Firms To Watch: Competition: EU and global

The team at Faros specialises in competition and data protection law, led by founders Frank Wijckmans, Maaike Visser, Emmelie Wijckmans and Karolien Francken.

Competition: EU and global in Belgium

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

‘Continuously exceptional’ and a ‘go to firm for advising on the most difficult competition law problems’, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton fields a specialised antitrust and competition practice made up of experts in the market, with experience across EU Commission investigations, global merger control, and State aid regulations. Its litigious work includes non-cartel conduct investigations and multi-jurisdictional follow-on damages cases, while State aid matters include the full range of advice to governments, potential beneficiaries, and third-party complainants. Robbert Snelders heads the team, which also includes Francisco Enrique González-Díaz, a go-to for merger control matters, and cartel expert Antoine Winckler. Christopher Cook and François-Charles Laprévote regularly handle transactional matters.

Praxisleiter:

Robbert Snelders; Jackie Holland


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Christopher Cook; Antoine Winckler; Patrick Bock; Wolfgang Deselaers; Francisco Enrique González-Díaz; Isabel Rooms; François-Charles Laprévote; Thomas Graf; Conor Opdebeeck-Wilson


Referenzen

‘The Cleary team in Brussels is continuously exceptional and our go to firm for advising on the most difficult competition law problems. Top notch negotiation skills and generally excellent drafting.’

‘They tick all the boxes: intelligence, knowledge, experience, network, etc.’

‘Conor Opdebeeck-Wilson is an absolute star. What makes him unique is that he is both business savvy as well as technology savvy and can dive deep into our complex technology in order to provide advice that is very relevant and practical.’

Kernmandanten

Adevinta


Alstom


Booking Holdings


Broadcom


Coca Cola


ExxonMobil


GlobalFoundries


Google


IQVIA


Illumina


LVMH


Naturgy


NVIDIA


Ryanair


Sony


Synopsys


Veolia


Vifor Pharma


Vivendi


Whirlpool Cooperation


Highlight-Mandate


  • Acted as global antitrust counsel to Broadcom Inc., a global technology leader, in its $69bn acquisition of software company VMware Inc.
  • Representing Synopsys, Inc. in its acquisition of ANSYS, Inc.
  • Assisting Google with counselling in connection with the Digital Markets Act and other technology regulations, including engagement with the EU Commission and other regulators and stakeholders, compliance design and implementation, designation proceedings ,and coordination with overlapping on-going antitrust investigations.

Latham & Watkins LLP

‘A strong partner in navigating the EU competition landscape’, the Latham & Watkins LLP antitrust and competition team regularly supports large, complex deals through the merger clearance process, also providing advice on abuse of dominance and cartel investigations with sector expertise ranging from technology to energy. Carles Esteva Mosso co-heads the team, with longstanding regulatory expertise, while co-head Giuditta Caldini was promoted to the partnership in January 2024 and is a go-to for clients in highly regulated industries. Héctor Armengod is vice chair of the firm’s global antitrust practice, regularly handling multi-jurisdictional merger clearance matters. Sven Völcker is recommended for high complexity merger investigations, and Lars Kjølbye is sought after for some of the firm's highest profile matters. ‘Exceptional partner’ Christos Malamataris ‘quickly gets to the core of complex issues and provides sharp, business-oriented advice’.

Praxisleiter:

Carles Esteva Mosso; Giuditta Caldini; Héctor Armengod


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Sven Völcker; Luca Crocco; John Wileur; Christos Malamataris; Lars Kjølbye


Referenzen

‘L&W’s EU Competition team stands out for its expertise, responsiveness, and ability to handle complex matters efficiently. They offer practical, business-focused advice and work closely with in-house teams to provide clear and actionable solutions.’

‘Their collaborative approach and use of innovative technology make them a strong partner in navigating the EU competition landscape. Compared to other firms, they consistently deliver quality.’

‘Christos Malamataris is an exceptional partner. He quickly gets to the core of complex issues and provides sharp, business-oriented advice. His understanding of our needs and ability to offer practical solutions make him a standout. Christos brings clarity and efficiency, making him a trusted and reliable advisor.’

Kernmandanten

Bunge Limited


Thermo Fisher Scientific


Grail


CVC


Farfetch


Tapestry


Hyundai Heavy Industries


Lufthansa


Microsoft


Orange


Singapore Airlines


The Carlyle Group


One Rock Capital


Viasat


American Airlines


Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Grail on its USD8bn acquisition by Illumina.
  • Assisted Orange with obtaining conditional EU Phase II merger clearance for its joint venture with MásMóvil to form Spain’s largest mobile operator by customer numbers, valued at €18.6bn.
  • Represented a client in successfully closing two cartel investigations by the European Commission into no-poach agreements.

Clifford Chance

The global antitrust team at Clifford Chance offers ‘a remarkably high standard of services’, advising on high complexity mergers and strategic behavioural cases in a range of sectors, including technology, life sciences, and consumer goods. Richard Blewett heads up the team, with longstanding experience internationally. Clients in the information technology sector often instruct Dieter Paemen, while work in the energy sector is a key area of strength for Milena Robotham. Anastasios Tomtsis provides both advice and representation before the European Commission and the CJEU for major corporations in State aid and foreign subsidies matters, and contentious antitrust matters are the focus for ‘excellent adviser and advocate’ Ashwin Van Rooijen.

Praxisleiter:

Richard Blewett


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Anastasios Tomtsis; Dieter Paemen; Ashwin van Rooijen; Milena Robotham; Aleksander Tombiński; Katharine Missenden; Georgios Yannouchos; Dorothée Vermeiren


Referenzen

‘The team is both very technical and above all very responsive and available. It is very involved in the various working groups at the European Commission, which allows it to be aware of currents and trends in real time.’

‘We enjoyed working with the team, which is very available and also very flexible and attentive to the client’s constraints. An agile team.’

‘This firm consistently delivers a remarkably high standard of services, demonstrated by their promptness, deep business acumen and industry expertise, well-founded and appropriate counsel, and a highly skilled team.’

Kernmandanten

Amazon


Cisco


WT Microelectronics


Philip Morris


Schibsted


Spotify


Fairsearch


Epic Games


OLX


Nokia


Oracle


European Superleague


Baosteel


Haier


Arcelik


Allianz Capital Partners


Allianz Infrastructure


Shell


GE Healthcare


Sizewell C project company


The German Government Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau


Federal Holding and Investment Company


Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund


Hellenic Financial Stability Fund


Fraport Regional Airports SA


Athens International Airport S.A.


Elia


DESFA, Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator


HELLENiQ ENERGY


Motor Oil Group


The Great Sea Interconnector


GREGY


ELICA


Gastrade SA


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Amazon on several matters, including on antitrust investigation and litigation.
  • Advised Cisco on all non-Americas antitrust approvals, including obtaining unconditional clearance from the European Commission, for its USD28bn acquisition of Splunk.
  • Advising Philip Morris International on various aspects of the international expansion of its smoke free business and advised Philip Morris on its USD16bn public offer to acquire Swedish Match AB.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP‘s ‘committed, efficient, top-quality’ competition, regulation, and trade team handles the gamut of competition law matters, with sector expertise across TMT, energy, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods. Kyriakos Fountoukakos, team head, advises on multi-jurisdictional transactions and investigations, with particular experience advising Japanese clients. State aid matters are regularly handled by specialist Lode Van Den Hende, and Peter Rowland is noted for his work in relation to merger control. Daniel Vowden departed the team in November 2023 to Mayer Brown International LLP, London.

Praxisleiter:

Kyriakos Fountoukakos


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Lode Van Den Hende; Eric White; Peter Rowland; Camille Puech-Baron; Morris Schonberg


Referenzen

‘Committed, efficient, top-quality team.’

‘Lode Van Den Hende is an outstanding partner at HSF with excellent expertise, highest commitment and efficiency. He has an excellent team.’

‘Great team work, flexible billing arrangements, excellent expertise, very visible and respected.’

Kernmandanten

Uber


Comcast


Sky UK


Sky Deutschland


Google


The Coca-Cola Company


United Group


Sumitomo Corporation


Mitsubishi Corporation


Synthomer


British American Tobacco


Eni


Altra Industrial Motion


VTTI


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting an OEM car manufacturer in relation to parallel investigations by the European Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority in relation to automotive end-of-life vehicles.
  • Advising VTTI on a major transaction in the energy sector concerning the acquisition of Adriatic LNG, Italy’s largest LNG terminal.
  • Representing British American Tobacco in proceedings before the EU and Irish Courts challenging an EU regulatory measure in relation to heated tobacco products and in related litigation before the EU Courts regarding document production by the European Commission.

Jones Day

The ‘significant' and 'well regarded’ antitrust and competition law team at Jones Day combines expertise in international merger clearances, antitrust investigations, and related litigation, leveraging the firm’s global reach to support clients in multi-jurisdictional matters. Its State aid offering is particularly noted, along with regulatory work in foreign direct investment and new foreign subsidies regulation. Bernard Amory leads the team, within which Geoffroy Van De Walle was promoted to partner in January 2024, a go-to for abuse of dominance matters. Kaarli Eichhorn is sought after for high-profile, often politically sensitive, merger and antitrust matters.

Praxisleiter:

Bernard Amory; Alexandre Verheyden


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Serge Clerckx; Charlotte Breuvart; Laurent De Muyter; Kaarli Eichhorn; Mario Todino; Philipp Werner; Philippe Laconte; Geoffroy Van De Walle


Referenzen

‘Charlotte Breuvart is always very engaged and available with industry expertise.’

‘Significant, well regarded EU competition law practice in Brussels. Many highly respected partners. Truly global reach. High quality work. Collaborative culture.’

