Firms To Watch: Competition: EU and global

In February, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP its European antitrust practice in Brussels; Jürgen Schindler and Frances Dethmers arrived from Allen & Overy LLP to lead the group. The team is increasingly advising on merger control processes, and behavioural and compliance issues across the EU and globally.
Competition and data protection boutique Faros was formed in September 2022 by a number of seasoned practitioners from contrast. Founding partners Frank Wijckmans, Maaike Visser, Emmelie Wijckmans and Karolien Francken are all key names to note in the antitrust space.
Under the leadership of Koen Platteau, Simmons & Simmons has been developing its capabilities in abuse of dominance cases and merger control proceedings. The arrival of Alejandro Guerrero Perez from Gibson Dunn in July 2022 was instrumental in strengthening the group.

Firms in the Spotlight Competition: EU and global

Lauwers Law

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Lauwers Law stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of tax law, renowned for its profound expertise and a uniquely tailored approach that effectively navigates the complexities of tax law across Belgium’s diverse regional landscape.  Our comprehensive services cover a broad spectrum of tax-related matters, including corporate taxation, international tax law, VAT, and …

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Competition: EU and global in Belgium

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is regarded by clients as ‘the gold standard in European competition law practices’. The firm is equally well regarded for its global merger control work and for its litigious strengths, which span multijurisdictional follow-on damages claims and cartel investigations before the European Commission, as well as non-cartel conduct cases. The ‘broad and deep practice’ has specialists with expertise spanning the gamut of relevant advisory and contentious mandates, including Christopher Cook, François-Charles Laprévote and Robbert Snelders. Antoine Winckler is particularly recommended for his knowledge of French competition law, while Nicholas Levy is regularly instructed on matters involving UK antitrust elements.

Practice head(s):

Nicholas Levy; Robbert Snelders


Other key lawyers:

Christopher Cook; Antoine Winckler; Patrick Bock; Wolfgang Deselaers; Maurits Dolmans; Enrique González-Díaz; Andris Rimsa; Isabel Rooms; François-Charles Laprévote; Thomas Graf; Romano Subiotto


Testimonials

‘The EU and global practice of Cleary Gottlieb is the gold standard in European competition law practices. For me, they have the best lawyers, work the hardest and are the most result-oriented of all of the practices to choose from.’

‘You cannot do any better than Enrique González-Díaz. He knows the law better than the regulators, knows technologies and products, and is, in my opinion, the most articulate and persuasive lawyer in the entire EU.’

‘They have an incredible breadth of knowledge, and their standards are never below exceptional.’

Key clients

Broadcom


Illumina


Google


Veolia


Celanese


Coca Cola


ExxonMobil


GlaxoSmithKline


IBM


LVMH


Schibsted


NVIDIA (Icera)


Vifor Pharma


Whirlpool Corporation


Alstom


Work highlights


  • Advising Broadcom on all the antitrust components of its proposed acquisition of VMware.
  • Advising Illumina on all the antitrust components of its $7.1bn acquisition of GRAIL.
  • Advised Sony Interactive Entertainmenton the global reviews of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, as well as handling related litigation.

Clifford Chance

Clients turn to Clifford Chance for a 'significantly high level of service', particularly in bet-the-company mergers and strategic behavioural cases across a range of sectors, including technology, industrials, life sciences, financial services and consumer goods. The growing partner bench comprises transactional specialist Richard Blewett; expert litigator Dorothée Vermeiren; Dieter Paemen and Ashwin Van Rooijen, who typically handle abuse of dominance cases; Anastasios Tomtsis, whose broad practice spans state aid control and foreign subsidies work; and Milena Robotham, who was made up in May 2023.

Practice head(s):

Richard Blewett


Other key lawyers:

Anastasios Tomtsis; Dieter Paemen; Ashwin van Rooijen; Milena Robotham; Aleksander Tombiński; Katharine Missenden; Georgios Yannouchos; Dorothée Vermeiren


Testimonials

‘This law firm offers a significantly high level of service in terms of response time, business acumen/industry knowledge, appropriateness of advice, strength-in-depth of team and value for money.’

‘The depth and breadth of their knowledge ensures that they are able to support every client’s business needs successfully and provide high quality, innovative legal solutions in the increasingly complex area of legislation and practice.’

‘Anastasios Tomtsis and Georgios Yannouchos are excellent legal advisors with numerous strengths and qualities such as correct judgement, analytical skills, creativity, perseverance and commitment.’

‘I primarily work with Ashwin van Rooijen and Dieter Paemen and a team of good young associates. One of the strengths of Clifford Chance is their ability to look at both sides of a matter.’

‘Even-keeled, practical and realistic in their assessments. Timely work and responses.’

Key clients

Amazon


Epic Games


Oracle


Nokia


General Electric


Philip Morris International


FairSearch


TikTok


Prosus/OLX


British Airways


Abertis


Telekom Srbija


Arçelik


Work highlights


  • Representing Epic Games in its European Union antitrust complaint against Apple for alleged abuse of the latter’s dominant position.
  • Advising Philip Morris International on its €16bn acquisition of Swedish Match.
  • Advising Oracle on its acquisition of Cerner Corp.

Covington & Burling LLP

Under the direction of managing partner Johan Ysewyn, who also acts as co-head of Covington & Burling LLP's global competition group, the team in Brussels handles merger control, anti-cartel enforcement, monopolisation cases, and other conduct investigations. The firm is particularly well regarded for its state aid and foreign subsidies work, which has been booming lately. Senior of counsel Kevin Coates brings his extensive public sector experience in the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission to the department. Further notable of counsel include Carole Maczkovics and Melissa Van Schoorisse.

Practice head(s):

Johan Ysewyn


Other key lawyers:

Christian Ahlborn; Kevin Coates; Carole Maczkovics; Melissa Van Schoorisse


Key clients

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.


Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd


Deutsche Telekom


Bristol Myers Squibb


Air Products


AstraZeneca


Kohlberg & Co.


Deutsche Börse AG


Renesas Corp.


Eaton Corporation Plc


airBaltic


PSA International / PSA Antwerp


DPG Media Group


Dexia Group


UCB


Work highlights


  • Advised Vertex Pharmaceuticals on its global, multi-target license and option agreement, granting rights to conduct research using ImmunoGen’s antibody-drug conjugate technology to discover conditioning agents for use with gene editing.
  • Assisting Renesas, a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer, with the EU and global competition aspects of its €4.9bn acquisition of Dialog Semiconductor.
  • Advising Discovery on the global regulatory aspects of its proposed acquisition of AT&T’s WarnerMedia business.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

At Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, the team is 'able to pull from the firm’s resources across the globe to deliver insightful advice', making it an advisor of choice for major international corporates, particularly those from the TMT, energy, pharmaceutical and consumer sectors. 'Charismatic' managing partner Kyriakos Fountoukakos acts as global head of the competition, regulation and trade practice. Lode Van Den Hende is noted for his state aid expertise, while Daniel Vowden has significant experience of advising on foreign direct investment control and analogous regimes. Of counsel Peter Rowland is the name to note for merger control work.

Practice head(s):

Kyriakos Fountoukakos


Other key lawyers:

Lode Van Den Hende; Daniel Vowden; Eric White; Peter Rowland; Camille Puech-Baron; Morris Schonberg


Testimonials

‘The Brussels team were highly knowledgeable, proactive and solution-orientated in our efforts to engage with the EU. They also knew who to engage with and at what level.’

‘Eric White and Lode Van Den Hende took the lead on our efforts and assured we stayed on the most likely track for success.’

‘They are logical and also very practical because they know how the business works.’

Key clients

Uber


Comcast / Sky UK / Sky Deutschland


Google


The Coca-Cola Company


United Group


Sumitomo Corporation


Mitsubishi Corporation


Synthomer


British American Tobacco


Eni


Capital & Counties Properties


Altra Industrial Motion


SMBC Aviation Capital


Work highlights


  • Representing a car manufacturer in parallel investigations by the European Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority in relation to automotive end-of-life vehicles.
  • Advised Altra Industrial Motion on the merger control aspects of its $4.95bn acquisition by Regal Rexnord Corporation.
  • Represented the Coca-Cola Company in an abuse of dominance antitrust investigation launched by the European Commission.

Jones Day

The team at Jones Day brings its ‘specific smart understanding' to the gamut of competition work, merger control clearances, antitrust investigations and follow-on damages claims all form a significant part of the regular workload. Additionally, the team is well regarded for its state aid expertise. Bernard Amory oversees the practice, supported by Brussels office managing partner Alexandre Verheyden. Other key senior names in the team include Laurent De Muyter and Kaarli Eichhorn. Of counsel Geoffroy Van De Walle has recently led on major abuse of dominance cases. In June 2022, the group’s transactional offering was further strengthened by the arrival of Nadiya Nychay from Dentons.

Practice head(s):

Bernard Amory; Alexandre Verheyden


Other key lawyers:

Serge Clerckx; Charlotte Breuvart; Laurent De Muyter; Kaarli Eichhorn; Mario Todino; Philipp Werner; Philippe Laconte; Geoffroy Van De Walle; Laurence Van Mullem; Nadiya Nychay


Testimonials

‘The Jones Day competition team in Brussels has a specific smart understanding of the client’s constraints, business and needs. They are proactive in proposing new solutions, to fit in the best possible and compliant way with the client’s request.’

‘Alexandre Verheyden is a key contributor to the success of a deal, in complex and moving circumstances.’

‘Jones Day is able to bring the full team forward to serve the client, with inputs coming from both junior and senior members. They are very tuned into the concerns of the clients, and have very good knowledge of the relevant case law and how it may be relevant to a particular point. They are able to draft submissions in a way that is clear and compelling.’

‘Charlotte Breuvart has a good knowledge of EC case law and of the energy market and is able to combine this with a good understanding of client needs, and what this means for the positioning of arguments. She is genuinely nice to work with.’

‘A very collaborative team, enabling open discussions about the case.’

‘Kaarli Eichhorn – exceptional understanding of the industry and ability to explain complex competition law issues in a comprehensible manner.’

‘They are fast, practical and thoughtful in their advice.’

Key clients

Biocom California


Bombardier Inc.


