Pierre Zelenko > Linklaters > Paris, France > Lawyer Profile

Linklaters
25 RUE DE MARIGNAN
75008 PARIS
France

Work Department

Antitrust & Foreign Investment Group

Position

Pierre advises on complex competition issues, including merger control, cartels, vertical restraints, abuses of dominant position, damage claims and State aid. Pierre’s experience spans many industry and business sectors, in particular the, energy, banking and food & beverage sectors.

As a former top civil servant and administrative judge, Pierre has a good understanding of the way regulators (particularly the French Competition Authority) work and enjoys good relationships with them.

Holding a PhD in Economics, Pierre also has in-depth understanding of competition economics.

Pierre worked in the firm’s Brussels office and continues to have in-depth knowledge of the European Commission (EC) as well as longstanding relationships with key DG Comp members to assist clients in their representations in competition matters.

Career

Pierre is recommended in all competition law directories, including in Legal 500 where he has been ranked among the leading individuals since 2015. Pierre was also nominated by Global Competition review “GCR” as best antitrust lawyer in the world under 40 in 2014 and had no less than 5 of his cases nominated as case of the year by GCR over the past four years.

Pierre has written and updates the French chapter of the European Cartel Digest, a joint publication with the European Commission. He has also written and updated the French Chapter of the Merger Control of Global Legal Insights for several years.

Pierre regularly speaks and writes on competition law, and has published three books:
– Géopolitique du pétrole, Editions Technip, 2005 and 2006

– Institutions, second volume of the Encyclopédie de la culture politique contemporaine, Editions Hermann, 2008 then Ellipses, 2010

– La philosophie politique de John Stuart Mill, Editions Presses Universitaires de Paris Sorbonne, 2018

Languages

French, English, German

Memberships

Pierre is secretary-general of the APDC, the association of private practitioners of competition law, having held that position for 7 years.

He is a professor of competition law at the HEC Business School and invited lecturer at the University of Paris II – Panthéon-Assas.

Education

Pierre graduated from the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA), the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP) and the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). Pierre also holds two PhiDs :(i) one in philosophy of law from the Paris Sorbonne University and (ii) one in economics from the EHESS (the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales).

Lawyer Rankings

France > Industry focus: Energy

Described as a ‘cornerstone of the energy sector in Europe’, Linklaters‘ far-reaching practice includes advice on energy regulatory and competition issues, project finance and structured products. The team is additionally praised for having the ‘full range of services needed to develop, finance, build and operate renewable energy projects in Africa and other parts of the world. Practice head Bertrand Andriani draws frequent praise for his involvement with the development and financing of energy projects in France. François April is equipped to advise on mandates involving renewables and infrastructure assets. Global project finance transactions are firmly in the wheelhouse of Stephen Le Vesconte. Pierre Zelenko is regularly tasked with major merger control matters, while Bruno Derieux‘s practice centres on corporate work in sectors including energy and infrastructure.

France > EU, competition and distribution

(Leading individuals)

Pierre ZelenkoLinklaters

Linklaters fields a sizeable EU and competition law team, with deep expertise across the full spectrum of merger control cases, abuse of dominance and cartel investigations, state aid issues and follow-on damages litigation (where the firm has a growing practice, acting for both claimants and defendants). The group is well equipped to take on both French and EU law mandates, frequently joining up with the Brussels and other offices to handle multi-jurisdictional cases. Anne Wachsmann is well regarded for her broad practice, with significant recent experience in high-profile merger control matters, while Pierre Zelenko and Thomas Elkins have been active in major cases in the food and beverages, banking and automotive sectors, among others. Nicolas Zacharie and Matthieu Blayney provide key support. Charlotte Colin-Dubuisson left the firm in early 2024.