‘Philipp Werner has outstanding expertise in competition law. Very analytical and creative in finding solutions. Deep industry knowledge. Great to work with.’

Kernmandanten

Biocom California


Bombardier


Hitachi Rail


Procter & Gamble


Coca-Cola


Deutsche Telekom


T-Mobile


Dussur


EDF


Eni


Essilor


Euroclear


Fluxys


FCA Bank


General Electric Company


Imerys


Korean Air


Mastercard


PIMCO


RTE


RWE AG


SAP


Suez


Teréga


Traxys


Ubisoft


Valmet


Volkswagen Financial Services


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Korean Air on successfully securing EU merger control clearance following the European Commission’s in-depth investigation of its landmark USD1.6bn acquisition of Asiana Airlines, bringing together the two largest airlines in South Korea.
  • Providing State aid advice to the German Federal State of Hessen, Ministry of Finance, on the EUR2bn restructuring of Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba).
  • Advising one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers on its significant European investment plans to establish a significant semiconductor chip foundry in the EU with respect to all regulatory aspects before the European Commission and national authorities.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

The competition team at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP leverages the firm’s international reach and is therefore ‘able to advise on complex global matters’ particularly regarding M&A in the technology sector. Its contentious work includes cartel and conduct investigations across the technology, financial services, and pharmaceutical industries. Ingrid Vandenborre and Frederic Depoortere co-head the team, and alongside Bill Batchelor, they ‘are all very astute’: Vandenborre has significant experience in cartel matters, Depoortere is a go-to for the most complex merger control cases, and Batchelor, who also works out of London, specialises in conduct investigations.

Praxisleiter:

Ingrid Vandenborre; Frederic Depoortere


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Bill Batchelor; Giorgio Motta; Thorsten Goetz; Niels Baeten


Referenzen

‘Incredibly cross-jurisdictional resources and expertise, able to advise on complex global matters.’

‘Bill Batchelor is super responsive and high performing.’

‘Unbelievably strong work ethic and commitment to delivering for clients.’

Kernmandanten

Activision Blizzard Inc.


Adobe Inc.


Ansys, Inc.


ByteDance Ltd.


Castlelake L.P.


Catalent, Inc.


Dyson Technology Limited


Generics (UK) Limited


Intelsat S.A.


International Paper Company


Juniper Networks, Inc.


Mowi ASA


Renault Group


Södra skogsägarna ek för


Splunk Inc.


Trimble Inc.


UniCredit Bank AG


Victaulic Europe, B.V.


Visa Inc.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Activision Blizzard Inc. on the antitrust aspects of its USD68.7bn acquisition by Microsoft Corporation.
  • Advising ANSYS, Inc. on its USD35bn acquisition by Synopsys, Inc.
  • Representing UniCredit Bank AG in relation to the EC investigation of an alleged cartel in relation to European Government Bonds and the appeal before the General Court of the Court of Justice of the EU against the EC’s findings.

Slaughter and May

The ‘sharp and well-informed’ competition group at Slaughter and May has experience spanning merger control matters, state aid and subsidy control, and multi-jurisdictional competition litigation, with an emphasis on complex, international matters. Anna Lyle-Smythe heads the Brussels offering, with experience of the appeal of cartel cases to the European Courts, and Bertrand Louveaux and Claire Jeffs head the firm’s competition practice across Brussels and London. Jordan Ellison is particularly recommended, with notable expertise regarding cases in the technology sector.

Praxisleiter:

Anna Lyle-Smythe; Bertrand Louveaux; Claire Jeffs


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jordan Ellison


Referenzen

‘Outstanding commercial acumen, practical solutions, succinct and clear legal advice.’

‘The Slaughter & May competition team are one of the best in the market, dealing with top-end complex antitrust cases in a very collaborative manner.’

‘This is a very deep team that is full of smart, kind, hard-working lawyers. We worked with them on a high-stakes matter involving lots of interaction with senior management and they represented themselves extremely well.’

Kernmandanten

Banco Santander Totta


BHP


Booking Holdings


British Airways


Capri


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


DS Smith


Figma


Google


INEOS


ITV


Japan Industrial Partners


Korean Air


Meta


Nasdaq


National Instruments


Netflix


Richemont


Salesforce


S&P Global


Vodafone


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Google on various competition investigations in Europe and globally, including the EC investigation into the online advertising technology sector.
  • Advising International Airlines Group on the EU competition law aspects of its proposed acquisition of Air Europa.
  • Advised Booking Holdings, a provider of online travel and related services, on the competition law aspects of its proposed acquisition of global flight online travel agency Etraveli.

Van Bael & Bellis

‘An outstanding firm for EU competition issues’, Van Bael & Bellis offers a specialised and full-service antitrust and competition practice with notable expertise in cartel and abuse of dominance cases, as well as complex European Commission merger matters. At the helm of the team, Porter Elliott and Andrzej Kmiecik are regularly involved in major EU merger reviews. Andreas Reindl is particularly recommended for antitrust investigations before the European Commission, and Johan Van Acker specialises in merger control. Jean-François Bellis is also recommended.

Praxisleiter:

Andrzej Kmiecik; Porter Elliott


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jean-François Bellis; Andreas Reindl; Johan Van Acker; Kris Van Hove; Richard Burton


Referenzen

‘Andreas Reindl brings us up-to-date information about enforcement and practice trends, which helps us understand when we should consult EU lawyers and UK lawyers in advising clients. Andreas is very creative and sophisticated, hard-working lawyer.’

‘VBB is an outstanding firm for EU competition issues.’

‘Andreas Reindl is an absolute gem. In addition to his deep expertise in competition law, he is an outstanding service provider. He is responsive, has taken the time to truly learn our business, provides practical and easy to understand advice, and is a reassuring presence on all matters.’

Kernmandanten

Association for Competitive Technology


Bloomberg


Carlsberg


Gigaset


Google


Halliburton


Intel


Japan Airlines


Neste Group


Nike


Quaker Houghton


Skanska


Sopra Steria


Stora Enso


Toyoda Gosei


Umicore Group


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising longstanding client Nippon Steel on its USD14.9bn acquisition of competitor US Steel.
  • Assisting Nuctech with the Commission’s ex officio investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, in particular in its appeal before the EU General Court challenging the EC decision to initiate the dawn raid and requesting the investigation be suspended.
  • Assisting Intel with an appeal against the European Commission’s September 2023 decision to re-impose a EUR376m fine on Intel for a previously established abuse of dominance position in the computer chips market (for x86 central processing units).

A&O Shearman

A&O Shearman‘s EU and competition team advises on the full range of competition and regulatory issues, with a core practice in merger control, cartel defence, behavioural investigations, and State aid. Its antitrust litigation work includes a private enforcement practice. Practice head Dirk Arts has particular experience in the energy, media, chemical, retail, and automotive sectors, and Francesca Miotto provides ‘exceptional strategic advice’ regarding multi-jurisdictional merger reviews.

Praxisleiter:

Dirk Arts


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Francesca Miotto; Sylvain Petit


Referenzen

‘Francesca Miotto is partner that greatly combines availability, legal and commercial expertise to explore grey areas of competition law. She infuses her advice with insights from her experience that help customize the advice to the relevant industry sector.’

‘Francesca Miotto provides exceptional strategic advice and has a first rate understanding of the global merger control landscape.’

‘They are very client-oriented, and good at communicating with the competition authorities smoothly.’

Kernmandanten

Advent


BelOrta


Brink’s


General Electric


Google


Korean Air


Luciad


Macquarie


Mediahuis


Mitsui


Procter & Gamble


Recticel


SABIC


Saudi Aramco


Scania


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Scania on the European Commission heavy trucks investigation and on Scania’s defence strategy in follow-on private damages claims across the EEA and beyond.
  • Advised Korean Air on securing conditional merger control clearance from the European Commission on their historic aviation transaction with Asiana Airlines, which will bring together the two largest airlines in South Korea.
  • Advised on the antitrust aspects of a joint venture between Mitsui Chemicals and Asahi Kasei, which has brought together the two companies’ “nonwovens” businesses (high-tech, engineered fabrics made from fibers), forming a new integrated company in October 2023

Baker Botts L.L.P.

Baker Botts L.L.P.‘s antitrust and competition law team regularly supports clients in highly regulated sectors, including technology, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and energy, handling merger control cases, antitrust investigations, and State aid matters. Team head Catriona Hatton has longstanding experience in high-stakes, multi-jurisdictional transactions. For energy sector matters, Matthew Levitt is particular recommended: ‘his industry knowledge makes his advice concrete and very practical’. Technology sector clients regularly seek out Paul Lugard.

Praxisleiter:

Catriona Hatton


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Paul Lugard; Matthew Levitt; David Cardwell; Adam Dawson; Brian Byrne


Referenzen

‘Baker Botts in Brussels with Matthew Levitt has deep energy industry knowledge and know competition law questions related to this.’

‘I have Matthew Levitt as our main contact. Mr Levitt is a brilliant lawyer. He knows the law, relevant court cases and the legal assessments that must be done.’

‘Matthew Levitt is an expert in competition law related to the European Energy Market and his industry knowledge makes his advice concrete and very practical. He is always spot on and we do not have to use time to educate him about our market, competitors, technology etc.’

Kernmandanten

Google


Liberty Media Corporation


World Shipping Council


DFDS


Celanese Corporation


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Google on successfully obtaining unconditional clearance for its acquisition of Photomath.
  • Advising Liberty Media on its €4.2bn acquisition of Dorna Sports, the owners of the MotoGP.
  • Advising World Shipping Council on preparing submissions, white papers, and attending meetings during the parallel reviews of the block exemption for shipping consortia by the EC and UK Competition and Markets Authority.