Deutsche Telekom / T-Mobile


Dussur (Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company)


EDF


Eni


Essilor


FCA Bank


General Electric Company


Imerys


Korean Air


Mastercard


PIMCO (Pacific Investment Management Company LLC)


Procter & Gamble


RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité)


RWE AG


SAP


Suez


Teréga


Traxys


Valmet


Volkswagen Financial Services


Work highlights


  • Advising Korean Air on its $1.6bn acquisition of Asiana Airlines.
  • Successfully represented Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile in a challenge to Poland’s auction of spectrum on discriminatory terms in favor of its incumbent operator.
  • Secured the European Commission’s approval of €50m in state aid from the French State to support research and development activities in the field of Small Modular Reactors on behalf of EDF.

Latham & Watkins LLP

Latham & Watkins LLP's 'simply excellent' team has recently been particularly focused on expanding its merger clearance offering to position itself as an advisor of choice for foreign direct investments and foreign subsidies regulation issues. On the behavioral side, the group continues to act in the gamut of investigations run by the European Commission. Managing partner Lars Kjølbye and vice chair of the global competition practice Héctor Armengod oversee the department. Other key names include Carles Esteva Mosso and Sven Völcker. In October 2022, 'bright and fast' Christos Malamataris re-joined the firm from the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission.

Practice head(s):

Lars Kjølbye; Héctor Armengod


Other key lawyers:

Carles Esteva Mosso; Sven Völcker; Luca Crocco; John Wileur; Christos Malamataris


Testimonials

‘The Latham team handles several high profile and complex matters for us. They are special at understanding our complex business in a fast and comprehensive fashion. They are commercially sound, reliable and have a great sense of urgency. They delivery high quality and practical advice.’

‘Christos Malamataris is a rising star in the EU competition community. He is bright and fast at grasping the essential technical aspects requiring legal advice. Surely his period at the EU Commmision makes a difference and helps massively with risk assessment and mitigation. He is original and thinks out of the box. He’s incredibly competent, yet not only on the legal aspects.’

‘Responsive, practical guidance.’

‘Héctor Armengod is well-qualified, responsive and quick to identify key issues.’

‘The team at Latham & Watkins is simply excellent, and their efficacy benefits from a rare team spirit.’

‘Sven Völcker is an experienced and pragmatic partner, who is capable of identifying the most salient issues in complex situations, and providing a clear description of what is at stake.’

‘Excellent team, very profound antitrust expertise, very pragmatic advice.’

‘Lars Kjølbye – outstanding antitrust partner. Responsiveness, industry know-how, excellent and pragmatic advice.’

Key clients

American Airlines


CVC


Farfetch


Grail


Hyundai Heavy Industries


Lufthansa


Microsoft


Orange


Singapore Airlines


The Carlyle Group


Viasat


Vodafone


Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company


Work highlights


  • Advising Grail on its $8bn acquisition by Illumina.
  • Advised Viasat on obtaining global antitrust and foreign investment approvals for its $7.3bn acquisition of Inmarsat.
  • Represented the Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company in an investigation launched by the European Commission into possible abuse of dominance.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is particularly well regarded for its proficiency in assisting with the antitrust elements of complex M&A transactions, leveraging the firm's international capabilities to advise multinational corporations on merger control clearances across the globe. Ingrid Vandenborre and Frederic Depoortere jointly head up the practice; the former also acts as managing partner of the Brussels office. Bill Batchelor, who also spends a significant proportion of his time in London, provides key know-how relating to UK competition law.

Practice head(s):

Ingrid Vandenborre; Frederic Depoortere


Other key lawyers:

Bill Batchelor; Giorgio Motta; Thorsten Goetz; Niels Baeten


Testimonials

‘Very strong team of partners and associates in Brussels. Supremely hard working and effective.’

‘Ingrid Vandenborre, Frederic Depoortere and the rest of the team are very engaged, astute and experienced, and quick to identify and target the key issues on a case.’

Key clients

Activision Blizzard Inc.


Adobe Inc.


Ad Hoc CMTE of Holders of Neovia Holdco


Castik Capital S.à r.l.


DuPont de Nemours, Inc.


Dyson Technology Limited


Elon Musk


Hanwha Group


Harng Central Department Store Limited


Hg Pooled Management Limited


HP Inc.


Intel Corporation


Mahalo Group Holdings, LLC


Mars, Incorporated


Södra skogsägarna ek för


Tom Ford International LLC


Trimble Inc.


UniCredit Bank AG


Viatris Inc.


Victaulic Europe, B.V.


Work highlights


  • Advising Activision Blizzard on the antitrust aspects of its $68.7bn acquisition by Microsoft Corporation.
  • Advised DuPont de Nemours on the $11bn divestiture of a majority of its Mobility & Materials segment to Celanese Corporation.
  • Representing UniCredit Bank in the EC investigation of an alleged cartel in relation to European Government Bonds and in the appeal before the European General Court against the EC’s findings.

Slaughter and May

Slaughter and May's 'technically excellent' team handles a diverse workload which spans antitrust investigations, complex merger control clearances, state aid and subsidy control matters, and follow-on damages litigation. Brussels office head Anna Lyle-Smythe is singled out by one client as 'certainly one of the best competition lawyers in Europe'. Bertrand Louveaux and Claire Jeffs act as co-chairs of the global competition group, both splitting their time between Brussels and London. In a group comprised of 'standout individuals', other key names include Jordan Ellison and senior counsel Alexander Chadd.

Practice head(s):

Anna Lyle-Smythe; Bertrand Louveaux; Claire Jeffs


Other key lawyers:

Jonathan Slade; Jordan Ellison; Kerry O’Connell; Alexander Chadd


Testimonials

‘Jordan Ellison is not only very knowledgeable and smart but also stands out for the extra effort he puts into satisfying clients’ needs. Alexander Chadd has also been great with providing clear and concise advice.’

‘Excellent advice which is always technically sound. Brilliant service with good availability and fast turnaround.’

‘They are simply excellent.’

Key clients

Allianz


ARM


Banco Santander Totta


Booking Holdings


Bouygues


British Airways/IAG


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


Figma


Global Payments


Google


Japan Industrial Partners


Korean Air


Meta (formerly Facebook)


Netflix


Richemont (Compagnie Financière de Richemont)


S&P Global (including Platts)


Suez


UnitedHealth


Vodafone


Warner Music Group


Work highlights


  • Representing Google in the EC investigation into the online advertising technology sector.
  • Advising Booking Holdings on the EU and UK competition law aspects of its proposed acquisition of global flight online travel agency Etraveli.
  • Advising Figma, an online interactive digital product design tool, on the merger control aspects of its $20bn proposed acquisition by software company Adobe.

Van Bael & Bellis

Multinationals, goverment bodies and trade associations comprise the enviable client base at Van Bael & Bellis. The firm is best known for its work on major cartel and abuse of dominance cases, as well as its appellate representation before various EU courts. Andrzej Kmiecik and Porter Elliott jointly head up the practice. Other key names in the group of 'eminent specialists' include name partner Jean-François Bellis, merger review expert Johan Van Acker, and Andreas Reindl.

Practice head(s):

Andrzej Kmiecik; Porter Elliott


Other key lawyers:

Jean-Francois Bellis; Kris Van Hove; Markus Wellinger; Johan Van Acker; Andreas Reindl; Catherine Gordley


Testimonials

‘Excellent expertise, know the right people and know how to get things done.’

‘Van Bael & Bellis covers all areas of competition law and also all areas of international trade law linked to competition. They are active internationally and have an excellent reputation in various jurisdictions.’

‘The individuals are all eminent specialists in their respective fields and available 24/7.’

‘Van Bael & Bellis is a team of excellent specialists.’

‘A strong independent competitor to the major international practices which is capable of handling both major merger control matters at EU level and is also very experienced on cartels.’

Kris Van Hove and Andrzej Kmiecik are both extremely experienced on cartel matters and provide wise and reassuring counsel.’

‘Jean-Francois Bellis remains strongly involved in the practice and there is little he does not know in the field of competition law.’

Key clients

Association for Competitive Technology (ACT)


Bloomberg


Carlsberg


Eli Lilly


Gigaset


Gilead


Google


Halliburton


Japan Airlines


Neste Group


Nike


PPG Group


Pentair


Quaker Houghton


Stora Enso


Toyoda Gosei


Umicore Group


Work highlights


  • Successfully defended Stora Enso in the European Commission investigation of a suspected cartel among suppliers of wood pulp.
  • Successfully represented Alcogroup and its subsidiary Alcodis in proceedings initiated by the European Commission relating to the alleged ethanol benchmarks cartel.
  • Representing the ISU in its appeal against the European Commission decision which found that the client had infringed Article 101 TFEU by adopting and enforcing rules under which it determines whether ISU skaters may participate in speed skating competitions organised by third parties.

White & Case LLP

White & Case LLP continues to enjoy its reputation as a ‘litigation powerhouse‘, and has recently been active in a range of bet-the-company investigations and cases. The firm is also well versed in advising on global mergers, and fields an integrated foreign subsidies regulation team. James Killick  is the regional EMEA competition head. Other recommended senior practitioners include Mark Powell and Strati Sakellariou-Witt, while at the more junior level, counsel Irina Trichkovska is singled out. Former Brussels office executive partner Axel Schulz left in late 2023.

Practice head(s):

James Killick


Other key lawyers:

Mark Powell; Strati Sakellariou-Witt; Assimakis Komninos; Genevra Forwood; Irina Trichkovska


Testimonials

‘Industry knowledge, insightfulness, practical view, strong litigation practice.’

‘Assimakis Komninos is a certainty when it comes to delivering timely and high quality advice, insights and support.’

‘The White & Case Brussels team is a litigation powerhouse and expertly handles complex antitrust cases. They are fierce in court and get the argument across in a simple and efficient manner.’

‘We particularly enjoy working with Mark Powell, Irina Trichkovska and Assimakis Komninos, are all stand-out individuals and superb litigators. Their team of junior lawyers is also very smart and knowledgeable.’

‘Mark Powell is one of the finest EU antitrust litigators on the market. He has a unique superpower that grabs the attention of the Court. He sets out complex legal arguments in a simple, easy to understand, way. Assimakis Komninos is a very charismatic litigator, who has a unique style when getting his arguments across to the Court.’

‘Mark Powell and Irina Trichkovska worked devotedly and efficiently for years on a complicated case which is important for our firm.’

