition law. Her advice is always practical and commercially valuable.’

‘Strategic advice on competition issues and clearance applications. Compared to other firms Jones Day is extremely knowledgeable in relation to specific subsectors and industry thematics, which allows them to provide highly useful commercial advice.’

‘Matthew Bull has a deep understanding of the specific subsectors in which we operate and the regulator’s approach to key issues, which he is able to leverage to provide highly commercial advice.’

‘Very strong team with an excellent client focus.’

‘Exceptional market understanding and great client service. ’

‘Small practice but experienced and knowledgeable partners who are readily available to assist. ’

‘Prudence Smith brings unique insight, having worked at the ACCC.’

Matt Bull is experienced, pragmatic, and always thinks about how best to add value. ’

Key clients

Brookfield Asset Management


THL


Work highlights


  • Advised Brookfield on competition issues relating to the sale of its 50% interest in GeelongPort (along with SAS Trustee Corporation, the owner of the other 50%).
  • Provided competition representation for Apollo before antitrust regulators in relation to its merger with Tourism Holdings Limited in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

K&L Gates

K&L Gates is led by Sydney-based Ayman Guirguis who holds the distinction of having served as a senior office at the ACCC. The team is extremely well-versed in private sector and government matters and is engaged in merger clearance, cartel conduct, misuse of market power, and Australian Consumer Law issues.

Practice head(s):

Ayman Guirguis


Testimonials

‘K&L Gates assisted us on a regulatory compliance matter in which there was limited scope for innovation. Despite this, K&L Gates were able to share their depth of knowledge based on their own experience with respect to utilising technology that existed within our own organisation. This was invaluable in assisting us to prepare for the actions we needed to undertake. ’

‘Ayman Guirguis is a stand out in this space. Ayman is attentive, highly responsive, knowledgeable, and experienced. Ayman is deeply experienced in liaising with regulators and understands what is required. Ayman’s advice is practical, honest, and succinct, all of which are critical when working to strict timeframes. ’

Key clients

BlueScope Steel


Sinch


ExxonMobil


HP


Visy Industries


Woods Bagot


Emerald Grain


Medibank


Honda Australia


National Pharmaceutical Services Association (NPSA)


Americold


Sigma


Reckitt Benckiser


Arnott’s


Ericsson


Pact Group


Barenbrug


FIFA


GMHBA


Hewitt Cattle


Yumbah


Servier


A2B


Serco


Work highlights


Arnold Bloch Leibler

At Arnold Bloch Leibler, the team is acclaimed for its work on ACCC approvals, investigations and prosecutions, including cartel conduct, merger clearances and misleading/deceptive conduct. Based in Melbourne, Zaven Mardirossian leads the practice, which is also active on private competition proceedings, and is also sought for its knowledge of product recalls, consumer law and compliance programs.

Practice head(s):

Zaven Mardirossian


Other key lawyers:

Matthew Lees


Key clients

Retail Food Group


Fonterra


Mecca


Tasmanian Ports Corporation


Hostplus


Australian Grand Prix Corporation


Spotlight


International pharmaceutical company


Mosaic Brands


Zip Co


Netflix


Work highlights


  • Acted for ASX-listed company and major Australian franchisor, Retail Food Group (RFG), owner of popular brands such as Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s Bakeries and Donut King, in the ACCC proceeding, which followed a three-year company-wide investigation.
  • Acting for Fonterra, one of Australia’s largest dairy processors, in a Supreme Court class action brought on behalf of dairy farmers who, during the 2015/2016 season, supplied milk to Fonterra.
  • Acted for Mecca, the largest distributor and retailer of cosmetics products in Australia, in its successful proceeding in the Supreme Court of Victoria against California-based Hourglass Cosmetics (a Unilever brand).

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance is home to over 100 competition lawyers who operate across Australia and the wider APAC region, Europe and the US. The team recently bolstered its practice through the June 2023 hire of Elizabeth Richmond from Clayton Utz; she arrives with a stellar track record in merger clearance, competition litigation, and gas-related regulatory/advisory work. Counsel Mark Grime, who is notably qualified in both Australia and New York, regularly advises on high-stakes competition law matters with a particular focus on complex merger clearance work.

Practice head(s):

Elizabeth Richmond


Other key lawyers:

Mark Grime; Angel Fu


Testimonials

‘We have used Clifford Chance in Australia and internationally. The strength that I see in using Clifford Chance is that their antitrust team operates globally and seamlessly, which means we benefit from the international experience of solicitors who have oversight of regulatory actions in our markets in overseas jurisdictions, as well as local expertise. This capability cannot be under emphasised, and cannot be delivered by law firms that only operate in Australia.

‘We always value collaborative, responsive and skilled personnel. Clifford Chance’s culture is particularly collaborative – both with each other and with their clients. They operate collectively and as part of our team. This makes them stand out. A special mention goes to Angel Fu, a Senior Associate in the Sydney office was highly responsive and easy to work with.’

‘The exceptional skill and expertise of individuals within the team make this team a standout amongst its competitors. The advice provided is always very timely, commercial and practical which helps to ensure that it gets cut through and supported within other business units within my organisation.’