Baker McKenzie BV/SRL

The EU competition and regulatory affairs practice at Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL stands out for its cartels work, with longstanding experience in defence strategies for clients in major antitrust investigations. The team has notable strength in the fashion and fragrances sectors. Fiona Carlin leads the team, with Kurt Haegeman the go-to for matters in the consumer goods and retail industries, and Paul Johnson taking the lead on TMT sector work. The team’s merger control work is also notable, and it frequently supports clients on large-scale M&A deals.

Praxisleiter:

Fiona Carlin; Kurt Haegeman; Paul Johnson


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Gavin Bushell; Bram Hoorelbeke; Ola McLees


Referenzen

‘Baker McKenzie has a very strong EU competition law practice. Having worked with them on multiple occasions, they are always very precise in their legal analysis and pragmatic in their approach. The team also remains very responsive and approachable. I highly recommend working with them.’

‘Kurt Haegeman leads the practice and is a pleasure to work with. Kurt has a rare mix of precise legal knowledge and business-pragmatic approach. I highly enjoy working with him and he is warmly recommend.’

‘Fiona Carlin demonstrates an extraordinary ability to blend legal expertise with a nuanced understanding of the political and economic landscape in which competition issues unfold.’

Kernmandanten

Abbott Laboratories


AbbVie


Allergan


ACG Inc


Allegion


Allianz


ArcelorMittal


Archer Daniels Midland


Arconic


AT&T


Baloise Belgium


Baxter


Bayer


BBA Aviation


Biogen


Brands for Europe


Brookfield Capital Partners


BRP


Camso


Carlsberg


Casio Computer Ltd


Chr. Hansen


Cisco Systems Inc


Cobelfret


Danone


De Heus


Dun & Bradstreet


EFPIA


Embracer


Emerson


Ergon Capital


Keesing


Essity


FedEx


Equinix, Inc.


FSN Capital


Gazprom Export LLC


General Electric Company


General Motors


GlaxoSmithKline


Global Blue


Google


HBO


Hitachi Ltd


HP


Husqvarna


Hutchison Ports


IMAA


Intel


Kia


KYB


Larsen & Toubro


Levi Strauss


Lindt


Lonza Group


L’Oréal


LYC Chemical


Maersk


McCain


McDonald’s


Mercedes Benz


Merck


Methanex


Mitsubishi


MOL


Mondelez


MTU Maintenance


Nielsen Holdings plc


Nike


Nordic Capital


Novo Nordisk


Nyrstar


OEP


Olink


Peak Achievement Athletics


Philips


Pioneer DJ


Pioneer Europe


Plantronics


Polycom


Puig


Recticel


Regency Entertainment and Hellenic Casino Parnitha


Rio Tinto


Rubrik


Samsonite


Sappi


Seiko


Sika AG


Spadel


Sulzer


Sumitomo Chemical


TA Associates


Takeda


TSMC


TVA


UBS


Unilever


VF Corp


Warner Bros. Discovery


Westinghouse Electric Company LLC


Willis Towers Watson


Worthington Industries


Zen Noh Grain Corporation


Zespri


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisted Sika (the Swiss multinational specialty chemical company) with acquiring MBCC Group, the former BASF Construction Chemicals, from an affiliate of Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm, for a consideration of USD5.6m.
  • Represented the immunity applicant in the global antitrust investigation into the fashion sector before the US DoJ, the European Commission, and the UK CMA.
  • Represented Global Blue successfully in a lengthy abuse of dominance investigation before the European Commission.

Bird & Bird

Bird & Bird‘s competition and EU practice group leverages its experience of the technology, telecoms, aviation, automotive, and sports sectors alongside competition and trade law expertise, supporting clients with the application of the Digital Markets Act, as well as in competition litigation before EU courts. José Rivas and Hein Hobbelen co-head the team: Rivas a go-to for state aid matters, and Hobbelen boasts particular experience of the technology and communications fields. Baptist Vleeshouwers is also recommended.

Praxisleiter:

José Rivas; Hein Hobbelen


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Baptist Vleeshouwers; Anne Federle


Referenzen

‘We have worked principally with Hein Hobbelen and Baptist Vleeshouwers from Bird & Bird’s Belgium office. Both Hein and Baptist are client-focused attorneys with great knowledge of antitrust / competition law issues.’

‘José Rivas easily and quickly understands the issues and can come up with clear and detailed answers which can be implemented easily from a pragmatic point of view.’

‘José Rivas has deep understanding of global antitrust laws and practices and is literally leading antitrust/competition law practice across the world.’

Kernmandanten

xAI


Securitas


Burberry


FIFA


Kontoor Brands


Panasonic


John Deere


Carpatair


Aegean Airlines


Air Products PLC


PHINIA


BorgWarner


SES


New Skies Satellite B.V.


Boehringer Ingelheim


Ottobock


ACE


European Thermal Paper Association


CLEPA


EXTR:ACT


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing the complainant in the Commission’s investigation into Apple’s in-app purchase terms for e-books and audiobooks.
  • Representing Securitas successfully as the leniency applicant in the Belgian Competition Authority’s investigation into the Belgian security and guarding sector.
  • Representing Romanian airline Carpatair uccessfully  before the General Court (Case T-522/20) in its request for annulment of the Commission’s decision which found that measures adopted by the airport of Timisoara to the benefit of Wizz Air did not constitute aid.

Covington & Burling LLP

The EU competition team at Covington & Burling LLP provides an ‘outstanding service‘, with notable strength regarding State aid matters: its foreign direct investment practice supports clients internationally. Johan Ysewyn heads the practice, and is also co-head of the firm’s global competition group. Carole Maczkovics regularly acts for both public and private entities in administrative and judicial proceedings regarding State aid, and Melissa Van Schoorisse is experienced in the media, music, and entertainment sectors. The ‘incredibly experienced’ Christian Ahlborn is also recommended.

Praxisleiter:

Johan Ysewyn


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Melissa Van Schoorisse; Carole Maczkovics; Christian Ahlborn; Sibel Yilmaz


Referenzen

‘Strong global presence, drawing off leading position in US.’

‘Christian Ahlborn is incredibly experienced and intellectually very strong. Able to identify key issues and pre-empt agency concerns while also being pragmatic.’

‘Outstanding service coordinating antitrust, foreign investment and other regulatory advice in connection with multi-jurisdictional transactions. In addition to the obvious legal expertise, what makes Covington stand out is its vast experience with transactions in the technology sector.’

Kernmandanten

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd


Cameco Corporation


Glencore


Warner Bros. Discovery


PSA International Pte Ltd


Biogen


BioNTech


Incyte


Oxford Biomedica


Shell International


Highlight-Mandate


DLA Piper

The EU competition offering at DLA Piper sits within the firm’s litigation and regulatory team, with ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of EU law and competition law’. Its experience spans merger control, investigations, cartels, and litigation advice, with particular expertise in the life sciences, transportation, and energy sectors. At the helm of the department, Daniel Colgan supports clients with State aid and Foreign Direct Investment matters, while Joost Haans has a particular focus on merger control matters, and Laurent Geelhand is the go-to for competition litigation.

Praxisleiter:

Daniel Colgan; Joost Haans; Laurent Geelhand


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Andreas Politis; Daniel Wojtczak; Orestis Omran


Referenzen

‘One of the best teams in Competition Law. The capabilities of the team in relation to Competition and in particular State Aid are really impressive.’

‘The team’s encyclopaedic knowledge of EU law and competition law combined with in-depth understanding of different sectors from both an economic and policy perspective sets it apart from other competition law departments.’

‘For every competition law cases, Orestis Orman is able to put together and lead the best team, tailored to the needs of the case. He can discriminate between major and strategic issues and questions of secondary importance, going to the heart of the matter.’

Kernmandanten

Korean Air Lines Co. Ltd


Fluvius System Operator cv


Chalco Iron Ore Holdings


Casino


Medtronic


Eunice Energy Group


Hellenic Ministry of Finance and Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance


Hellenic Post


Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations


Highlight-Mandate


  • Represented Korean Air Lines successfully in the European Union’s in-depth investigation into its proposed acquisition of Asiana Airlines, leading to a conditional approval of this groundbreaking case.
  • Assisted Fluvius with the EU merger control procedure relating to the proposed joint venture between Fluvius and Telenet concerning the mixed Fibre-to-the-Home and hybrid fibre coaxial roll out in Flanders.
  • Advising CIOH on to its stake in Simfer, a joint venture between Rio Tinto, CIOH, and the Government of the Republic of Guinea.

Gibson Dunn

Characterised by its standout expertise in handling abusive practices investigations, the antitrust and competition team at Gibson Dunn is particularly experienced in handling abuse cases in the technology sector. Its growing merger control practice is also notable, taking on complex, global matters. Christian Riis-Madsen heads the team as a go-to counsel for technology companies, with Attila Borsos regularly supporting private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds. Stéphane Frank left the firm in 2025.

Praxisleiter:

Christian Riis-Madsen


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Attila Borsos; Ali Nikpay; Katherine Nobbs


Referenzen

‘Very strong team of true professionals, able to handle complex matters in a practical manner. I can recommend without hesitation for engagement. Most importantly, provides recommendation you can trust without the need for any further opinions.’

‘Christian Riis-Madsen is one of the best, able to handle multiple complex industries with ease, ranging from counselling, investigations to transactions. He will always be our go to on complex matters.’

‘Katherine Nobbs is able to handle difficult matters with ease and with a client minded approach.’

Kernmandanten

VMware


Merck & Co.


Elliott Investment Management


AMCI Group


UBS


RedBird IMI


Schlumberger


P&O Ferries


Highlight-Mandate


Hogan Lovells International LLP

The antitrust, competition, and economic regulation team at Hogan Lovells International LLP is noted for its expertise in international competition law enforcement and global merger control matters. The firm’s wider IP and technology sector focus is leveraged to support clients at the intersection of IP and antitrust law. Behavioural cases are often handled by team head Christopher Thomas, and Falk Schöning focuses his practice on merger control in the TMT, aerospace, defence, and chemicals sectors.