‘Strati Sakellariou-Witt is an outstandingly capable, proactive and client-focused advisor. Her experience with EU competition law and multi-jurisdictional merger control is first rate. Totally cool under pressure, Strati is committed to anticipating the needs of our large global organisation and consistently delivers comprehensive legal advice in a business-friendly manner.’

Key clients

Google


Amazon


Mr Ioan Micula, European Food and others


Crédit Agricole


Saudi Aramco


Servier


Pfizer


Intermarché Casino Achats (INCAA)


Lenovo


Nexans


Synthos


Avast


Liberty Global


Coca-Cola HBC


Maersk


GlaxoSmithKline


Work highlights


  • Representing Google in three separate investigations into alleged abuses of dominance.
  • Represented Amazon in its appeal against the European Commission’s decision to initiate proceedings in the Buy Box investigation.
  • Representing Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD and its gas portfolio companies Bulgartransgaz EAD and Bulgargaz EAD in a case which contests before the General Court the decision of the European Commission to impose €77m for an alleged abuse of dominant position.

Allen & Overy LLP

Under the leaderhsip of Dirk Arts, Allen & Overy LLP brings a 'very creative' perspective to its broad offering, which spans merger control, cartel defence, behavioural investigations, antitrust litigation, state aid work, and foreign investment and foreign subsidies issues. As part of a concerted growth strategy, the group welcomed senior associate Hannelore Wiame from McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP in March 2023. The team then further cemented its bench strength at all levels through the internal promotions of Francesca Miotto and Nele De Backer to partner and senior associate, respectively.

Practice head(s):

Dirk Arts


Other key lawyers:

Hugh Hollman; Dominic Long; Kristina Nordlander; Francesca Miotto; Nele De Backer; Hannelore Wiame


Testimonials

‘I have experienced first-hand and for many years their high quality work on EU cartel investigations and follow-on damages, and I’ve found they are second to none.’

‘They are thorough, clear-minded, well-organised, responsive, user-friendly and very creative where appropriate.’

‘Very fast reaction. Deep market knowledge. Creative people.’

Key clients

Aramco


Advent


Brink’s


General Electric


Google


Korean Air


Macquarie


Mitsui


Procter & Gamble


SABIC


Scania


WPP


Work highlights


  • Representing Scania in the European Commission heavy trucks investigation and follow-on private damages claims across the EEA and beyond.
  • Representing Korean Air Lines before the EC in an effort to secure clearance for a major aviation merger.
  • Advised Aramco on the antitrust aspects of three transactions with PKN ORLEN.

Arnold & Porter

The team at Arnold & Porter is particularly well regarded for its expertise in the life sciences, pharmaceutical and technology sectors; major players from these industries - including those which operate at the crossroads, such as biotechs - form the core of the client base. Cartel investigations and follow-on damages claims are areas of strength. Niels Christian Ersbøll acts as head of the Brussels office, and is regularly supported on key competition mandates by international merger control expert Axel Gutermuth and French-qualified counsel Charlotte Simphal.

Practice head(s):

Niels Christian Ersbøll


Other key lawyers:

Axel Gutermuth; Charlotte Simphal; Lazarinka Naydenova


Key clients

Boston Scientific Corporation


BP


Bristol-Myers Squibb


Callaway Golf


Cisco Systems


Diageo Great Britain Limited


European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Association (EFPIA)


International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)


Mitsui OSK Lines


Novo Nordisk


Pfizer


Samsung SDI


Thermo Fisher Scientific


Visa Inc.


WM Morrison Supermarkets


Curium Pharma


Work highlights


  • Advising Pfizer on its $43bn acquisition of Seagen.
  • Advised Bristol Myers Squibb on its successful $4.1bn acquisition of Turning Point Therapeutics.
  • Advised Boston Scientific on its successful $615m acquisition of Apollo Endosurgery.

Ashurst LLP

Clients single Ashurst LLP out for its 'commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional legal service delivery' in the competition sphere; the team increasingly combines its expertise in transactional work with its strength in behavioural investigations, resulting in a seamless approach to merger control and cartel issues. The team in Brussels has strong links to the London office, and also fields a number of practitioners qualified in England and Wales, including Esther Kelly and Donald SlaterDenis Fosselard is noted for his 'excellent technical and commercial skills'.

Practice head(s):

Denis Fosselard


Other key lawyers:

Donald Slater; Esther Kelly; Denis Waelbroeck; Annick Vroninks


Testimonials

‘Technically very high quality with excellent understanding of commercial context.’

‘Denis Waelbroeck – outstanding leader in the field.’

‘Denis Fosselard – excellent technical and commercial skills, highly engaged and approachable.’

Key clients

UEFA


Apax


Luxembourg Government


Imperial Brands


Eni


BP


Iliad


EU Travel Tech


FIFA


European Broadcasting Union


Alstom


Alfa Acciai S.p.A.


Work highlights


  • Representing UEFA in proceedings regarding the European Super League, including the preliminary ruling procedure before the ECJ and the national proceedings before the referring Spanish court.
  • Advising the Luxembourg Government on state aid issues regarding tax rulings given to individual tax payers.
  • Representing Iliad in its challenge of the European Commission decision to clear the INWIT JV with commitments which the client considers insufficient to solve the Commission’s concerns.

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL fields a team of 'experts in their fields' who are able to handle the gamut of merger control matters, abuse of dominance investigations, antitrust compliance issues, and sector-specific competition inquiries. Fiona Carlin acts as the overall practice head, while Kurt Haegeman  oversees the consumer goods and retail industry group, and Paul Johnson leads the TMT antitrust practice. The much-lauded EU state aid sub-department is helmed by Nina Niejahr. In recent news, associate Ola McLees joined the Brussels office from the firm's London branch.

Practice head(s):

Fiona Carlin; Kurt Haegeman; Paul Johnson; Nina Niejahr


Other key lawyers:

Gavin Bushell; Bram Hoorelbeke; Ola McLees


Testimonials

‘Paul Johnson and Ola McLees have an excellent feeling for the industry in which I work and the competition law and related issues that arise. I can call them and instantly brief them as they are well versed in sector issues and can draw on expertise and developments in other sectors or countries, to inform my organisation’s path.’

‘Very time responsive, experts in their fields and always thinking outside the narrow range of our enquiry. Also proactive in coming to us with ideas and intelligence that could be useful.’

‘The competition team at Baker McKenzie delivers excellent competition advice, both EU but also global. It is not only the advice but the team delivers a holistic view from a business perspective which is always to the point, succinct and on time.’

Key clients

Abbott Laboratories


AbbVie/Allergan


ACG Inc


Chr. Hansen


Colt


Intel


Merck Sharp & Dohme


Nordic Capital


Rio Tinto


Sika


Work highlights


  • Advising Sika on the acquisition of MBCC Group from an affiliate of Lone Star Fund.
  • Advising Brands for Europe, a coalition of household brands, on issues relating to the EU review of the Vertical Block Exemption and Guidelines.
  • Representing Rio Tinto, BBA Aviation and Willis Tower Watson before the EU Courts in their challenge of the Commission’s decision in the UK Foreign Controlled Company Rules state aid investigation.

Bird & Bird

At Bird & Bird, the combination of strong competition and trade law expertise ensures that the team is particularly well placed to advise on control mechanisms for foreign subsidies and foreign direct investment. Other key pillars of the practice include abuse of dominance investigations, merger control work, and state aid issues. José Rivas and Hein Hobbelen co-head the Brussels competition practice; the former has in-depth knowledge of the sports and aviation sectors, while the latter ‘stands out as a terrific competition and telecoms lawyer‘.

Practice head(s):

José Rivas; Hein Hobbelen


Other key lawyers:

Baptist Vleeshouwers; Anne Federle


Testimonials

‘Great insights.’

‘Very knowledgeable.’

‘The team is pragmatic, efficient and to-the-point.’

‘José Rivas is analytical, efficient and pragmatic.’

‘What makes this practice unique is José Rivas.’

‘José Rivas is a second-to-none lawyer with solid experience in all areas of competition law, EU law in general, and impressive experience in litigation before the EU courts. There would not be many lawyers in private practice with such extensive ligitation experience.’

‘Very sharp eye on telecoms regulations, responsive and quick. A multi-jurisdictional team allows the firm to provide complete advice to the client. I was very impressed.’

‘Hein Hobbelen stands out as a terrific competition and telecoms lawyer, and a very gifted communicator. He has also excellent coordination skills for cross-border projects.’

Key clients

Securitas


easyJet


Carpatair


Rubycon


Inditex


Burberry


FIFA (International Federation of Association Football)


Panasonic


John Deere


Air Products PLC


ASML


Borg Warner


SES


Boehringer Ingelheim


ACE (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment) / GRACE (Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment)


European Thermal Paper Association (ETPA)


Ottobock


CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers)


CLECAT – European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services


Work highlights


  • Representing Securitas in a cartel investigation.
  • Represented Carpatair in an action for annulment before the EU General Court against the decision of the European Commission concerning support granted by Timişoara Airport to Wizz Air.
  • Represented a complainant in the European Commission’s investigation regarding Apple’s in-app purchase terms for e-books and audio books.

DLA Piper

For DLA Piper, autumn 2022 was characterised by a significant expansion at partner level, with Joost Haans and Laurent Geelhand arriving from Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL and Hausfeld & Co LLP, respectively. The addition of Geelhand further cemented the firm's reputation as a go-to choice for cross-border antitrust litigation. Daniel Colgan continues to head up the broader competition team in Brussels, as well as overseeing the dedicated state aid group. Recently, the focus has increasingly been on cleints from the transport and logistics, energy, life sciences, financial services, and technology sectors.

Practice head(s):

Daniel Colgan; Joost Haans; Laurent Geelhand


Other key lawyers:

Daniel Wojtczak; Andreas Politis; Orestis Omran


Testimonials

‘The quality of the work produced by the team has always been outstanding. The team provides an extremely high level of service through quick responses. The team has an extensive knowledge of competition and state aid law matters.’

‘They are genuinely dedicated, pragmatic advisers, well organised and work hard to ensure utmost client satisfaction.’

‘Working with Orestis Omran is always a positive experience. He has a knack for providing expert advice which is simple and comes across clearly. Orestis does not complicate matters even in the most complex competition law cases. He is well known for his ability to provide clear advice at very short notice, as well as for his strong analytical skills, honesty and integrity.’