‘Elizabeth Richmond is an absolute superstar and I could not recommend her more highly! She can always be relied on to provide prompt, proactive, and high-quality legal advice, sometimes at extremely short notice. Despite how busy Elizabeth must be, as a client you always feel like you have her utmost priority and attention, which is always very greatly appreciated. Elizabeth is a very skilled communicator, with the ability to distill and clearly communicate complex legal issues to a wide range of stakeholders including to Boards and Commercial teams. ’

Key clients

Viva Energy


Qatar Airways


British Airways


Iberia


WeBuild S.p.A


Adobe Inc.


Lactalis Australia


Bunnings / Beaumont Tiles


Amazon


Work highlights


  • Represented Lactalis in legal proceedings commenced by the ACCC for allegations regarding breaches of the Dairy Code of Conduct.
  • Advised British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Iberia on all antitrust matters and antitrust immunity filings relating to a revised and expanded passenger joint business agreement.
  • Advised Viva Energy on all of the competition related aspects of its AU$1.15 billion acquisition of convenience retailer OTR Group from Peregrine Corporation.

HWL Ebsworth

HWL Ebsworth is especially formidable in respect of criminal cartel defence, though is also active on merger clearance and ACCC investigation matters. The practice is co-led by Sydney-based Richard Westmoreland alongside Peter Campbell who works from Adelaide and often represents public sector clients.

Practice head(s):

Richard Westmoreland; Peter Campbell


Key clients

BOC


Elgas


Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd


Bunnings


Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) and Priceline


Commonwealth Bank


Rexel


Singapore Airlines


Viva Energy


Sony Australia


South Australian Government


Santos Limited


University of South Australia


Singapore Airways


Work highlights


  • Acting for Christopher Joyce, the export manager for Alkaloids of Australia, in relation to criminal cartel proceedings brought by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
  • Advising Singapore Airlines in relation to arrangements with Virgin Australia allowing each airline to code share on the other’s flights and provides for Virgin Australia to act as Singapore Airlines’ agent to cross-sell Singapore Airlines flights to Virgin Australia’s corporate clients.

Mills Oakley

Though adept in a broad variety of matters, Mills Oakley is 'a robust pragmatic practice that you can rely on'. It demonstrates a particularly formidable track record in cartel-related litigation. Kathryn Edghill counts Microsoft, eBay, and American Express as her key clients, and leads the practice from Sydney.

Practice head(s):

Kathryn Edghill


Testimonials

‘A robust pragmatic practice that you can rely on. They can speak to all levels of an organisation – you don’t need a law degree to decipher their advice.’

‘Kathryn Edghill is brilliant to work with – she is very responsive and gives insightful and pragmatic answers. Her off-the-cuff answers are appreciated too – I am not left with a very legalese unclear answer.’

‘Kathryn Edghill stands out. She is highly experienced, has excellent instincts, and is extremely diligent. Clients also love Kathryn because she is personable and practical.’

‘Mid-size and so able to tailor services to client’s needs and resources.’

‘Sensible, pragmatic, and very experienced. ’

Key clients

Mazda Australia Pty Ltd


eBay


American Express


LG Electronics


Frucor Suntory


Microsoft Corporation & Microsoft Australia


Vodafone


Avery Dennison


Electrolux


Mylan (Alphapharm) now Viatris


Cameron Harrison


Winning Group


NSW Ports


Evergreen Garden Care Company


The Nielsen Company


The TJX Companies Inc


Simplot Australia


Stake Holdings


Sharetea Australia


Superior Food Group


Flower Power


Capral Limited


iSelect Ltd


Perfection Fresh Australia


Work highlights


  • Advising Electrolux ,Viatris, Simplot, Mazda, LG and American Express in respect of their respective day to day competition and consumer law requirements in Australia.
  • Representing Mazda in its defence and prosecution of proceedings brought by the competition regulator, the ACCC, in the Federal Court.
  • Obtaining merger clearances for clients including Perfection Fresh and Superior Food Group for acquisitions of competitors across Australia.

Moulis Legal

A Canberra-based boutique, Moulis Legal specialises in international trade and WTO matters, include applicable law, WTO remedies and dispute settlement, sanctions, export controls and customs advice, among other affairs. The practice is jointly led by Charles Zhan and Daniel Moulis.

Practice head(s):

Charles Zhan; Daniel Moulis


Key clients

KG Dongbu Steel


Xinyi Automobile Glass/Dongguan Benson Automobile Glass


Achema AB


SSAB EMEA/SSAB US


SCAW Metals Group/Haggie Steel Wire Rope


Best Bar


Chengxi Shipyard


Compania Electro Metalurgica S.A/Changshu Longte Grinding Ball


Dongkuk Steel Mill


Electra Cables


Work highlights


  • Advised one of the top five automotive glass manufacturers in the world, Xinyi Glass Holdings, in an anti-dumping matter.
     
     
     
  • Successfully represented Chinese state-owned company Chengxi Shipyard in an anti-dumping matter relating to wind towers exported from China.
  • Successful defence of ME Elecmetal and Changshu Longte, in an anti-dumping case.