Praxisleiter:

Christopher Thomas


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Falk Schöning; Michel Struys


Kernmandanten

Engie


Google


Huhtamäki


IBM


Intel


BMW


Holcim


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries


LetterOne


Lockheed Martin


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Google in the CMA’s regulatory review of Google’s “Privacy Sandbox” proposals to remove third-party cookies on Chrome, take measures against covert tracking of users, and introduce alternative technologies offering substantially improved user privacy.
  • Represented Engie successfully before the Court of Justice in its action for annulment against a State aid decision of the Commission concerning Luxembourg tax rulings.
  • Represented long-term client Intel Corporation in the international merger control and FDI aspects of its $4.3bn agreement to sell an approximately 20% stake in its IMS Nanofabrication GmbH business to private equity investor Bain Capital Special Situations.

Linklaters

Linklaters‘ ‘well rounded’ antitrust and foreign investment group is praised for its ‘strong leadership’, with experienced litigator Bernd Meyring heading up the practice in Brussels and globally. The team is noted for its experience in the healthcare sector, along with ongoing work in the telecoms industry. Its foreign investment control practice, headed by Ina Lunneryd, pairs with experience of State aid cases, and often advises on the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation. Life sciences specialist Annamaria Mangiaracina is praised for her ability to find ‘creative ways through complicated issues’.

Praxisleiter:

Bernd Meyring


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Neil Hoolihan; Annamaria Mangiaracina; William Leslie; Ina Lunneryd


Referenzen

‘The practice is one of the top competition teams in Europe. Key strengths are pragmatism / user-friendliness, deep understanding of commercial aspects, deep and wide knowledge of competition law and regulation and good command of economics and know how to use economics effectively.’

‘William Leslie at Linklaters is an absolute star.’

‘Well rounded team with strong leadership and impressive bench strength, with a number of great associates coming up.’

Kernmandanten

Nasdaq Aktiebolag


I Squared Capital Advisors (UK)


Kingspan Group


Carrier Global Corporation


Vodafone Group


John Cockerill Defense


Euronav


OTPP


bpost


The Single Resolution Board


Johnson & Johnson


Novo Holdings


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Nasdaq Aktiebolag on the merger control and foreign investment aspects of the divesture of its Nordic power business to EEX.
  • Advising Carrier Global Corporation on all antitrust, merger control and foreign investment aspects of a number of key and transformative transactions, including its highly strategic $13bn acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions.
  • Defending Vodafone Group before the General Court in Luxembourg in Case T-692/20, Iliad Italia v European Commission, as well as advising on the €8bn sale of its Italian business to Swisscom.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

The antitrust and competition practice at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP represents both investigated undertakings and complainants, as well as interveners in mergers, cartel defences, dominance cases, and State aid matters. It fields experts in both public and private enforcement of competition law, with particular experience of the high-tech, telecoms, media, life sciences, and transportation sectors. Miguel Rato acts as practice head following the departure of Trevor Soames to Geradin Partners in January 2025.

Praxisleiter:

Miguel Rato


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Marixenia Davilla; Athena Kontosakou


Referenzen

‘Expertise in the sector, steadfast dedication, super drafting.’

Kernmandanten

Qualcomm Inc.


Salesforce


Slack Inc.


Air Canada


WebGroup Czech Republic a.s.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Qualcomm Inc. in appealing the Commission decision in Case AT. 39711 (Qualcomm – predation) finding that Qualcomm abused its dominance by selling certain UMTS chipsets below “cost” to two strategically important customers, with the intention of eliminating Icera.
  • Representing Qualcomm Inc. in the European Commission investigation into Qualcomm regarding radio frequency front-end chips which can be used in 5G devices.
  • Representing Slack/Salesforce in the EC’s continuing investigation into Slack’s Article 102 complaint against Microsoft, alleging that Microsoft is breaching EU competition rules by engaging in a series of abusive behaviours.

Sidley Austin LLP

Sidley Austin LLP‘s antitrust and competition team is ‘thorough, systematic, and moves fast‘, and is particularly noted for its work in the life sciences sector and experience representing pharmaceutical clients. The technology sector is another area of strength for the team, with practice head Ken Daly a go-to here. Daly has notable expertise regarding the interplay of AI and competition law, while Maarten Meulenbelt and Anne Robert are key contacts for life sciences matters.

Praxisleiter:

Ken Daly


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Maarten Meulenbelt; Stephen Spinks; Jacques Bourgeois; Anne Robert; Elisabetta Righini


Referenzen

‘The team is thorough, systematic, and moves fast. They are client oriented and very responsive.’

‘Partners I worked with in the practice were very knowledgeable and had contacts to key decision makers, allowing us to move fast and have high certainty in potential results.’

‘The Sidley lawyers really know their stuff very well and they are able to explain highly complex issues in a simple and clear way. And they are reliable – what they say they also do. Excellent support!’

Kernmandanten

Clearlake Capital Group


Servier Laboratories Limited


U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform


Doctipharma SAS


Swixx Biopharma


Coupang Inc.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Represented Coupang in its acquisition of sole control of the business and assets of Farfetch Holdings plc.
  • Representing French pharmaceutical company Les Laboratoires Servier, as co-lead counsel, before the CJEU in appeals by Servier (Case C-201/19 P) and the European Commission (Case C-176/19 P) against a General Court judgment (Case T-691/14).
  • Counsel to U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform in relation to the revision of the Product Liability Directive and the adoption of the forthcoming AI Act.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

The antitrust and competition team at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner handles a full range of competition and foreign direct investment mandates, working with international corporates in merger clearance and national security matters, as well as serving the European Commission and UN regularly. Team head Dave Anderson is ‘the best any client can get’, and is experienced across Brussels, the US, and England and Wales.

Praxisleiter:

Dave Anderson


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Paul Culliford


Referenzen

‘Dave Anderson is a very experienced lawyer with all qualities you expect from a trusted advisor; the best any client can get especially for merger control.’

‘One of the best antitrust teams in the town. Brilliant lawyers, great professionals.’

‘Great way of engaging with the clients, always super professional and available all the time. Competence and collaboration are a great mix.’

Kernmandanten

Lumen Technologies


Riverstone Holdings


Segantii Capital


Farallon Capital


European Commission


United Nations Trade and Development


Evergreen Marine Corp.


Populous Holdings, Inc


McWin Capital Partners


Oscar Gruss


Makor Group


TE Connectivity


Churchill Capital


Jain Capital


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Oscar Gruss Inc. on a number of merger investigations by the EU Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority including Microsoft’s $68.7bn proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Amazon’s $1.7bn bid for iRobot and the Chinese government’s investigation into Max linear’s $8bn proposed acquisition of SMT.
  • Acted for Populous, a global leader in architecture for sports facilities and arenas, in relation to the global antitrust aspects of the sale of a minority stake to Providence Equity Partners.
  • Advising the Competition Division of United Nations in their capacity as a special adviser to the 55 nation $3.5tn Africa Continental Free Trade Area on a wide range of competition laws, policies, and procedures.

Crowell & Moring

The ‘approachable and hands-on’ antitrust and competition team at Crowell & Moring is particularly noted for its work in the telecoms, media, and platform-related industries, with experience in competition damages recovery internationally. It also has expertise in handling State aid and foreign subsidies regulation compliance, notifications, and investigations. Team head Thomas De Meese is praised for his ‘truly deep experience’, with a strong grounding in matters sitting at the intersection of technology and patent work and competition law.

Praxisleiter:

Thomas De Meese


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Karel Bourgeois; Peter Broadhurst


Referenzen

The team of Crowell & Moring is very approachable and hands-on, while at the same time displaying their knowledge. An important asset is that they are well connected in the market so that they keep very much updated about all regulatory developments.’

‘Karel Bourgeois is pleasant to work with. Understands the pragmatic approach we look for with our company.’

‘Deep experience in our sector, ability to handle complex matters with ease.’

Kernmandanten

AT&T


Liberty Global


Flemish Government


Renewi


Telenet


PPTA


European Gaming & Betting Association


Unibet


Baro Projects


Play Media


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisted long-standing client Telenet with a notification to the European Commission of the acquisition by Telenet of 20% of the shares of a joint venture between Mediahuis and the French NRJ Group, which is running the Flemish radio channel Nostalgie.
  • Represented the European Gaming and Betting Association in a successful appeal before the General Court against a European Commission decision that rejected EGBA’s complaint about the renewal of betting, lottery, and casino licenses in the Netherlands.

Dechert LLP

‘A leader in delivering tailored legal solutions on a global scale’, Dechert LLP‘s antitrust and competition team has experience across the technology, pharmaceuticals, online retail, energy, and transport sectors. Its work regarding the anti-competitive practices of large digital companies is particularly notable, and is an area of strength for Alec Burnside. At the head of the team, Clemens Graf York von Wartenburg often supports multi-national clients.

Praxisleiter:

Clemens Graf York von Wartenburg


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Alec Burnside; Michael Okkonen


Referenzen

‘Dechert’s practice is uniquely positioned as a leader in delivering tailored legal solutions on a global scale. They combine deep industry expertise with a multidisciplinary approach, ensuring that their clients receive comprehensive advice that considers all aspects of their legal and business needs.’

‘The individuals we work with stand out due to their exceptional expertise, collaborative approach, and commitment to excellence.’

‘Dechert’s competition law team’s profound knowledge of the intricate landscape of EU competition regulations and their extensive experience in navigating the EU Commission’s procedures are evident.’

Kernmandanten

GIC


Crown Holdings, Inc.