‘Orestis Omran is an extraordinary practitioner with strong business acumen and is able to translate complex legal terms and concepts into comprehensive action plans.’

‘Joost Haans is very knowlegdable and able to truly think along with the business when it comes to complicated competition law issues.’

‘Excellent team of highly qualified lawyers with round-the-clock support. They closely combine their competition law knowledge with extensive expertise on EU regulatory laws. They are particularly strong on state aid where it is evident that they are highly appreciated by the European Commission officers.’

‘Highly recommended. Excellent knowledge of all aspects of competition law. The team has a practical approach to the often-complex interpretation and application of competition rules. They always provide insight into competition law issues and innovative solutions, taking account of the particulars of each case.’

‘Orestis Omran has unrivalled experience in providing cutting-edge technical and strategic advice in complex domestic and cross-border EU and competition law matters. Orestis and his team always strive to understand the clients’ needs, and always aim at serving them with realistic and solution-oriented advice.’

Key clients

Korean Airlines


Medtronic, Inc.


Fluvius System Operator cv


KBC


Polenergia


Hartree Partners


Prime Capital AG


Ares Management


GIC


Casino


Bench Walk Advisors


Hellenic Ministry of Finance, Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance, Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP), Hellenic Post (ELTA)


SPF Economy (DG Energy), Federal State of Belgium


Achema


Work highlights


  • Advising Korean Airlines on EU merger control issues relating to its proposed takeover of Asiana Airlines.
  • Advising Fluvius on the EU merger control issues relating to the proposed joint venture between Fluvius and Telenet to operate the Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) roll-out in Flanders and parts of Brussels.
  • Advising Medtronic on the EU merger control and FDI issues relating to the acquisition of joint control of Medtronic’s Renal Care Solutions business by DaVita and Medtronic.

Gibson Dunn

Gibson Dunn continues to stand out for its expertise in abusive practices investigations, regularly representing major clients facing antitrust litigation before various institutions and courts. Christian Riis-Madsen acts as co-head of the firm's global competition practice, and is particularly well regarded for his specialist knowledge of the technology sector. Lena Sandberg leads the dedicated state aid group. Attila Borsos and of counsel Stéphane Frank complete the roster of recommended practitioners.

Practice head(s):

Christian Riis-Madsen


Other key lawyers:

Lena Sandberg; Attila Borsos; Stéphane Frank


Testimonials

‘The people are what makes Gibson Dunn truly stand out. Very knowledgeable team who we consult on the most complex matters in a multitude of industries. Trusted and practical advice every time.’

‘We work closely with Christian Riis-Madsen and rank him as top of the industry. He takes the time to fully understand the industry and the business, always provides practical advice and understands our risk thresholds. Effective and sophisticated analysis and counseling on highly complex and high-risk matters.’

‘Excellent team – very strong on both transactional and behavioural matters.’

Key clients

News Corporation


General Electric


Merck & Co.


ITD


Elliott Investment Management


Scandlines


AMCI Group


VMware


Schlumberger


P&O Ferries


Linklaters

Linklaters is differentiated by its extensive expertise in foreign investment control issues, which includes advising on the new EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation. Other areas of strength include merger control matters and antitrust investigations. Bernd Meyring has oversight of the broader practice, while newly promoted counsel Ina Lunneryd leads the state aid sub-group. In terms of industry know-how, Annamaria Mangiaracina is the name to note for clients from the life sciences sector.

Practice head(s):

Bernd Meyring


Other key lawyers:

Neil Hoolihan; Annamaria Mangiaracina; William Leslie; Ina Lunneryd


Testimonials

‘Closeness to the European Commission and other relevant EU institutions’ thinking, with deep understanding of their motivations and positioning on core issues. Able to deliver high-quality strategic advice relevant for our industry under tight deadlines for new developments in the competition space.’

‘William Leslie provides actionable and proactive advice relevant to our business.’

‘Linklaters is a heavyweight in competition law and regulation. Their lawyers are thought leaders and are at the forefront of developments in competition law and policy. They seem to be everywhere in terms of subject matter.’

‘William Leslie is extremely knowledgeable, has a strong grasp of competition law and regulation, as well as economics. He is sharp and commercially aware, and appears to be involved in virtually everything from digital platform regulation to merger control, FSR to FDI, telecoms regulation to vertical restraints.’

‘Neil Hoolihan is a highly skilled lawyer, with a great sense of humour. He is very much available and provides valuable hands-on advice.’

‘Pragmatic and commercial in providing risk-adjusted advice and solutions to assist clients with navigating through the ever-complex and changing regulatory regime of competition, foreign investment and foreign subsidies.’

‘Neil Hoolihan – absolutely stellar partner! As a seasoned advisor, he brings a commercial and sensible perspective that is based on sound analysis and works within the parameters of regulation. Always clear, succinct and with the client in mind. Always feel in very safe hands.’

‘William Leslie’s ability to truly (and quickly) understand our business and products is exceptional and means his advice is always tailored to our specific needs.’

Key clients

LeasePlan Corporation N.V.


Vodafone


Cerberus European Investments


Johnson & Johnson


Novartis Pharma NV


GrandVision N.V.


SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company


Kelkoo


OTPP


Panasonic Corporation


Work highlights


  • Advised TDR Capital and LeasePlan on a transaction with ALD which created a global mobility provider with a total combined fleet of 3.5 million vehicles.
  • Advised Vodafone on its strategic partnership with a consortium of long-term infrastructure investors led by Global Infrastructure Partners and KKR.
  • Advised Johnson & Johnson on the merger control aspects of the acquisition of Abiomed.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Fittingly for a firm known for its contentious capabilities, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP fields a team of 'extremely skilled litigators who are experts in competition law'; the group is typically instructed to represent clients from the technology, telecoms, pharmaceutical, life sciences, financial services and transport sectors before the European Commission, as well as national courts and regulators. Managing partner Trevor Soames leads on much of the key work. Other key contacts include Miguel Rato and counsel Marixenia Davilla.

Practice head(s):

Trevor Soames


Other key lawyers:

Miguel Rato; Stephen Mavroghenis; Marixenia Davilla; Athena Kontosakou


Testimonials

‘Extremely skilled litigators who are experts in competition law and who are focused on defending their clients.’

‘Trevor Soames is a statement in anti-trust litigation. He is an amazing litigator combined with a steel sharp mind and sense of humour.’

Key clients

Qualcomm Inc.


Salesforce


Slack Inc.


NVIDIA


Air Canada


Anchorage


Algebris


CooperVision


eBay Inc.


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Qualcomm leading to the General Court annulling in its entirety the European Commission’s decision which had found that the client had abused a dominant position.
  • Appealing a decision by the European Commission on behalf of Qualcomm which found that the client had abused its dominance by selling certain UMTS chipsets below cost to two strategically important customers.
  • Represented Air Canada in its appeal to the EU General Court against the 2017 Airfreight cartel decision leading to a reduction of the fine imposed on the client.

Sidley Austin LLP

Working closely with the firm's offices across the globe, Sidley Austin LLP's Brussels-based team proficiently advises on all the merger control aspects of international transactions. The firm is particularly well regarded for its expertise in the technology and life sciences sectors. The dedicated group on the ground comprises managing partner Ken Daly, who acts as co-head of the antitrust practice, alongside Maarten Meulenbelt and Anne Robert.

Practice head(s):

Ken Daly


Other key lawyers:

Maarten Meulenbelt; Stephen Spinks; Jacques Bourgeois; Anne Robert


Testimonials

‘Dedication to the client, professionalism and competence.’

‘They are very knowledgeable and able to handle complex matters, especially across various countries.’

Key clients

AT&T


Clearlake


Arthur Gallagher


Regal Rexnord Corporation


Servier


Viterra


U.S. Chamber of Commerce


Doctipharma


Brightly Software


Siris Capital Group


Work highlights


  • Advised Clearlake Capital Group on its acquisition of Chelsea Football Club.
  • Representing Les Laboratoires Servier before the Court of Justice of the European Union in appeals by Servier and the European Commission against a General Court judgment.
  • Advising AT&T on the sale of its global online programmatic advertising marketplace Xandr to Microsoft.

Baker Botts L.L.P.

Leveraging its 'terrific quality both at partner and associate level', Baker Botts L.L.P. handles a diverse workload which spans high-stakes transactions; competition litigation, including class actions; and cartel and abuse of dominance investigations. Acting both as Brussels office head and global antitrust practice co-chair, Catriona Hatton is noted for her extensive experience advising on both EU and national merger control issues. In March 2023, the promotion of Adam Dawson further strengthened the partner bench.

Practice head(s):

Catriona Hatton


Other key lawyers:

Paul Lugard; Matthew Levitt; David Cardwell; Adam Dawson


Testimonials

‘Terrific quality both at partner and associate level. Practical approach.’

‘The team is creative, they think outside the box, and are attuned to our needs. They really listen to us and tailor advice accordingly.’

‘Paul Lugard is extremely experienced and has an unparalled knowledge of global competition law policy and regulations, particularly in the MENA region.’

Key clients

Celanese Corporation


AP Moller Holding


Wallenius Wilhelmsen and EUKOR Car Carriers


DFDS


Caterpillar


Akamai Technologies


World Shipping Council


Seadrill Limited


Ryanair


Liberty Media


Nord Pool


Carlsberg


CCIA – Computer and Communications Association


Work highlights


  • Advising Celanese on global strategy and filings across multiple jurisdictions including the EU, UK, US, China, Brazil, Turkey and Mexico for the acquisition of DuPont’s mobility and materials business.
  • Representing Wallenius Wilhelmsen and EUKOR in a proposed class action brought by Mark McLaren Class Representative and in a damages claim brought by Jaguar Land Rover.
  • Representing the World Shipping Council in parallel reviews of the block exemption for shipping consortia by the European Commission and UK CMA.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner leverages its global reach to provide strategic advice on the gamut of competition law issues to large US, Japanese and European corporates, as well as national and international bodies, including the European Commission and the UN’s antitrust directorates. 'Simply amazing' managing partner Dave Anderson is supported by senior associate Paul Culliford.

Practice head(s):

Dave Anderson


Other key lawyers:

Paul Culliford


Testimonials

‘Very practical and commercial. Their advice always fits with the reality of the business.’

‘Dave Anderson’s explanations are always easy to understand and pragmatic. Also, he is always keen to meet the expectations of the client.’

