Nicole Kar > Linklaters LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Lawyer Rankings

London > Corporate and commercial > EU and competition

Linklaters LLP’s ‘impressive’ competition group handles significant high-value mergers and advises clients on complex investigations conducted both by the competition market authorities as well as by regulated sector authorities. Particular sectors of focus for the team include mining, energy and infrastructure, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, retail, financial services, energy, utilities, fintech, and private equity. In the pharmaceutical space, the team worked closely with the firm’s offices in Belgium and the US in obtaining unconditional clearance across multiple jurisdictions for client Takeda in relation to its recommended £46bn offer for Shire; with recently promoted counsel Anna Mitchell leading a London-based team on this matter. On the retail side, UK practice head Nicole Kar and Simon Pritchard acted for Sainsbury’s on its proposed merger with Asda. Christian Ahlborn is dual qualified in the UK and Germany and led a team advising E.ON on all competition law aspects of  its planned asset exchange with RWE. Bringing years of competition law experience handling complex cross-border issues, Sir Christopher Bellamy QC chairs the practice globally and advises high-profile clients, such as Novartis and Visa Europe. Natura Gracia specialises in state aid, utility regulation and public procurement matters.  Former partner Michael Cutting departed to accept a position at the Competition Appeals Tribunal.

London > Risk advisory > Brexit

Linklaters LLP fields a global team of experts, led by global competition chair  Christopher Bellamy QC and corporate partner  Lucy Fergusson  to advise clients on the full range of Brexit-related risks and strategies. The cross-practice group is particularly active with financial services clients, handling a variety of issues including contingency planning and cross-border reorganisations .Other  key names in this group include global head of finance and projects Michael Kent, Peter Bevan, who leads the financial regulation group, and global co-head of fintech Harry Eddis. Deepak Sitlani and Mark Brown are the primary contacts for capitals markets-related issues, Nicole Kar heads up the UK competition group, and Charlotte Morgan leads the global energy and infrastructure practice.