Cerus Endovascular Limited


Huhtamaki Oyi


Fair Trade Advocacy Office


Illumina


Marconi


Microsoft


Shurgard


Cerence


American Express Global Business Travel


Court Square Capital


MidEuropa Partners


Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co


Yelp, Inc.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising GIC as part of a consortium’s USD14bn acquisition of the climate technology business from Emerson Electric.
  • Representing Crown in its appeal of the EC’s fining decision following its landmark investigation in the metal packaging sector.
  • Advised Cerus Endovascular Limited on its sale to Stryker Corporation.

Garrigues

Garrigues‘s Belgian offering in EU and competition law is praised for its ‘unparalleled understanding’ of the field, combining its strength in the Spanish market with expertise ‘at the European Commission and the EU courts levels’. ‘First-rate lawyer’ Alfonso Lamadrid heads up the team and is particularly noted for his work as a litigator. Also recommended is Mark English, whose expertise in unilateral conduct cases and the intersection of competition and intellectual property is standout.

Praxisleiter:

Alfonso Lamadrid


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Mark English


Referenzen

‘Their great knowledge and previous experience. They really know how the courts work and they focus on those points that can succeed.’

‘The strengths of the Garrigues team in Brussels are mainly its high level of knowledge of the subject matter related to the matters entrusted to it, its extensive experience in the practice of procedures followed before European Authorities and Courts and, in addition, its full availability to respond to any suggestion or clarification requested by the client.’

‘I do not believe any other law firm in Brussels has as much expertise litigating before the EU courts. This unique advantage gives Garrigues an unparalleled understanding of all aspects pertaining to procedure, both at the European Commission and the EU courts levels.’

Kernmandanten

Google


Computer and Communications Industry Association


Coalition for Open Digital Ecosystems


Opera


Cisco Systems


FIFPRO


World Leagues


Banco Santander


World Padel Tour


Zalando


IBM


Rolex


EDP


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Google in its challenge against the European Commission’s Google Android decision, which imposed a fine of EUR4.34bn, the highest fine ever in the history of EU competition law.
  • Representing browser Opera in its application for the annulment of the European Commission’s decision not to designate Microsoft as a gatekeeper under the EU Digital Markets Act in relation to its browser, Edge.
  • Representing World Leagues and FIFPRO in relation to an abuse of dominance complaint before the European Commission against FIFA’s unilateral imposition of the international march calendar.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I

The team of ‘excellent technical lawyers’ in competition and international trade law at Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I stands out for its ability to provide ‘commercial advice’ on State aid matters. Stéphane Hautbourg is a go-to for merger control mandates, Benoît Le Bret handles State aid matters, Laurent Godfroid is sought after for abuse of dominance cases, and Ségolène Pelsy is recommended for her knowledge of Moroccan competition law. Romain Rard is experienced in EU regulatory work.

Praxisleiter:

Stéphane Hautbourg; Benoit Le Bret; Laurent Godfroid; Ségolène Pelsy; Romain Rard; Olivier Prost


Referenzen

‘The team at Gide are excellent technical lawyers but what stands out is their ability to provide commercial advice that is tailored to a particular client’s needs and/or the nature of the transaction.’

‘Ségolène Pelsy is a great antitrust lawyer. The combination of technical expertise and a commercial mindset mean that she is our go to lawyer for Moroccan and French antitrust matters. The advice provided is always user-friendly and easy to digest.’

‘Ségolène Pelsy is smart, practical, responsive and highly reliable. She’s our first choice for filings in Morocco.’

Kernmandanten

TF1


Flowbird Group


KKR


BNP Paribas


Orange


Fret SNCF


Twenga


Cargolux


SkyExpress


French State


Air Liquide


EDF


Framatome


Naval Group


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting Orange with the merger control notification to the European Commission of the proposed merger of its Spanish subsidiary, Orange Spain, with MásMóvil, another telecommunications operator in Spain.
  • Assisting Verkor, a French battery-cell manufacturer, with the pre-notification and notification to the European Commission of a EUR6594m State aid to support Verkor in researching and developing new production processes of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
  • Advising KKR, one of the largest and most influential private equity firms in the world, on the antitrust and regulatory aspects regarding its acquisition of Italy’s wholesale access network assets owned by TIM, along the contribution to KKR of TIM’s stakes within FiberCop.

McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP

‘Known for its global reach and deep expertise’, the competition group at McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP works across merger control, abuse of dominance, State aid, litigation, and foreign subsidies regulation matters. Practice head Hendrik Viaene has experience in the financial services, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare sectors. Axel Schulz ‘has a stellar reputation and is highly respected’, particularly for work in the pharmaceuticals industry, while Stéphane Dionnet handles both merger and cartel work.

Praxisleiter:

Hendrik Viaene


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jacques Buhart; Stéphane Dionnet; Axel Schulz


Referenzen

‘McDermott’s antitrust practice is known for its global reach and deep expertise in sectors like healthcare and technology. The team delivers tailored, commercially viable solutions, with a very practical and easy to follow approach.’

‘With a focus on technology and data-driven insights, McDermott drives efficiency and improves outcomes in antitrust cases. The firm’s global strategy and innovative approach make it a top choice for clients facing complex, multi-jurisdictional antitrust matters.’

‘Stéphane Dionnet stands out for his practical, client-focused approach to antitrust law. He excels at aligning legal strategies with clients’ business goals, offering solutions that are both compliant and commercially viable.’

Kernmandanten

Novo Nordisk A/S


Metsä Group


NGK Insulators


Mitsui & Co


KKDI


Dayco Group


Soudal


Esko Graphics


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries


Akzo Nobel


PMV


University Hospital Gent


Chep


Nautic Partners


University Hospital Antwerp


Gigarant


Belgian State


Finance&invest.Brussels


Alpha Trains


Invest-NL


FactSet


Astra Sweets


Pfeifer & Langen-IHKG Group


Lunate


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting Soudal with a number of tax ruling and state aid cases before the General Court and before the European Court of Justice.
  • Advised Dayco Group on the divestment of its Propulsion Solutions business to AURELIUS Private Equity Mid-Market Buyout.
  • Representing Nautic Partners, a US-based private equity firm, in antitrust matters in connection with the acquisition of WESCO Integrated Supply, Inc and securing clearance decision by Polish competition authority.

Reed Smith

The competition and antitrust team at Reed Smith works closely with its international teams across Europe and globally. Its workload includes EU and multi-jurisdictional merger control matters, EU investigations, including cartels and abuse of dominance, State aid, and EU competition compliance support. Heading the team is Isabelle Rahman, recommended for her ‘in-depth knowledge of EU competition law’, and she advises on a range of antitrust risk and business compliance issues.

Praxisleiter:

Isabelle Rahman


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Christian Filippitsch


Referenzen

‘Provides applicable and practical advice – focused on providing value. Takes time to understand the business angle and fact pattern.’

‘Isabelle Rahman has provided very practical and implementable advice over the years and is focused, rather than being very transactional, on maintaining a relationship and really understanding client needs. She is super engaged and available to her clients.’

‘Very business oriented providing business legal advice and solutions to difficult transactions. Deal makers.’

Highlight-Mandate


Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP‘s EU competition and regulatory practice in Brussels works as part of its global antitrust and competition practice, with colleagues situated across the EU, the US, and Asia. Its State aid work is particularly notable, and is an area of particular strength for practice head Jacques Derenne: ‘one of the very few that matter in Europe on State aid matters’, Derenne has notable experience in the energy, transportation, and tobacco products sectors.

Praxisleiter:

Jacques Derenne


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Oliver Heinisch; Dimitris Vallindas; Ana Alvarez Vidal


Referenzen

‘The team led by Jacques Derenne has a unique expertise and experience in State aid matters, including complex ones, that probably have no equivalent in Europe.’

‘Jacques Derenne is the leading partner, he’s one of the very few that matter in Europe on State aid matters and with excellent connections with administrations and the European Commission. Jacques is indisputably a star in his field.’

‘Dimitris Vallindas is a seasoned counsel with a sharp expertise and often brings practical answers in complex cases. He also demonstrated excellent skills, as a puncher, in pleading cases before jurisdictions.’

Kernmandanten

Air France-KLM


Air France


A.N.O.D.E.


Anuvu Inc.


Arlington Capital Partners


Casio


C.F. Martin Guitars & Co.


EDF Renouvelables


Eurelec Trading EuroCommerce


Hitachi Zosen Inova AG


Meliá Hotels International


Micula


Poland


Walloon Region


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Air France-KLM and Air France in a series of complex State aid cases totalling €12.4bn since 2020.
  • Representing Casio in a collective opt-out damages action in front of the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal brought by Elisabetta Sciallis.
  • Challenged the Commission’s State aid decision prohibiting Romania to pay the Miculas arbitral damages.

BonelliErede

The competition and EU team at BonelliErede in Belgium is integrated with its teams in Rome and Milan, working closely with colleagues internationally. Team head Massimo Merola is noted for his State aid experience, also handling merger control cases and advising on foreign direct investment control. Merola is also recommended for his litigation work, supporting governments, public authorities, and blue-chip companies.

Praxisleiter:

Massimo Merola


Referenzen

‘The practice can rely on professionals that have deep expertise on Competition Law. They have a strong client centric approach and provide effective legal solutions.’

‘The team comprises highly skilled professionals who are experts in Competition law fields. Their strong points are: deep knowledge in competition law, exceptional client relation skills, commitment to client’s goals and very strong collaborative spirit.’

‘Once the collaboration has started, the reference professional or professionals are careful to provide information on the course of the disputes. They are easily reachable and careful to provide information and clarifications.’

Kernmandanten

Autostrade per l’Italia S.p.A.


GOI Energy Limited


Neos S.p.A.


Pharma Mar SA


ILVA S.p.A. in A.S.