‘We are very impressed with the deep knowledge of the Brussels team – in particular Dave Anderson but also Paul Culliford – in relation to multi-national merger control issues in Europe and their remarkable oversight of the topics to be tackled in complex transactions in that regard.’

Key clients

McWin


Oscar Gruss Inc.


Segantii Capital Management


Farfetch


Riverstone Holdings LLC


Lumen Technologies


Neenah, Inc


SPX Flow


Farallon Capital Management


European Commission


United Nations


Work highlights


  • Advised McWin, an investment fund focused on the hospitality sector, on the antitrust aspects of the acquisition of a majority stake in German-based Italian restaurant concept L’Osteria.
  • Advising the European Commission on EU and international cartel law, procedure and policy with regards to over 50 African competition agencies and the work of the International Competition Network.
  • Advising Oscar Gruss on the EU Commission’s review of Microsoft’s $68.7bin proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Crowell & Moring

Noted for its particular experience with clients from the telecoms and media industries, Crowell & Moring advises on the setting up and management of distribution networks, pricing policies and horizontal cooperation agreements. On the contentious side, the team is well versed in court proceedings involving abuse of dominance issues and disputes concerning regulatory decisions. Thomas De Meese and Karel Bourgeois lead on the work, supported by a strong counsel base which includes new arrival Benjamin Geisel, who joined from Allen & Overy LLP in May 2023.

Practice head(s):

Thomas De Meese; Karel Bourgeois


Other key lawyers:

Karl Stas; Marieke Van Nieuwenborgh; Benjamin Geisel


Testimonials

‘The team is very responsive and takes client feedback well. They are easy to work with and provide sound advice.’

‘They are very responsive and explain things well.’

‘Good expertise and intelligent team.’

Key clients

Liberty Global


European Gaming and Betting Association


Sandoz


AT&T


Zoetis


Alcoa


Ahold Delhaize


IPM Group


Renewi


PPTA (Protein Plasma Therapeutics Association)


Unibet


Work highlights


  • Assisting the Belgian federal government with a strategic energy and state aid matter related to new offshore wind farm projects located in the Princess Elisabeth Zone in the North Sea.
  • Assisting AT&T with merger control and foreign direct investment screening in relation to its intended transactions, as well as with the notification to the European Commission of its proposed acquisition of joint control of Gigapower.
  • Advised Ahold Delhaize on the competition aspects of its participation in retail alliances.

Garrigues

Alfonso Lamadrid - whose 'creativity in crafting legal solutions is unparalleled' - oversees Garrigues' Brussels office. The team is best known for its state aid work, and for litigating on behalf of clients before EU courts of all levels. In March 2023, Mark English joined the practice from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, bringing with him vast experience in EU and UK antitrust law, with a special focus on the digital and aviation sectors.

Practice head(s):

Alfonso Lamadrid


Other key lawyers:

Mark English


Testimonials

‘I have been working for a very long time with the competition team from Garrigues and they are excellent. Pragmatic and straight-to-the-point approach.’

‘Garrigues Brussels is one of the most qualified teams in EU competition. They have extended experience in relevant cases and they always have the support of experts from other offices.’

‘Alfonso Lamadrid has a deep knowledge of European law, but what is more important, he has always a practical approach, focusing on those issues or details that can positively influence the court’s decision.’

Key clients

Google


Cisco Systems


Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA)


Cellnex Telecom


International Airlines Group (IAG)


World Padel Tour


Santander


Affordable Medicines Europe


IBM


EDP


World Duty Free


AXA


Grand Duchy of Luxembourg


Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I's deep partner bench ensures that the gamut of relevant issues can be expertly handled. Benoît Le Bret take the lead on state aid work, while Stéphane Hautbourg has considerable expertise in the merger control field. Laurent Godfroid and Romain Rard are noted for their particular focus on French competition law issues. Ségolène Pelsy 'provides commercial and actionable advice'. Olivier Prost operates predominantly at the intersection with international trade law.

Practice head(s):

Laurent Godfroid; Stéphane Hautbourg; Benoit Le Bret; Ségolène Pelsy; Romain Rard; Olivier Prost


Testimonials

‘Kindness, rigour, responsiveness and an impressive ability to explain complex problems are the main assets of the Gide team.’

‘Romain Rard is an outstanding partner in all matters relating to EU policy.’

‘Knowledge of the particularities of our sector. Commitment. Empathy.’

‘Experts know the law but are also highly commercial, practical and strategic.’

‘Benoit Le Bret knows the law and, critically, how to use it effectively. A very good communicator with deep expertise in EU competition law.’

‘Working with Laurent Godfroid has been really easy, thanks to their reactivity but also broad expertise of the topics. They have very well taken into account our needs, delivering papers which were fully fit for purpose.’

‘Ségolène Pelsy is extremely knowledgeable and is great at keeping us proactively updated when it comes to competition developments. She is responsive and provides commercial and actionable advice that is greatly appreciated by clients.’

Key clients

Intel


Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)


Korean Air / Asiana


Canal+


Orange


Verkor


CISPE


Air Liquide


SkyExpress


KKR


TotalEnergies


Eurostar-Thalys


Cargolux


EDF


Roquette Frères


Renault


Rail Logistic Europe


SNCF


BPI


TF1


Feport


BGC (Betting and Gaming Council)


Hogan Lovells International LLP

The team at Hogan Lovells International LLP brings a strong technology sector focus to its competition work, regularly advising major players from the industry on merger control issues, as well as handling investigations and litigation. Office managing partner Christopher Thomas is supported by transactional expert Falk Schöning and 'outstanding' senior practitioner Michel Struys. Counsel Francesco Pili is another key name.

Practice head(s):

Christopher Thomas


Other key lawyers:

Falk Schöning; Michel Struys; Francesco Pili


Testimonials

‘Strong both in merger control and behavioural matters.’

‘Falk Schöning is very experienced and a creative mind when looking for pragmatic solutions.’

‘Christopher Thomas stands out for his insight, business sense and thoughtfulness in identifying the risk and trying to quantify the same for the client’s evaluation.’

‘Michel Struys has outstanding experience in EU competition law.’

‘Outstanding expertise in EU competition law. Excellent understanding of a global corporation’s business needs and interests. Strong ability to understand and consider complex technical processes and digital issues.’

‘They are highly responsive and it is a pleasure to be working with them.’

Key clients

AVDA


Engie


Google


Huhtamäki


IBM


ORLEN


Samsung


Thales


Unilever


Work highlights


  • Representing Google in the CMA’s Privacy Sandbox case.
  • Representing Engie in the appeal of a European Commission state aid decision and Huhtamäki in a European Commission state aid investigation.

McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP

McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP‘s team in Brussels operates seamlessly as part of the firm’s European competition practice, and consequently has a stellar track record obtaining merger clearances across the region. Hendrik Viaene leads the group, working closely with seasoned experts Jacques Buhart and Stéphane Dionnet; between them, the trio of partners also provide expertise in cartel defence, state aid matters, and follow-on litigation. Axel Schulz joined the team in late 2023 from White & Case LLP.

Practice head(s):

Hendrik Viaene


Other key lawyers:

Jacques Buhart; Stéphane Dionnet; Axel Schulz


Testimonials

‘Profound insights in EU competition matters.’

‘We have a specific appreciation for Hendrik Viaene.’

‘Very practical approach, excellent business understanding, profound knowledge in legal and economic aspects.’

‘Swift response with comprehensive legal analysis and a global network within the firm to respond to clients’ requests.’

Axel Schulz provides excellent, commercially sensible advice and is able to synthesise complex matters into digestible advice for commercial teams.

Key clients

Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)


Metsä Group (formerly Metsaliitto Group)


Ampersand Capital Partners


NGK Insulators


Mitsui & Co and KKDI


Infobip


Soudal


Esko Graphics (part of Danaher Corporation)


Akzo Nobel


PMV N


University Hospital Gent


Chep (Brambles Group)


FactSet


Eurofiber


Gigarant (Flemish Government and its investment vehicle) and Belgian State


Finance&invest.Brussels


Invest-NL


Work highlights


  • Advised Hanwha Q CELLS on the acquisition of a 66% stake in LYNQTECH.
  • Advised both Mitsui and KKDI on the merger between their subsidiaries Relia and KDDI Evolva, respectively, following the acquisition of sole control of Relia by Mitsui & Co.
  • Advised Ampersand Capital Partners on the merger control aspects of its investment with KKR, in the business combination of Biosynth Carbosynth and vivitide.

Reed Smith

The 'insightful' team at Reed Smith leverages the firm's global footprint to handle EU and multijurisdictional merger control and foreign direct investments mandates, abuse of dominance investigations, and compliance issues. In terms of industry specialisms, the group is particularly active in the energy and natural resources, entertainment and media, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, and transportation sectors. Managing partner Isabelle Rahman works closely with seasoned practitioner Christian Filippitsch and highly regarded counsel Max Seuster.

Practice head(s):

Isabelle Rahman


Other key lawyers:

Christian Filippitsch; Max Seuster


Testimonials

‘The team is very insightful, business-oriented, understands clients’ needs and businesses, and always delivers the best outcome meeting the highest of standards.’

‘Isabelle Rahman always knows when and whom to engage in order to deliver the best work product and in an efficient manner both time- and budget-wise.’

‘Isabelle Rahman is always well-prepared and informed, ahead of the curve, and provides to-the-point advice meeting rhe client’s business needs. Isabelle listens to the client and their needs which is very important. Never leaves a stone unturned. Always accurate, efficient and works within the set tight timeframes. Very pleasant to work with.’

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Under the leadership of 'heavyweight' Jacques Derenne, the team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP continues to be most highly regarded for its state aid expertise. Other core elements of the practice include abuse of dominance investigations and merger control matters, as well as relevant EU litigation. Oliver Heinisch provides a key link between the Brussels and London offices.

Practice head(s):

Jacques Derenne


Other key lawyers:

Robert Klotz; Oliver Heinisch; Dimitris Vallindas


Testimonials

‘Jacques Derenne is a heavyweight and a leading state aid expert. When it comes to knowledge, you cannot expect much more than he possesses.’

‘Oliver Heinisch is very practical and to the point, working with him is very efficient.’

‘Jacques Derenne is not only a leading practitioner in EU state aid law, but his extensive experience and knowledge across all areas of the antitrust and merger field single him out as one of the few individuals in the market who is able to provide expert advice on all areas of competition and state aid law.’

