Our highly-regarded EU & Competition Group helps clients achieve their business objectives by advising clients on how to structure their deals and contracts in line with competition law requirements, by gaining merger control approvals, and by pursuing complaints and legal actions for competition law infringements.
We are acknowledged leaders in the competition law field and provide advice that supports strategic objectives and is practical and commercial. We cover all sectors but with a particular focus on the aviation & aerospace, banking & financial services, communications, electronics, information technology, life sciences, media, postal services and sport sectors. We combine our legal know-how with in-depth understanding of the economics of the sector to deliver advice which is often at the cutting edge of industry developments.
We have particular expertise on the competition law and intellectual property interface. We frequently act on complaints, claims and defences involving the assertion of competition law in an intellectual property context. We are closely involved in the complex and developing area of claims regarding licensing of essential patents in the context of industry standardisation agreements. Our practice covers all aspects of competition law and intellectual property licensing.
The Group is pan-European. We represent our clients before the European Court of Justice and the European Commission and before the national competition authorities and in the courts of all the EU member states covered by our office network. Our Brussels office is a hub for the entire Group’s dealings with the EC institutions. Our Brussels team includes a former director-level EC official in competition matters, Serge Durande, who assists clients in high level issues with the EC’s DG Competition.
We advise on competition law in relation to a wide range of situations including mergers and joint ventures, all types of commercial agreements, abuse of dominant position and transactions affected by EC state aid rules. We provide assistance and representation for investigations by the competition authorities, including dawn raids and information requests.
Our advisory work often involves complex economic and technical issues about pricing, network access, R&D, IP, technology collaboration agreements, software and content licensing, manufacturing, marketing, agency and distribution agreements, service supply, outsourcing, financing and dispute settlement arrangements.
We also provide specialist advice on international trade and customs issues, including trade barrier regulation and anti-dumping duties, and on environmental regulations affecting trade.
Clients value our service because we look beyond the law to the underlying business issues. We pride ourselves on being easy to work with, acting robustly to defend or promote your interests and providing calm, sensible analysis of issues and, where possible, innovative legal solutions.
Head of Group: Jose Rivas