Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton assists on big-ticket multi-jurisdictional merger processes, complex European Commission investigations as well as multi-jurisdictional follow-on damages claims. The team is regularly sought-after by high-profile clients spanning the technology, aviation, media and consumer goods sectors. Spearheaded by Robbert Snelders, the team includes noted merger control specialist Francisco Enrique González-Díaz; Thomas Graf, who specialises in regulatory matters, particularly at the intersection of competition and IP; and Antoine Winckler, who is a longstanding competition law expert. Christopher Cook and François-Charles Laprévote further key contacts.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The Cleary competition law team in Brussels is extremely capable, collaborative with us and each other, and does a wonderful job of understanding not only existing law but trends.’
- 'Thomas Graf is simply a legend in the field.'
- ‘Cleary is a machine and the legal advice is of very high quality.’
- ‘What makes Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton unique is its strong commitment.'
- ‘Very good balance of expertise, experience, rigor and pragmatism. Good team collaboration and ability to deliver under short timelines.’
- ‘The Cleary Brussels team is simply top class. They combine being excellent lawyers with deep technical understanding of the products and markets that they advise on.'
Key clients
- Adevinta
- Alstom
- ASML
- Booking Holdings
- Broadcom
- Coca Cola
- Edwards Life Sciences
- ExxonMobil
- GlobalFoundries
- Goodyear
- IBM
Work highlights
Acted for Illumina in overturning the General Court’s earlier judgment in favour of the EC, as well as several related proceedings before the EC and EU courts.
Representing Google on the antitrust aspects of its $32bn acquisition of Wiz.
Advising Booking Holdings in its appeal against the European Commission’s landmark prohibition on a novel legal framework of the Booking/eTraveli deal.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Christopher Cook
François-Charles Laprévote
Practice head
Robbert Snelders
Other key lawyers
Antoine Winckler; Francisco Enrique González-Díaz; Thomas Graf; Christopher Cook; François-Charles Laprévote