The ‘proactive and commercial’ team at Allens focuses on contentious competition and consumer law issues, including regulatory investigations, market studies and inquiries, and competition litigation. On the merger control side, the team acts in relation to both domestic transactions and the Australian aspects of multi-jurisdictional deals. Acting on the first-ever transaction in accordance with the ACCC’s newly adopted merger authorisation rules, the group is assisting automotive retail group A.P. Eagers with lodging a merger authorisation application concerning the client’s acquisition of Automotive Holdings Group; Sydney-based practice head Jacqueline Downes leads a team on this matter. The work of the team in Sydney gains additional credibility through the experience of firm chairman and former department head Fiona Crosbie, who also chaired the Competition and Consumer Committee of the Law Council of Australia. The group in Melbourne (including standout practitioners such as Rosannah Healy, Ted Hill and Robert Walker) has significant strength in the financial services, mining, oil and gas and retail sectors. In Brisbane, the team has extensive experience in access regulation matters; John Hedge is a key contact in this space. Notably, the Perth-based team expanded its ability to provide contentious competition advice with the arrival of litigator Richard Lilly from Johnson Winter & Slattery in July 2019. Carolyn Oddie and senior associate David Mierendorff are also key contacts in Sydney.

At Gilbert + Tobin, Sydney-based duo Luke Woodward and Elizabeth Avery share leadership of the ‘commercially astute and highly competent’ full-service competition department nationwide. The team has an unrivalled merger control strength across the Asia-Pacific region, which is additionally enhanced by the recent proliferation of transactions between domestic and foreign companies. The experience of Gina Cass-Gottlieb (Sydney) is difficult to match in relation to complex merger clearances of domestic and global transactions. Another key differentiating characteristic of the team is that multiple members have a multi-disciplinary background, including expertise in economic consulting utilised in the context of access regulation and merger issues. Alongside this merger control strength, the team acts for both corporate and government clients, and places a strong emphasis on regulatory advice, market studies and enforcement work. Also worthy of a note, the Melbourne-based team is experiencing an uptick in work from the pharmaceutical sector as a result of the arrival of special counsel Susan Jones in July 2019; Jones formerly occupied a leading in-house position at a large pharmaceutical company. The team also stands out in the energy sector, where Jennifer Barron (Sydney) is particularly prominent. Other sectors of focus include regulated sectors such as electricity, water, rail, gas, telecoms, financial services and life sciences, among multiple others.

Herbert Smith Freehills is known for its competition work in key sectors such as energy, financial services, telecoms, and infrastructure and transport. The group led by Sydney-based practice head Liza Carver is renowned for its merger clearance work; it most recently acted for TPG on its high-profile, highly contested merger with Vodafone. Other fields of focus for the team include ACCC enforcement and regulatory issues; Patrick Gay is a name to note in this regard due to his extensive experience in the consumer products sphere. The group has a strong presence in Melbourne as well, where Sarah Benbow is routinely instructed in relation to Australian, European and UK enforcement matters and investigations. In mid-2020, Matthew Bull departed to chair the competition practice at Jones Day.

Complex multi-jurisdictional merger clearances form the bedrock of King & Wood Mallesons’ competition law work; Sharon Henrick (Sydney), Simon Cooke (Melbourne) and dual-qualified associate Christopher Kok (Sydney) all have a solid track record assisting clients with merger control issues. In addition, the team is noted for its strong relationships with the regulators and praised by clients for being ‘at the forefront of competition cases and thinking’; of particular note, it is a stalwart of the cartel prosecutions, regulatory investigations and ACCC enforcement landscape. Consumer law investigations and related litigation are also a forte for the group, and also an area of specialism for Melbourne-based Caroline Coops. Sector-specific expertise includes financial services, mining, digital services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals and agribusiness, among others. Wayne Leach sits at the helm of the practice and is based in Sydney, where market commentators also highly recommend Peta Stevenson for her competition litigation expertise.