Accenture Holdings B.V.


Fastweb S.p.A.


Investindustrial SA


Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A.


Simest S.p.A.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A in the increase of its shareholding in Euronext, as part of the overall transaction for the partial divestment of Euroclear’s shareholding in Euronext.
  • Advising GOI Energy Limited on the FDI, merger control, and antitrust aspects of the transaction envisaging the acquisition of the entire corporate capital of ISAB S.r.l.
  • Assisting Accenture Holdings B.V. with the merger control and FDI aspects of the acquisition of Intellera Consulting S.p.A.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP launched its Brussels antitrust offering in 2023, advising clients on complex, cross-border M&A transactions, as well as behavioural and compliance issues. Jürgen Schindler heads up the team, working between London and Brussels and often litigating before the European courts. Frances Dethmers, also working across London and Brussels, is experienced in handling highly complex merger control procedures and cartel investigations.

Praxisleiter:

Jürgen Schindler


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Frances Dethmers; Matthew Yeowart


Kernmandanten

Emerson


Bridgepoint


Roche


Pfizer


BDT & MSD Partners


Kingspan


Tencent


Comcast


Cisco


One Equity Partners


Natura


Walmart


Nuvei


Shiseido


Kerry


Owens Corning


Prosus


Naspers


Arcadium Lithium


Lone Star


AUO Corporation


Allegro Microsystems


Sibanye-Stillwater


Novo Nordisk


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised Emerson, a global technology and software company, on its $8.2bn acquisition of National Instruments which completed in October 2023.
  • Advised Livent (now known as Arcadium Lithium), a global leader in lithium processing technologies, on its $10.6bn all-stock merger of equals with Allkem.|
  • Advised Roche, the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics, on its acquisition of Telavant Holdings, Inc.

Dentons

Dentons‘s competition and antitrust team in Brussels is ‘well practiced in the areas of competition in Europe’, working closely with its teams in Paris and Berlin, and particularly noted for its cartel work. Team head Jean-Nicolas Maillard is recognised for his work in cartel representations, as well as merger control matters. Clients in the life sciences, financial services, and aerospace sectors often seek out Bertold Bär-Bouyssière.

Praxisleiter:

Jean-Nicolas Maillard


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Bertold Bär-Bouyssière; Yves Botteman


Referenzen

‘Bertold Bär-Bouyssière deserves praise as a diplomatic and insightful relationship manager. In his capacity as competition law expert, he has contributed to raising my awareness of competition law issues. Bertold is prompt, pro-active, efficient, with great problem solving skills, and always on top of matters with quick turnaround.’

‘The team, which combines diverse backgrounds and nationalities, is very agile in offering tailored and efficient teams dedicated to its clients. They are all very knowledgeable of the latest developments in competition law and are always up-to-date in this fast-moving legal environment.’

‘Jean-Nicolas Maillard cleverly understands business needs and his smart legal-thinking leads to positive business results. He is a both a seasoned legal expert and a trusted business partner.’

Kernmandanten

General Mills


CTCPA


Soprel


TotalEnergies


Mattr Infratech


International Fruit Genetics


Hyundai HD


Merck


CAE Inc.


Yamaha Music


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing General Mills in its appeal against the decision of the FCA in issuing a statement of objections against 115 companies and trade associations, including General Mills (Green Giant canned food), regarding an alleged collusion in the context of the phasing out of bisphenol A from metal cans packaging.
  • Representing Merck KGaA in antitrust damages actions following the so-called EU “pay-for-delay” proceedings (“Lundbeck”).

Gleiss Lutz

The EU competition and antitrust team at Gleiss Lutz leverages its longstanding experience in the German market to provide support for national and international clients in the Brussels market. Petra Linsmeier, Ulrich Soltész, and Christian Von Köckritz co-head the team: Linsmeier heads up the practice across Munich and Brussels, while Soltész a go-to for State aid work, and van Köckritz represents clients in proceedings before the European Commission.

Praxisleiter:

Petra Linsmeier; Ulrich Soltész; Christian von Köckritz


Referenzen

‘Broad experience, very practical advise.’

‘Very pleasant to work with, very responsive and pro-active, practical approach to things.’

‘Knowledgeable, always on the ball and a pleasure to work with.’

Kernmandanten

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG


Daimler Truck AG


Deutsche Bahn AG


Deutsche Lufthansa AG


Givaudan SA


KPS Capital Partners


Mercedes-Benz Group AG


Rombat SA


Metair Investment SA


Robert Bosch GmbH


Infineon Technologies AG


NXP Semiconductors N.V.


ZF Friedrichhafen AG


Highlight-Mandate


  • Acted for the Swiss company Givaudan in its international defense in connection with suspected cartels in the distribution of fragrances and fragrance ingredients.
  • Acted for the Romanian battery manufacturer Rombat and the South African investment company Metair in the international defense in the antitrust proceedings of the European Commission in the field of automotive starter batteries.
  • Advised KPS Capital Partners on the acquisition of the global electric motor business of Innomotics GmbH from Siemens AG with an enterprise value of EUR3.5bn.

Hengeler Mueller

Hengeler Mueller‘s Brussels-based competition law team has longstanding experience of merger control matters, as well as major conduct cases and foreign subsidies regulation. It works closely with the firm’s strong German team, including in State aid work. At the head of the team are Markus Röhrig and Christoph Wilken, with Christian Dankerl also recommended.

Praxisleiter:

Markus Röhrig; Christoph Wilken


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Christian Dankerl


Kernmandanten

1&1 AG


1&1 Mobilfunk GmbH


Apleona Holding GmbH


PAI Partners


CRH plc


Danfoss A/S


Deutsche Börse AG


Deutsche Lufthansa AG


EQT


Fortum Oyj


Hunter Douglas


Illumina, Inc.


KKR


MFE MEDIAFOREUROPE


NCC Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation


Portigon AG


Siemens AG


Sonic Healthcare Limited


Viessmann Group GmbH & Co. KG


VKR Holding A/S


Waterland Private Equity Investment BV


Highlight-Mandate


K&L Gates GP

K&L Gates GP‘s ‘dynamic and competent’ antitrust, competition, and trade regulation practice works closely with colleagues in the US and globally on complex merger control matters, including remedies, joint ventures, and third-party interventions. The team is co-headed by Mélanie Bruneau, Francesco Carloni, and Nikolaos Peristerakis: Carloni and Peristerakis are key names for merger control proceedings, with Bruneau is the go-to for healthcare industry clients, and Peristerakis noted for his experience in abuse of dominance.

Praxisleiter:

Mélanie Bruneau; Francesco Carloni; Nikolaos Peristerakis


Referenzen

‘The team demonstrates a high level of expertise and a comprehensive understanding of corporate dynamics, which enables them to provide advice that is both effective and practical.’

‘Francesco Carloni displays remarkable flexibility in adapting the pace of the activity, offering invaluable assistance in challenging circumstances when prompt evaluations and decisions are required.’

‘KL Gates’ antitrust team is dynamic and competent.’

Kernmandanten

Fujifilm


Prada


Giorgio Armani


Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode


Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana


Zegna


Maison Margiela


Jill Sander


Ferring


Diesel


Ferragamo


Church’s


Securitas


Canali


Thom Browne


Versace


Exact Sciences


Cummins


World Fuel Services


Garmin


GS E&C


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing GS E&C, a global Korean construction/engineering company, in connection with the proposed divestiture of its subsidiary GS Inima.
  • Representing Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode before the European institutions in connection with the review and implementation of the Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Regulation Regulation.

King & Spalding LLP

Characterised by its ‘blend of academic prowess, professional excellence and client-centric approach’, the antitrust team at King & Spalding LLP often handles multinational M&A transactions, as well as government investigations, antitrust litigation, and compliance counselling. Practice head Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte ‘is the absolute leader in competition law’, noted for her experience with EU and national competition authorities across Europe.

Praxisleiter:

Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte


Referenzen

‘What sets the team at K&S apart, and in particular Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte, is the blend of academic prowess, professional excellence and client-centric approach.’

‘A small but very talented team, flexible to meet client needs.’

‘King and Spalding’s involvement was especially critical in addressing potential exposures to competition and antitrust-related investigations. Furthermore, they provided comprehensive compliance training tailored to our key stakeholders. What sets them apart is their commitment, dedication and result orientation which is truly remarkable.’

Kernmandanten

Egis Group


EVO Payments Inc.


Glatfelter Corporation


Jamestown Properties Corporation


Mativ


Global Payments


Telekom Srbija


Weatherford International plc


World Federation of Advertisers


Korea Electric Power Company


Spie batignolles


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised EVO Payments, Inc. on the competition and FDI aspects of its acquisition by Global Payments, Inc.
  • Advised Glatfelter Corporation on the competition law and FDI aspects relating to the acquisition of the Health, Hygiene and Specialties non-woven materials and films business of Berry Global Group, Inc.
  • Advised Mativ on the competition law issues pertaining to the divestment of its engineered papers business amounting to USD2.2bn sales to Djarum Group.

Kirkland & Ellis International II LLP

The antitrust and competition team at Kirkland & Ellis International II LLP is recommended for its ‘combination of deep industry knowledge and an unwavering focus on client success’. Team head Thomas Wilson ‘is an exceptional attorney’ with experience across the full spectrum of competition law, foreign direct investment matters, and EU foreign subsidy control. Wilson’s merger control work is particularly notable.

Praxisleiter:

Thomas Wilson


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Philipp Gnatzy; Andris Rimsa


Referenzen

‘The team is without a doubt the most knowledgeable I’ve worked with, especially when it comes to complex questions regarding EU competition.’

‘Thomas Wilson is the go-to attorney for competition in the EU!’