Key clients

Air France-KLM, Air France


Anuvu


Autopstenhoj


BDEW


Belgian State


Bison Capital


BlendJet


Block, Inc. – Tidal Music


C.F. Martin


Casio


EDF Renouvelables


EPH Group and LEAG AG


Eurelec Trading


EuroCommerce


Eurotunnel (France Manche / GetLink)


GRDF


Intersport International


JDI Europe


Lionsgate


Micula


ÖBB AG


Perrigo


Pharma Mar


Renault


Shachihata


Sharp Electronics Limited


Sunfire


TTR Energy


Walloon Region


Xsolla


Work highlights


  • Representing Air France-KLM and Air France before the European Commission in a series of Covid-19-related French state aid cases, totalling €12.4bn of approved aid.
  • Representing Austrian railway operator ÖBB in a cartel investigation by the European Commission concerning an alleged restriction of sales of second-hand rolling stock to a smaller competitor in a neighbouring country.
  • Representing Casio Electronics in a CMA investigation.

Squire Patton Boggs

The Brussels office of Squire Patton Boggs acts as a hub for co-ordinating merger and foreign direct investment control proceedings across the globe, regularly leveraging the firm's international network to do so. The team has also recently represented clients before the European Commission in several notable cartel investigations. Brian Hartnett and Oliver Geiss are the key senior names to note.

Practice head(s):

Brian Hartnett


Other key lawyers:

Oliver Geiss; Will Sparks; Gorka Navea


Key clients

Adare International Holdings Limited


Aliplast NV


Amcor


Ashland Global Holdings Inc


Cathay Pacific


Cellnex UK Limited


DCC Management Services Limited


DF Capital Bank Limited


Eden Springs España S.A.U.


ERM-Europe, Ltd


Gotex, SA


HEICO Corporation


LATAM Airlines


Le-Fylde Estates Limited


Marlin Green Limited


NielsenIQ / Advent International


Node Developments Limited


Northamptonshire County Council


Peel NRE Developments Limited


Perwyn Advisors UK Limited


Quanta Storage, Inc


Rimac Automobili d.o.o.


Stockport County 2010 Limited


Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council


Transport for Greater Manchester


University of Leeds


Vp Plc


Work highlights


  • Advised NielsenIQ on the merger control and foreign investment control filings triggered by its acquisition of GfK.
  • Represented Chile’s national airline, LATAM, in its successful appeal against a European Commission cartel decision and coordinated the client’s defence in civil actions in courts around the world.
  • Represented Quanta Storage in appeals against a European Commission cartel decision before both the EU General Court and the European Court of Justice.

BonelliErede

BonelliErede is best known for the close connections between its offices in Belgium, Rome and Milan; the Brussels branch consequently receives much of its key work from clients with business interests in Italy. State aid mandates are a particular area of focus for the team, with merger control proceedings also forming a core part of the practice. Massimo Merola leads the group with ‘great strategic vision'.

Practice head(s):

Massimo Merola


Other key lawyers:

Alessandro Cogoni


Testimonials

‘BonelliErede has been present in Brussels for very many years and has gained outstanding experience in dealing with EU institutions, the more so when Italian law issues are involved.’

‘Massimo Merola is a true authority on state aid and his findings and opinions are respected by clients and the Commission alike. His network of contacts in the European Commission and Parliament is unparalelled and tremendously important.’

‘I had the chance to work mostly with Alessandro Cogoni, who is an outstanding practitioner. He showed a great attitude towards technology, grasping without difficulties the peculiarities of our business, and rapidly detecting issues and possible solutions.’

‘BonelliErede’s team has in-depth knowledge of their clients’ industries, anticipating the issues that really matter in a case. They are creative in the way they present a case and understand their clients’ concerns.’

‘Massimo Merola is an extraordinary lawyer with a great strategic vision.’

Key clients

Autostrade per l’Italia S.p.A.


PagoPA S.p.A.


Alperia S.p.A.


Neos S.p.A.


Pharma Mar SA


ILVA S.p.A. in A.S.


Piaggio &C S.p.A.


Crédit Agricole Italia S.p.A.


Fastweb S.p.A.


Simest S.p.A.


Work highlights


  • Advising Autostrade per l’Italia on a preliminary ruling before the Court of Justice relating to the interpretation of Directive 2014/23/EU.
  • Assisting PagoPA with the assessment of its compliance with EU state aid rules relating to all the contributions received by the client for the development of its services aimed at the digitalisation of the public administration.
  • Representing Alperia before the General Court in support of the European Commission and in opposition to the action brought by Tirreno Power and set for the annulment of the decision approving the Italian capacity mechanism.

Dentons

At Dentons, the team is equally comfortable handling behavioural investigations and merger control proceedings. Lately, the firm has carved out a stellar reputation for its work with clients involved in the luxury and high-end consumer goods sector. In October 2023, Jean-Nicolas Maillard was appointed co-head of the Europe competition and antitrust practice, alongside Jörg Karenfort, who splits his time between the Brussels and Berlin offices. Jim Venit, who is qualified in both the US and Belgium, is another key senior contact.

Practice head(s):

Jim Venit; Jean-Nicolas Maillard; Jörg Karenfort


Other key lawyers:

Yves Botteman; Edward Borovikov; Bertold Bär-Bouyssière


Testimonials

‘The team is very efficient, very responsive and innovative, with an ability to manage cross-border transactions through resources from multiple offices.’

‘Bertold Bär-Bouyssière is our go-to lawyer for cross-border matters. With a strong litigation and advisory record, Bertold is very efficient, knowledgeable, highly responsive, and can address queries and deploy resources in a very impressive timeline! And the quality of deliverables is always beyond expectations.’

‘The team is well-equipped and able to handle complex EU and national antitrust cases. They are responsive and easy to work with.’

‘Jean-Nicolas Maillard is getting more and more involved in prominent antitrust cases, in particular before the French Competition Authority. He is gaining increasing recognition from the market for his smart and facilitating approach and amiability.’

‘Great inter-personal touch.’

‘Jean-Nicolas Maillard has been particularly proactive and willing to engage with the cllient to ensure they had all the information necessary to provide sound advice.’

Key clients

UNIFE


Merck KGaA


General Mills


CTCPA


TotalEnergies


Work highlights


  • Assisted TotalEnergies with the merger control aspects of its solar plant joint venture in Saudi Arabia.
  • Representing Merck in a follow-on damages claim in the UK.
  • Advising a holding company for luxury goods brands on competition law and compliance issues.

Gleiss Lutz

Gleiss Lutz is valued by clients for its intimate knowledge of the German, as well as the broader European, market. Recent key mandates have included international abuse proceedings, merger control cases, follow-on damages claims, and compliance investigations. Ulrich Soltész and Christian von Köckritz lead on much of the work, supported by Harald Weiss.

Practice head(s):

Ulrich Soltész; Christian von Köckritz


Other key lawyers:

Harald Weiss


Testimonials

‘Ulrich Soltész is a great sparring partner for academic and practical discussions about state aid issues in particular.’

‘Gleiss Lutz has a very competent, very client-orientated team and in-depth knowledge of all relevant competition law matters.’

‘The team composition has remained stable over the years and is perfectly adapted to our needs. The contact persons are clearly defined and the firm has a clear division of competences. There is flexibility and short-term availability, if necessary. The advice is provided in very clear and understandable terms. The lawyers have a very professional attitude and there is always a very friendly atmosphere.’

Key clients

Daimler Truck AG


Deutsche Bahn AG


Deutsche Telekom AG


Free State of Bavaria


GEMA


German Federal Government


Infineon Technologies AG


Mercedes-Benz AG


STEAG


Tenneco


Work highlights


  • Represented Daimler Truck in antitrust infringement claims before national courts.
  • Advising Infineon Technologies on funding, which is to be provided in line with the objectives of the European Chips Act, for the construction of a new plant for analog/mixed-signal technologies and power semiconductors in Dresden.
  • Providing state aid, merger control, antitrust and foreign subsidies control advice to STEAG on a group-wide transformation and subsequent sale process.

Hengeler Mueller

Working closely with the firm's highly-regarded German offices, the Brussels-based group at Hengeler Mueller regularly handles abuse of dominance proceedings and follow-on damages claims, state aid issues, and foreign subsidies regulation matters. Merger control work is also a stalwart of the team. A partnership trio comprising Hans-Jörg Niemeyer, Christoph Wilken and Markus Röhrig oversees the practice.

Practice head(s):

Hans-Jörg Niemeyer; Markus Röhrig; Christoph Wilken


Key clients

Danfoss A/S


Illumina, Inc.


KKR


Google Inc.


Swiss Life International Holding AG


MAN


Marelli Corporation


NCC Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation


Portigon AG


Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH


SGL Carbon


DEHOGA Deutscher Hotel- und Gaststättenverband


Deutsche Lufthansa AG


Landwärme GmbH


Fortum Oyj


Landesbank Berlin AG


CURA, Oaktree Capital


K&L Gates GP

The ‘very skilled, prepared and reactive‘ team at K&L Gates GP maintains its stellar reputation for assisting with global merger control and foreign direct investments matters, and is increasingly attracting attention for its proficiency in handling international cartel investigations. Verticals agreements and distribution issues are also areas of strength. Francesco Carloni, Mélanie Bruneau, Nikolaos Peristerakis are the key senior names to note.

Practice head(s):

Mélanie Bruneau; Francesco Carloni; Nikolaos Peristerakis


Testimonials

‘This practice is not only technically competent and always up to date, it has also demonstrated a strong link between practitioners working on different matters and in different countries, enabling it to provide fast, sound and seamless advice. The business acumen of the partners is also of great value, allowing clients to be supported with a cross-matter approach which is extremely effective.’

‘My impression has been extremely good, especially due to the constant availability (even with very short deadlines), the high level of competency and the ability to be able to provide short summaries when that is needed and to provide more context around a topic/question when that is needed.’

‘ I want to mentioned Francesco Carloni who I would recommend to anyone.’

‘Francesco Carloni and his EU team provided outstanding leadership and guidance to help us.’

‘The K&L Gates EU competition team offered exceptional legal expertise and navigated the transaction seamlessly across multiple European and non-European jurisdictions. Great teamwork.’