Baker McKenzie benefits from the firm’s global network, upon which the Australia-based team is able to rely for multi-jurisdictional merger control work; Sydney-based practice head Georgina Foster has specialist expertise in this realm. The group is equally well-versed in the area of investigations, regulatory matters, and consumer law issues; dispute resolution department head Alex Wolff (Melbourne), recently promoted partner Helen Joyce (Melbourne) and Lynsey Edgar (Sydney) focus their practice on enforcement work. Further, the team stands out for its credentials in more innovative and trendy areas of competition law; of particular note, clients praise its ‘deep understanding of the payments industry’, but it also has accrued significant experience in the tech and life sciences sectors. Elizabeth Sarofim departed to Dentons at the end of 2019.

Despite being an independent national law firm, Clayton Utz maintains a strong focus on merger control work at both domestic and cross-border levels; Linda Evans has a solid reputation in this field. The department is a suitable proposition for clients seeking assistance with consumer law issues and related litigation; in this space, its work gains additional credibility due to Michael Corrigan’s former experience as National Chair of the Competition and Consumer Law Committee at the Law Council of Australia. The team’s workload demonstrates its ability to act across currently demanding and trendy sectors such as telecoms, financial services, technology, retail and transport. Bruce Lloyd is particularly prominent in the telecoms industry, while Elizabeth Richmond is a key contact for contentious competition issues. The department is based in Sydney and it is headed by Kirsten Webb.

Minter Ellison has carved out a reputation for acting on cartel and regulatory investigations and other competition enforcement matters; Katrina Groshinski (Sydney) is a name to note in this area. The firm’s independent law firm status also facilitates the team’s ability to act on both domestic and cross-border merger control issues, which is an area of specialism for Melbourne-based Geoff Carter. Also based in Melbourne is Miranda Noble, who is noted for her work on merger authorisation proceedings in the Australian Competition Tribunal. Sydney-based Paul Schoff leads the practice, which is well-equipped to handle work in the financial services, energy, telecoms, government and healthcare sectors. Senior associate Haydn Flack is another key team member in Sydney.

During the decade since its establishment in 2010, Allen & Overy LLP’s Sydney-based competition department has established itself as a destination of choice for the Australian aspects of multi-jurisdictional merger clearances, market investigations, and competition litigation. Noted for its work across the Asia Pacific, the group acts in seamless cooperation with its counterpart based in China and Hong Kong. In addition, the technology, energy and financial services sectors are the team’s mainstays. Peter McDonald heads the practice, where counsel Stefanie Benson is also a key figure.

Led out of Melbourne, Arnold Bloch Leibler’s competition team stands out for its reputation in competition litigation, ACCC investigations and prosecutions, and merger control issues. Of recent note, the group is also very active in the product recalls space. The team’s wide-ranging expertise include sectors such as food, financial services, agriculture, retail and construction. Practice head Zaven Mardirossian has extensive experience handling competition law disputes. Further, both Mardirossian and Matthew Lees combine expertise in competition and IP law.

HWL Ebsworth places a special emphasis on ACCC proceedings, merger clearances and consumer law issues. The team is spearheaded by Richard Westmoreland and litigator Peter Campbell, respectively based in Sydney and Adelaide.

K&L Gates’ Sydney-based team ‘will go above and beyond for all matters’ and focuses on all aspects of merger clearances and supply chain issues. Regulatory investigations into cartel allegations and other breaches of competition law form another area of strength. The department’s work gains additional credibility due to the past experience of practice head Ayman Guirguis at the ACCC. The team is noted for being active across a wide range of sectors, including automotive, financial services, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and shipping, to name a few.

Praised for its 'consistently practical and efficient legal advice', Mills Oakley Lawyers’ experience encompasses both contentious and non-contentious work, including cartel litigation and merger control. The team is routinely involved in matters arising in the technology, telecoms, food and beverage, manufacturing, retail and financial sectors. Sydney-based practice head Kathryn Edghill and Graham Maher are the key contacts.