‘Thomas Wilson – it is hard to believe there could be a better competition lawyer anywhere in Europe. Amazing quality of work, responsiveness, efficiency, and commerciality. And a pleasure to work with.’

Kernmandanten

Eli Lilly and Company


Nordic Capital


CVC


ADIA


Marathon Oil Corporation


Global Infrastructure Partners


KKR


Digital Container Shipping Association


Diamond Offshore


Astorg Asset Management


SK Capital Partners


Davis-Standard, LLC


TJC LP


Blackstone


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised GIP on its sale to BlackRock for USD12.5bn with notifications in over 30 jurisdictions
  • Advised Marathon Oil on merger control and FDI aspects in relation to its sale to ConocoPhilips for $22.5bn.
  • Advised Eli Lilly on its $3.2bn acquisition of Morphic

Mayer Brown

The antitrust and competition team at Mayer Brown leverages its ‘impressive knowledge of EU Competition Law’ to support clients in litigation, government investigations, and merger control matters, as well as providing advice on EU foreign subsidies regulation. Team co-head Aymeric de Moncuit works across Brussels and Paris and is particularly noted for court advocacy, while co-head Andrea Pomana, based in Brussels and Frankfurt, has experience of complex merger control proceedings.

Praxisleiter:

Aymeric de Moncuit; Andrea Pomana


Referenzen

‘The Mayor Brown team has an impressive knowledge of EU Competition Law. They are able to transfer their knowledge in accessible and to the point advice.’

‘Aymeric de Moncuit is everything one looks for in a Competition lawyer: concise to the point advice, extensive and profound knowledge of the field and great to work with.’

‘All lawyers worked seamlessly together, leveraging each other’s strengths and expertise to build a solid strategy.’

Kernmandanten

Abertis


Cellnex


EcoBeautyScore


Engie


Generali RE


Hasbro


INEOS


LG Electronics Inc.


Macedonian Thrace Brewery


Mistral AI


Nordic Metal Holdings, Inc.


Organizatia Patronala A Societatilor Feroviare


R&Q Insurance


Vitruvian Partners


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Macedonian Thrace Brewery in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against Heineken and its Greek subsidiary Athenian Brewery.
  • Advising the EcoBeautyScore Consortium on the antitrust aspects of the development of an industry-wide environmental impact assessment system for cosmetics products.
  • Assisted Mistral AI with the competition authorities’ inquiries on generative artificial intelligence.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Working closely with its London office, the Brussels antitrust competition regulatory team at Norton Rose Fulbright has notable strength in the technology and digital sectors. Team heads Ian Giles and Alexandra Rogers work across Brussels and London; for cartel investigations, Rogers is a go-to. Miranda Cole departed the firm at the beginning of 2025.

Praxisleiter:

Alexandra Rogers; Ian Giles


Kernmandanten

Teck Resources


Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.


DP World


Roquette Frères S.A.


Highlight-Mandate


  • Represented Teck Resources, a Canadian natural resources company, in connection with aUSD9bn sale of its coal business to Glencore.
  • Advising Mercer, a business of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. active in health, wealth, and career consulting, on its acquisition of Cardano, a UK and Netherlands-based asset manager and investment advisor serving occupational pension schemes, financial intermediaries, and insurers.
  • Representing Roquette, a company active in the production and sale of plant-based ingredients, excipients, and plant proteins for various applications, in connection with itsUSD2.85bn acquisition of the pharmaceutical business of International Flavors & Flagrances.

Squire Patton Boggs

Squire Patton Boggs‘s Brussels competition and antitrust team regularly handles major EU and global cartel investigations, and is particularly experienced in foreign direct investment filings. Brian Hartnett is a key name in the team, with longstanding experience of the market, while Oliver Geiss is a go-to for cross-border German matters, and Gorka Navea is noted for his experience of the Spanish market.

Praxisleiter:

Diarmuid Ryan


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Brian Hartnett; Oliver Geiss; Will Sparks; Gorka Navea


Referenzen

‘A very competent and responsive team that is always available and supports us efficiently.’

‘The team has remarkable ability to handle complex cases and is customer focused.’

‘Gorka Navea has an in-depth knowledge of competition law and of the competition authorities, based on his experience at the EU Commission.’

Kernmandanten

Adare International Holdings Limited


AGC Glass Europe SA


Aliplast NV


Amcor


Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council


Cardiff Arena Operations Limited


Cathay Pacific


Climate Innovation District Phase 1B Ltd


Clipper Logistics Plc


Combined Nuclear Pension Plan Trustees Limited


DCC Management Services Limited


Deutsche Wohnen


DF Capital Bank Limited


Digital Fuel, LLC


Eden Springs España S.A.U.


EH Europe GmbH


Eminox Ltd


Ericsson Limited


ERM-Europe, Ltd


Essex County Council


European Owens Corning Fiberglas SRL


Finance Yorkshire Limited


Gotex, SA


Greater Manchester Combined Authority


HEICO Corporation


Hellen Systems Inc.


Kupferverband


Lan Airlines


Leeds City Council


Marlin Green Limited


Mouse Holding


Muse Developments Ltd.


Neptune Networks Limited


NielsenIQ


Node Developments Limited


Norfolk County Council


Northamptonshire County Council


Peel NRE Developments Limited


Perwyn Advisors UK Limited


PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc


Preston City Council


Quanta Storage Inc


Rimac Automobili d.o.o.


Roth GmbH d.o.o.


SMG Europe Holdings Limited


Smile Invest NV


Stockport County 2010 Limited


Studio Retail Group Plc


Styrenics Circular Solutions Group aisbl


Synova Capital Fund IV LP


Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council


Toray Industries Inc.


University of Leeds


Vp Plc


West Midlands Pension Fund


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised LATAM Airlines/LAN Cargo on an appeal against the European Commission’s Airfreight cartel decision, most recently representing the client before the European Court of Justice.
  • Advised Itochu Corporation on the acquisition of joint control of an Australian energy company, obtaining merger control approval in the EU, China, and South Korea.
  • Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on merger control and FDI filings in multiple jurisdictions in relation to a significant investment in the Ukraine energy market.

Strelia

The ‘excellent’ competition law, regulatory, and foreign investment team at Strelia offers strength across the full range of merger control, behavioural antitrust and compliance advisory matters, along with litigious experience. Team head Pierre Goffinet ‘is a standout partner’ with expertise regarding both national and EU competition authorities. Laure Bersou focuses on complex litigation, while Mediona Shehu is the go-to for regulated sectors.

Praxisleiter:

Pierre Goffinet


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Laure Bersou; Mediona Shehu


Referenzen

‘Strelia’s competition law team is excellent. They are very strong at handling complex matters and always deliver practical, clear advice. The team is responsive and works fast, making sure they meet tight deadlines without losing quality.’

‘Pierre Goffinet is a standout partner. He is a perfectionist, dives deeply into every file, and reacts incredibly fast, which makes him a great person to work with. ’

‘Strelia is a very modern law firm, able to dedicate the right resource to many diverse problematic issues. They have a strong sense of trying to conciliate the parties, but they can show also formidable pleading skills when needed.’

Kernmandanten

Orange Belgium


Ethias


Carrefour Belgium


City of Brussels


Cono Kaasmakers


Pro League


Lineas


Air Belgium


European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators


Société Fédérale de Participations et d’Investissements


Hector Cue Sports Belgium


Fédération Wallonne des Entreprises de Travail Adapté


Total Energies


Ansul and Somati Fie


Highlight-Mandate


  • Representing Ethias in the notification process before the EU Commission of a joint venture created with Santander Group.
  • Representing Cono Kaasmakers in a court procedure between Beevers (plaintiff) and Albert Heijn (defendant).
  • Representing the Pro League in a litigation before the Brussels Court of First Instance initiated by the Royal Excelsior Virton against the rules for the distribution of TV rights.

WilmerHale

WilmerHale‘s ‘fantastic’ antitrust and competition team has deep experience of competition litigation, also taking on cartel investigations, follow-on damages claims, State aid matters, and mergers. Anne Vallery and Hans-Georg Kamann co-head the team; Vallery is a go-to for clients in the telecommunications sector and Kamann, who works across Brussels and Frankfurt, is sought after for his expertise as a litigator. Frédéric Louis and Cormac O’Daly are also recommended, and Christian Duvernoy  retired in January 2024.

Praxisleiter:

Anne Vallery; Hans-Georg Kamann


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Frédéric Louis; Cormac O’Daly


Referenzen

‘The lawyers at WilmerHale are a crucial asset. Their knowledge, professionalism, hard work and availability make them unique.’

‘Cormac O´Daly and Frédéric Louis stand out among others. Both experts in antitrust are also great human beings and very easy to reach. Working with them has been a huge privilege for me.’

‘Fantastic team who know us very well, they provide an incredible service based on first rate experience and knowledge and have excellent contacts.’

Kernmandanten

Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd


Compañía Sudamericana de Vapores, S.A.


Baker Hughes


Danaher Corporation


Single Resolution Board


Tank & Rast Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG


St Jude Medical Coordination Center BV


INC SpA


Consorzio Stabile Sis SCpA


Highlight-Mandate


  • Represented Compañía Sudamericana de Vapores, S.A. in a car carrier cartel investigation before the US Department of Justice, the European Commission, and in other jurisdictions.
  • Represented Meta in the pioneering case addressing issues at the intersection of competition and data protection law.

ALTIUS

ALTIUS‘s commercial and competition offering constitutes a ‘great team with deep knowledge of EU competition law’ that is experienced in merger control matters and antitrust damages litigation. Sitting at the helm of the team, Carmen Verdonck has expertise regarding the Belgian and EU competition authorities, and Beatrijs Gielen has a particular focus on IP rights and pharmaceuticals sectors.

Praxisleiter:

Carmen Verdonck


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Beatrijs Gielen


Referenzen

‘Great team with deep knowledge of EU competition law.’