‘Francesco Carloni is a true and trusted business partner and exceptional leader. His expertise, unwavering support and responsiveness are outstanding. He is a great advisor and person to work with.’

‘K&L Gates’ partners and team are very skilled, prepared and reactive. One of the most important characteristic that makes this law firm different from the competitors is that the client has a sole partner as a point of contact at worldwide level. This characteristic is priceless in case of international project which involve many countries and subsidiaries.’

‘Francesco Carloni is a long-term, trusted advisor on everything from day-to-day to the most complex matters. He is knowledgeable, responsive, pragmatic and ensures reasonable billing for all work done. Without doubt, my first choice.’

Key clients

Zegna


The Washington Family


Silicon Motion Technology


Prada


Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana; Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode


Fujifilm


World Fuel Services


Multi Service Tolls


OTB and its brands (Diesel, Maison Margiela, Marni, Jil Sander, Staff International)


Ferring


PlasticsEurope


Reata Pharmaceuticals


Salvatore Ferragamo


Giorgio Armani


FIATA


Work highlights


  • Advising Fujifilm on merger control issues relating to its $700m acquisition of semiconductor high purity process chemicals business, CMC Materials KMG Corporation from Entegris.
  • Advising The Washington Family – a member of the Poseidon consortium – on its acquisition of Atlas in an all-cash transaction for an enterprise value of approximately $10.9bn.
  • Representing a major fashion brand before the European Commission and the US Department of State in an investigation into alleged cartel conduct in the fashion sector.

King & Spalding LLP

King & Spalding LLP is most highly regarded for its expertise in the competition law issues stemming from transatlantic and global mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic alliances. Notable new names from the TMT, life sciences, energy, and financial services industries are contributing to the rapid growth of the firm's client base. Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte is the key contact.

Practice head(s):

Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte


Key clients

Egis


EVO Payments


Exterran


F45 Training Holdings


iRobot


Jamestown


Korea Electric Power Company (KEPCO)


Kraton Corporation


Mativ (formerly Schweitzer-Mauduit International Inc.)


Mitsui


Telekom Srbija


Tesla


World Federation of Advertisers


Macfarlanes LLP

Drawing strength from its close co-operation with the London office, Macfarlanes LLP's team in Brussels handles the gamut of enforcement matters, including dawn raids, cartel investigations, and abuse of dominance cases. The group also regularly represents clients in contentious antitrust proceedings before the General Court and European Court of Justice. Christophe Humpe and Richard Pepper are the key names to note.

Practice head(s):

Richard Pepper; Christophe Humpe


Key clients

Mylan Inc (now Viatris)


Daimler Truck AG


CHC Group LLC


NatWest


Terminix


Société Générale/ALD Automotive


Diageo


Dole (formerly Total Produce)


The BBC


Flynn Pharma


Mozilla


Genesee & Wyoming Inc.


Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown's broad practice spans international merger control proceedings, cartel investigations and private enforcement cases, state aid issues, investigations by various competition authorities, and distribution matters. In October 2022, 'smart negotiator' Andrea Pomana joined the team from ADVANT Beiten, and now splits her time between the Brussels and Frankfurt offices, leading on much of the key work alongside Aymeric de Moncuit.

Practice head(s):

Aymeric de Moncuit; Andrea Pomana


Testimonials

‘Andrea Pomana stands out in all aspects, especially through her engaging personality. She is a smart negotiator and appears regularly on panels as speaker and moderator. Andrea is smart, knows everything about competition law and can apply this to a fast-moving economy and constantly evolving trends in the legal landscape.’

‘Aymeric de Moncuit aims at creating a long-term relationship, sharing information on European hot topics on a regular basis.’

Key clients

Abertis


ENEDIS (EDF)


INEOS


LG Electronics Inc.


Macedonian Thrace Brewery


Nordic Metal Holdings, Inc.


Vitruvian Partners


Work highlights


  • Advising Nordic Metal Holdings on EU merger control issues in the metal distribution sector.
  • Representing Macedonian Thrace Brewery in an antitrust lawsuit against Heineken and its Greek subsidiary Athenian Brewery.
  • Representing Organizatia Patronala A Societatilor Feroviare in a state aid complaint filed against the Romanian state in relation to aid granted to CFR Marfa, Romania’s rail freight operator.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Clients particularly value Norton Rose Fulbright‘s ‘diversity and global footprint‘; the close connections between the Brussels and London offices are cemented by many key practitioners – including head of the EMEA antitrust practice Ian Giles, life sciences expert Miranda Cole, and ‘excellent competition lawyerAlexandra Rogers – splitting their time between the two. Merger control proceedings, dawn raids and inspections, and antitrust compliance advice all form part of the regular workload.

Practice head(s):

Ian Giles


Other key lawyers:

Miranda Cole; Alexandra Rogers


Testimonials

‘Norton Rose offers a diversity and global footprint.’

‘Alexandra Rogers is among the best of her generation: high technical skills and genuine human skills as well. She is always available, calm, organized and knows her job! It’s a pleasure working with her, we know the job will be done, no doubt about it! ’

‘Alexandra Rogers is an excellent competition lawyer. Meticulous and technically solid.’

‘Global law firm with expertise in multiple jurisdictions.’

‘Alexandra Rogers has extensive experience on global and trans-national competition investigations and litigation.’

Key clients

Microsoft


Expedia


IATA


NZIA


Westcoast


OCP


Nidec


Sandvik


Strelia

The team at Strelia brings a strong litigious focus to its competition work, regularly representing clients in procedures relating to damage actions resulting from anti-competitive practices and regulatory infringements. On the non-contentious side, the group handles cross-border merger control analyses and filings, as well as providing project compliance advice. Key contact Pierre Goffinet 'is pragmatic and truly adds value'.

Practice head(s):

Pierre Goffinet


Other key lawyers:

Laure Bersou; Mediona Shehu


Testimonials

‘Extensive experience in competition law.’

‘Strelia combines cross-border expertise with a deep understanding of EU competition law.’

‘Pierre Goffinet is a standout performer and a pleasure to cooperate with. He has a great willingness to dive deep into complex matters and to work at very short notice.’

‘Pierre Goffinet is an expert. He is pragmatic and truly adds value and understands economic, financial and business rationale.’

‘Pierre Goffinet is strong in many aspects, he worked for the Belgian Competition Authority and therefore knows how they work and act, he has a strong economic background and he is not only a competition lawyer but also a regulatory expert, which gives him a quite unique standing in the Belgium antitrust lawyer community.’

Key clients

Orange Belgium


Ethias


Carrefour Belgium


City of Brussels


Cono Kaasmakers


Pro League


One Square Advisors


Lineas


CarASAP (D’Ieteren)


Work highlights


  • Assisting Ethias with the notification process before the EU Commission of a joint venture created with Santander Group.
  • Representing Pro League in proceedings relating to the promotion in the championship of SK Lommel due to foreign subsidies received from foreign investors.

WilmerHale

WilmerHale is most highly regarded for its proficiency handling mandates at the intersection of competition law and specific regulatory regimes, particularly transport and data privacy. Recently, the team has been involved with major merger control, unilateral conduct, and state aid matters. Christian Duvernoy, Frédéric Louis and Anne Vallery are the trio of dedicated partners on the ground in Brussels.

Practice head(s):

Christian Duvernoy; Frédéric Louis; Anne Vallery


Testimonials

‘Availability, reactiveness, contextual awareness, professionalism in delivering on time.’

‘Frédéric Louis delivers a world-class level of support.’

‘The Wilmerhale competition team in Belgium have been amazing.’

Key clients

Danaher


Baker Hughes Inc


Schaeffler AG


Equinor


FEBELCEM


Cosnova


Facebook


ALTIUS

ALTIUS typically assists with merger filings; IP-related competition law issues, including infringements of patents and technology transfer agreements; and distribution arrangements and other forms of vertical and horizontal co-operations. Consumer goods, life sciences, media, transport and construction are sectors of particular focus. Seasoned senior practitioner Carmen Verdonck is capably supported by counsel Beatrijs Gielen.

Practice head(s):

Carmen Verdonck


Other key lawyers:

Beatrijs Gielen


Testimonials

‘We worked with Carmen Verdonck and Beatrijs Gielen. Both very professional, very knowledgable, very responsive and to the point.’

Key clients

Campine NV


Siemens


Agentschap Natuur & Bos


Indufin


Beiersdorf


PACE


Citymesh (Cegeka group)


Fost Plus


Bolton


Henco


Bricon


Work highlights


  • Representing Campine in proceedings before the General Court and the Court of Justice regarding the fine imposed by the European Commission and the Commission’s refusal to pay interest on the amount of the fine that was provisionally paid by Campine and thereafter partially annulled by the General Court.
  • Assisting private investment fund Indufin Investment Fund with merger clearance issues relating to its acquisition of joint control – together with BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity Belgium, Jan Penne and Frans Penne – in the PENNE GROUP.
  • Advising Citymesh on all competition law issues relating to its entry onto the Belgian telecoms market and the roll-out of its 5G network.

CMS

The team at CMS is valued for its ‘reliability and rigour‘ when handling behavioural competition cases, merger control filings, state aid issues, and foreign subsidy matters. The firm’s client base covers a wide range of industries, with a particular focus on the consumer products, digital, energy, life sciences and telecoms sectors. Michael Bauer leads on the ground in Brussels.

Practice head(s):

Michael Bauer


Testimonials

‘Business-oriented strategic partners with a commercial mindset and proactive approach.’

‘Michael Bauer comes with sector and industry expertise which stands out plus a strong network. On the personal side, it is simply a pleasure to work with him.’

‘Great individuals with the right expertise, but also capable to scale up to a very supportive team to handle important and time critical issues. A great source of legal knowledge and a great sense for business partnership.’

Key clients

Arla Foods


Birkenstock


Eckes-Granini


Eiffage


Entega


GSK


Huawei


Ineos


Jacobs Douwe Egberts


Johnson & Johnson


Kellogg


Markenverband (German brands group)


Omya


Proximus


RAG


Shell


Telefónica


Thalys International


Thomson Reuters


contrast

Leveraging its 'unique combination of profound legal knowledge and commercial accumen', contrast's broad practice spans abuse of dominance and interim measures cases, follow-on litigation, merger proceedings, and state aid matters. The team is particularly known for its expertise in work with a nexus to the sporting industry. Founding partner Filip Tuytschaever remains active, and forms a trio of core senior practitioners alongside Herlinde Burez and Sébastien Engelen.

