Latham & Watkins LLP leverages considerable expertise to assist on the full array of competition law issues, including handling big-ticket cross-border merger clearance processes, complex abuse of dominance and cartel investigations, as well as FDI and FSR regulatory work. Héctor Armengod has deep expertise in the life sciences, media, automotive and consumer goods sectors; Carles Esteva Mosso is an established regulatory expert; and Giuditta Caldini provides merger control experience. The three co-head the practice. Elsewhere in the team, Lars Kjølbye is a longstanding competition law expert, while Christos Malamataris demonstrates a wealth of expertise in merger control matters. The team has recently seen the addition of Alfonso Lamadrid, a notable antitrust litigator who arrived from Garrigues. Sven Völcker retired from the practice.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Latham & Watkins' team stands out for its exceptional agility and responsiveness. Their deep knowledge of Brussels institutions and strategic vision are particularly valuable in the current regulatory landscape, especially in DMA-related matters.'
- 'The team distinguishes itself through its ability to provide innovative solutions and pragmatic approach.’
- 'Giuditta Caldini brings sharp analytical skills and strong technical expertise, consistently delivering thorough and practical solutions to complex regulatory challenges.'
- ‘Leading team, composed of highly experienced members, very dynamic and efficient in its work. A leader in the field. ’
- ‘The team has quality depth in all areas of antitrust and FDI, with global jurisdictional coverage.'
- ‘The competition law team really stands out for combining deep legal know-how with advice that actually makes sense for the business. They’ve handled a wide range of sectors and jurisdictions, so they’re used to dealing with complex matters and often spot problems before they become an issue.'
Key clients
- Microsoft
- Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Lufthansa
- Grail
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Singapore Airlines
- Live Nation
- Bridgepoint
- Bunge Limited
- CVC
- The Carlyle Group
- One Rock Capital
Work highlights
Advised Grail on its US$8bn acquisition by Illumina which involved extensive proceedings across Europe (before the General Court (GC) and the Court of Justice (CJEU)) and in the United States.
Represented Lufthansa in rare interim injunction proceedings from the European Commission, successfully convincing the Commission to close its expedited investigation regarding Lufthansa’s termination of Special Prorate Agreements with Condor, without any condition or remedy.
Represented Iberdrola and Telefonica in their appeals before the General Court, annulling the European Commission’s latest State aid decision of a 20-year trilogy.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
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Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Carles Esteva Mosso; Giuditta Caldini; Héctor Armengod
Other key lawyers
Lars Kjølbye; Alfonso Lamadrid; Christos Malamataris