Practice head(s):

Filip Tuytschaever; Herlinde Burez; Sébastien Engelen


Testimonials

‘The contrast team is very impressive and a pleasure to work with. They are strong across all levels (associates to partners) and provide consistently good work product. It is also nice to see how diverse they are.’

‘Herlinde Burez and Filip Tuytschaever are both excellent. They are very responsive and provide clear, concise, and business-friendly advice. Their knowledge and understanding of our company and industry is impressive and incredibly helpful.’

‘A unique combination of profound legal knowledge and commercial accumen.’

Key clients

AB Electrolux


AB Volvo


ACEA


Arvesta


AXA Belgium


Belgian Competition Authority


BioneXt


Caudalie


ETRMA


EuroCommerce


European Aluminium


European Club Association


Flemish Government


ING Belgium


Lior Refaelov


Lotus Bakeries


Perrigo


Royal Excelsior Virton


TEPPFA


The Football Forum


The Royal Belgian Billiard Federation


Volvo Cars


Volvo Construction Equipment


Volvo Energy


Volvo Penta


Volvo Trucks


Work highlights


  • Representing ACEA in an investigation by the European Commission into alleged anti-competitive practices in respect of the collection, treatment, and valorization of end-of-life vehicles.
  • Filed a state aid complaint with the European Commission against the Luxembourg State in respect of illegal and incompatible aids granted to several laboratories and service providers appointed by the Luxembourg State in the context of the Luxembourg Covid-19 Large Scale Testing.

Cooley LLP

Cooley LLP's core strengths lie in litigating sensitive cartel investigations and immunity proceedings before the European Commission. Foreign direct investments advice is a burgeoning area of expertise for the team. Alexander Israel, who is the partner in charge of the Brussels office, 'foresees future problems and provides solutions and ideas'.

Practice head(s):

Alexander Israel


Other key lawyers:

Jonas Koponen


Testimonials

‘Cooley’s team in Brussels is not only very well connected with all relevant public authorities, but also within the relevant industry, positioning their team uniquely to support our company in all competition law matters.’

‘Alexander Israel is an outstanding lawyer with deep industry knowledge and always practical advice. He foresees future problems and provides solutions and ideas, always considering the business needs of the company. He is available day and night for big and small problems, he is a true counsel to the directors and upper management.’

Key clients

Condor


Trelleborg AB


DENSO Corporation


GrandVision NV


Horizon Therapeutics


Amryt Pharma


Johnson Controls


Clarios


Stratasys


ViaCyte


Work highlights


  • Representing Condor Flugdienst in a dispute with Lufthansa Group concerning the termination of the parties’ long-standing feeder agreement, margin squeeze and predatory pricing.
  • Advising Horizon Therapeutics on its agreement to be acquired by Amgen.
  • Advised Trelleborg, a Sweden-based player in engineered polymer solutions, on its divestment of Trelleborg Wheel Systems to Japan-based Yokohama.

Fieldfisher

Under the leadership of Tom Pick, the team at Fieldfisher advises on merger control and foreign direct investments, unfair trading rules, state aid issues, and more general competition law compliance matters. The group also handles abuse of dominance cases, including representing clients in administrative proceedings before various authorities across Europe, as well as domestic courts.

Practice head(s):

Tom Pick


Key clients

Vestel Elektronik


Eurelec Trading


European Heating Industry Federation (EHI)


euNetworks Group Limited


EPACA


Eastman Chemical


Ascenza Agro


Voucher Issuers Association (VIA)


Europacable


Gianni & Origoni

Gianni & Origoni is best known for handling state aid work on behalf of its strong Italian client base. The group also regularly advises on foreign direct investment screening in connection with cross-border transactions. 'Insightful' Francesco Maria Salerno oversees work in the Brussels office.

Practice head(s):

Francesco Maria Salerno


Testimonials

‘I have worked with Francesco Maria Salerno. I rate him highly. He worked very effectively. He was insightful and his work products were of high quality.’

‘Generally more approachable than individuals at other law firms active in the field of competition law. Knowledgeable and typically open to accept views and challenges from economics experts.’

Key clients

Suez


Telecom Italia S.p.A.


LivaNova


Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta


Regione Marche


ITA


Concord Resources


Esperia


Comune di Comiso


Work highlights


  • Assisting Suez with foreign direct investment and merger control issues in relation to the creation of a joint venture with ACEA for the production of a new smart meter for water consumption.
  • Representing the US-based Livanova medical device company in a preliminary ruling procedure before the Court of Justice in connection with national litigation on environmental liability.
  • Assisting Regione Valle d’Aosta with state aid issues, including the implementation of the Temporary State Aid Frameworks and state aid notifications to the European Commission.

Kirkland & Ellis International II LLP

Since the opening of its Brussels office in June 2021, Kirkland & Ellis International II LLP has been forging a reputation for handling global merger and foreign direct investments filing processes. Thomas Wilson, the founding partner of the local branch, is receiving increasing recognition for his 'very good antitrust judgement'. Philipp Gnatzy, on secondment from London, is bringing 'terrific energy and effectiveness' to the practice.

Practice head(s):

Thomas Wilson


Other key lawyers:

Philipp Gnatzy


Testimonials

‘Great understanding of material issues and how regulators will likely react. Creative problem solving. Commercial approach. Good understanding of the business and market.’

‘They are substantively at the top of their legal game, as you would expect, but in addition they dig energetically and effectively into the facts.’

‘The whole team is strong, but I commend in particular Philipp Gnatzy, who shows terrific energy and effectiveness, and Thomas Wilson, who has very good antitrust judgement. They are a pleasure to work with.’

‘Exceptional practice. Very strong team of partners and associates. Experienced in the most complex deals. Exceptional speed of response and level of service.’

‘It is always a pleasure to work with Kirkland & Ellis. They have a pro-deal attitude, which fosters a productive working relationship, and are always at the forefront of the competition field.’

‘Thomas Wilson and Philipp Gnatzy are outstanding antitrust lawyers, with a very strong ability to handle complex and sophisticated matters. They are always committed to their clients and have extensive knowledge in different industries.’

Key clients

Digital Container Shipping Association


Eli Lilly and Company


Groupe Bruxelles Lambert


KKR


SK Capital Partners


Platinum Equity LLC


Warburg Pincus LLC


Hellman & Friedman


Canada Pension Plan Investment Board


Genstar Capital


Bain Capital Private Equity


Triton Partners / Pharmanovia


Vista Equity Partners


Greenbriar Equity Group


Wendel Group


Work highlights


  • Advising Digital Container Shipping Association on compliance issues relating to its initiative concerning IT standards for the container liner shipping industry.
  • Advising Eli Lilly on its acquisition of clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Versanis.
  • Advising SK Capital Partners on its acquisition of Apotex Pharmaceutical Holdings.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP‘s wide-ranging expertise spans merger control, foreign direct investments, and competition litigation. The firm also leverages its strength in neighbouring regulatory areas, including common market questions and export control matters. Izzet Sinan is lauded by one client for being ‘unusually familiar with the inner workings of the European Competition competition staff‘. Christina Renner is the other key contact.

Practice head(s):

Christina Renner


Other key lawyers:

Izzet Sinan


Testimonials

‘Izzet Sinan is exceptional at managing the process of getting clearance for major mergers from the EC. He is unusually familiar with the inner workings of the European Competition competition staff and very familiar with the nuances of the merger review process in Europe. It helps that he is exceptionally engaged with the details of a transaction and familiar with every aspect of it.’

‘Izzet Sinan is a pleasure to work with, with a great sense of humour and a superb diplomat.’

‘The team is extremely commercial, taking time to understand the specifics of industries that, at first glance, may seem to overlap, however, with additional work, are not competitive. The team works extremely well with counterparties and is a huge asset to our firm.’

‘The team is always available and will always go the extra mile to work as part of our deal team and not as a regulatory add-on or side project.’

‘In addition to his professional attributes, Izzet Sinan embodies the highest ethical standards, ensuring that as we his client receive not only sound legal advice but also the utmost integrity and trustworthiness.’

Key clients

EQT Fund Management S.a r.l.


SIRO (Silk Road Clean Energy Solutions)


Zoetis


ABC Technologies


Athora


OpenGate Management


Tadano


TD Synnex


DigitalBridge Inc


ATCC


Traxys


Work highlights


  • Advised EQT on the €6.8bn agreement to acquire BPEA Private Equity.
  • Advised ABC Technologies on its acquisition of Washer Systems’ product line of Continental Automotive GmbH.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP

O'Melveny & Myers LLP advises clients from the gamut of industry sectors on merger notifications and guides them through all necessary approval processes. On the non-transactional front, the group handles a range of antitrust investigations, including before the European Commission. Riccardo Celli leads on the ground in Brussels, co-operating closely with colleagues in the US offices.

Practice head(s):

Riccardo Celli


Other key lawyers:

Christian Peeters


Testimonials

‘Riccardo Celli and Christian Peeters are great. They are able to quickly and effectively offer insight and solutions.’

Key clients

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)


Asiana Airlines, Inc.


Celltrion Healthcare Co., Ltd.


CJ ENM


DL Chemical Co. Ltd.


Garrett Motion Sarl


HID Global


Hyundai Motor America and KIA Motors America, Inc.


IAA, Inc.


Norsk Hydro ASA


NortonLifeLock Inc.


Panavision Inc.


Pharmaron Beijing Co. Limited


Proofpoint, Inc.


Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (PIF)


Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.


Seidler Equity Partners


Strava, Inc.


TaylorMade Golf


Work highlights


  • Advised Norsky Hydro ASA on merger control issues relating to its acquisition of Alumetal.
  • Representing Asiana in the EC’s ongoing merger investigation into its €1.31bn acquisition by Korean Air Lines.
  • Advised Semtech Corporation, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products, on its $1.2bn acquisition of Sierra Wireless.

Stibbe

For the team at Stibbe, advising both companies and public authorities on the structuring of projects from a state aid perspective, representations before national courts and the European Commission, and assisting with merger control work all form part of the regular workload. Peter Wytinck and Sophie Van Besien are the key senior contacts.

Practice head(s):

Peter Wytinck; Sophie Van Besien


Other key lawyers:

Tom Ruys; Quentin Declève