‘Carmen Verdonck as partner and Beatrijs Gielen as counsel are both great to work with, efficient, fast, knowledgeable, and pragmatic.’

‘The team is very strong academically and commercially.’

Kernmandanten

Campine


Siemens


Flemish Government


Indufin


Beiersdorf


PACE


Citymesh


Fost Plus


Bolton


Henco


Bricon


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Campine on proceedings before the General Court and the Court of Justice regarding the fine imposed by the Commission and the Commission’s refusal to pay interest on the amount of the fine that was provisionally paid by Campine and thereafter partially annulled by the General Court.
  • Assisting private investment fund Indufin Investment Fund with the merger clearance proceedings of its acquisition of joint control, together with BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity Belgium NV, Jan Penne and Frans Penne, in the PENNE GROUP.
  • Advising Citymesh on all competition law questions and proceedings concerning its entry into the Belgian telecoms market and the roll-out of its 5G-network, as well as regarding the appeal against Proximus’ acquisition of EDPNET and on its intervention in the ground-breaking case launched by the Belgian competition prosecutor against Proximus concerning this acquisition.

CMS

The antitrust, competition, and trade team at CMS has experience spanning State aid matters, foreign direct investment, and foreign subsidy cases. Its expertise in the retail sector is particularly noted. Team head Michael Bauer specialises in competition law related to distribution, frequently representing clients from the consumer goods sector.

Praxisleiter:

Michael Bauer


Kernmandanten

Belgian State


Birkenstock


Bruker


Cluj Napoca Airport


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


Ebay Kleinanzeigen


Mobile.de


Eiffage


Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany


FIFA


Hochtief


JLR


Kenvue


Microsoft


Proximus


Swiss Life


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisted Bruker Corporation with investment assessment and due diligence review of export control and EU sanctions.
  • Acting for Microsoft, a defendant in a standalone claim brought by a second-hand software reseller claiming damages and injunctive relief for infringement of the Article 101 and 102TFEU.
  • Assisting in the project of acquisition of Budapest Airport by Corvinus.

contrast

Recommended for its ‘flexibility and pragmatism’, the competition and EU team at contrast leverages significant strength in Belgian competition law to support its clients in EU matters, such as cartel cases, abuse of dominance, merger control, and State aid. Trio of experts Filip Tuytschaever, Herlinde Burez, and Sébastien Engelen co-head the practice.

Praxisleiter:

Filip Tuytschaever; Herlinde Burez; Sébastien Engelen


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Laura Sente


Referenzen

‘Advice is very timely, precise and pragmatic. Client is always kept appraised on the status of the matter.’

‘Herlinde Burez and Laura Sente are my go-to persons and help to navigate the European anti-trust law challenges. I can recommend them for their very timely, precise and pragmatic advice.’

‘Contrast enjoys an excellent reputation and is rather unique in the sense that despite its fairly limited size in relation to large firms active in similar areas of law, it can deliver top-quality services of the same level, but undoubtedly with more flexibility and pragmatism.’

Kernmandanten

AB Volvo


ACEA


Belgian Competition Authority


Royal Excelsior Virton


Volvo Trucks


Highlight-Mandate


Cooley LLP

Cooley LLP‘s ‘irreplaceable’ antitrust and competition team often represents large, multi-national corporates in their merger matters, government investigations, and antitrust litigation. For foreign subsidies regulation, Jonas Koponen is a go-to. Alexander Israel left the firm in early 2025.

Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jonas Koponen


Referenzen

‘The Cooley Team is irreplaceable in our competition work. They are fast, efficient, knowledgeable and professional. The team’s work ethic and reliability are outstanding. They are very well connected to all relevant authorities. There is no better team for competition in Brussels or otherwise in Europe!’

‘Long-lasting legal support by the leading counsel on the very broad and complicated issues.’

Kernmandanten

Condor


Horizon


Clarios


Stratasys


Denso


RayzeBio, Inc.


VectivBio Holdings AG


Highlight-Mandate


  • Defended Horizon Therapeutics successfully against a US Federal Trade Commission and six states’ attempt to block its USD27.8bn acquisition by Amgen.
  • Advises Condor Flugdienst on several highly significant and time sensitive matters for Condor, including in dispute with Lufthansa Group concerning the termination of the parties’ long-standing feeder agreement, margin squeeze, and predatory pricing.
  • Representing Clarios in the European Commission’s cartel investigation “automotive Starter batteries”.

Deloitte Legal

Deloitte Legal fields an EU and competition team of experts, with experience in the technology, media, transport, and financial services sectors. Team co-heads Wouter Devroe and Richard Steppe have longstanding experience of the market; Devroe is particularly noted for his work as a litigator, and Steppe has notable expertise regarding unfair commercial practices.

Praxisleiter:

Wouter Devroe; Richard Steppe


Referenzen

‘Good understanding of the working of the Belgian Competition Authority. Knowledge about international trends as well.’

‘Richard Steppe is client-friendly, very approachable, excellent knowledge about competition law.’

‘Richard Steppe is a very efficient project manager. He is a very good listener who understands complex issues quickly, finds pragmatic solutions and is service oriented.’

Kernmandanten

Air Malta


The Dairy Food Group


Milcobel CV


Henri Essers En Zonen Internationaal Transport NV


J.M. Recycling NV


European Commission, Directorate General for Competition


Pro League NV


FPS Economy


FPS Health


Gigarant NV


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised the shareholders of The Dairy Food Group on the sale of Gilbert’s Management Company NV, Incorock NV, and the Belgian Milk Company NV to A-ware Dairy & Cream BV.
  • Advised the shareholders of Henri Essers En Zonen Internationaal Transport NV and J.M. Recycling NV on acquiring joint control over Port of Limburg NV with Medlog S.A. and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding S.A.
  • Advised the European Commission on the 20 year evaluation of Regulations 1/2003 and 773/2004.

Fieldfisher

Fieldfisher‘s competition practice, integrated within its EU regulatory department, has notable experience in highly regulated sectors, such as energy, chemicals, and international trade. Tom Pick heads the team, with a focus on EU and German competition law, including behavioural antitrust and antitrust litigation. Pick has particular experience advising clients on competition compliance matters and policies.

Praxisleiter:

Tom Pick


Kernmandanten

Vestel Elektronik


Eurelec Trading


European Heating Industry Federation


euNetworks Group Limited


EPACA


Eastman Chemical


Ascenza Agro


Voucher Issuers Association


Fujirebio Europe


Emeis


BIC Europe


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising the German Ministry of the Economy on all related competition law matters on a project called GAIA-X.
  • Advised Eurelec on all competition and merger control law aspects in relation to the joining of Ahold Delhaize as shareholder of Eurelec.

Gianni & Origoni

Characterised by its focus on State aid matters, Gianni & Origoni has growing expertise in handling foreign subsidies regulation matters. It regularly handles foreign direct investment screening in cross-border transactions, leveraging the firm’s strength in Italy. Francesco Maria Salerno heads up the Brussels team.

Praxisleiter:

Francesco Maria Salerno


Referenzen

‘Team with high expertise and strong aptitude for cooperation.’

‘Problem solving is carefully devoted to tailor-made approach.’

‘Gianni & Origoni are always available and present.’

Kernmandanten

KKR


ITA Trasporto Aereo S.p.A.


Technoprobe


Regione Autonoma Valle d’Aosta


Regione Marche


Livanova


Esperia


FinHold


Marubeni Corporation


Federcasse


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting KKR, the US private equity giant, with the non-binding offer for a controlling stake in the fixed network business (known as NetCo) of the Italian telecoms giant TIM.
  • Assisting ITA, Italy’s public-owned airline, with the antitrust notification to the European Commission and to the other relevant competition authorities outside the EU/EEA/EFTA.
  • Assisting TIM with several notifications pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 in context of several public tenders with a value above EUR250m.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

The antitrust and competition team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP advises at the intersection of antitrust and sector regulation, with an emphasis on digital markets. Its work also includes merger control, foreign direct investment matters, and foreign subsidies regulation. Team head Christina Renner works between Brussels and Paris, while Izzet Sinan, who works between Brussels and London, is recommended.

Praxisleiter:

Christina Renner


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Izzet Sinan


Kernmandanten

Vacuumschmelze


TD Synnex


Penthol


ATCC


Advanz


Cencora


Sun Capital


Bandwidth


TVM Capital


DYMAX CORPORATION


GE Aerospace


DIGITALBRIDGE GROUP INC


Highlight-Mandate


Noerr

Noerr fields a ‘very experienced’ EU competition team, regularly handling cartel investigations and merger control matters, and it is particularly highlighted for its work in foreign subsidies regulation. The team works closely with the firm’s German offices. Team head Jens Peter Schmidt has notable experience of the digital economy, with a focus on merger control matters and State aid.

Praxisleiter:

Jens Peter Schmidt


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Alexander Birnstiel; Sarah Blazek


Referenzen

‘Very young but also very experienced team.’

‘Sarah Blazek is always calm and focused, very experienced.’

‘The team is very knowledgeable in a variety of fields. I would like to stress its capabilities and knowledge when it comes to Foreign Subsidy Regulation.’

Kernmandanten

Stellantis


KPS Capital Partners


Speira


Agricultural machinery manufacturer Claas


DEKA Bank


KKR


Lear Corporation


RWE


Westfalen AG


Scania


Stellantis


Summit Partners


Yankuang Energy


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising the globally fourth largest automaker Stellantis on a cartel investigation of the European Commission.
  • Representing major truck manufacturer Scania and Stellantis in two abuse of dominance and access to data litigation cases before the European Court.
  • Representing New York based Private Equity firm KPS Capital Partners and its portfolio company Speira (formerly Hydro Aluminium) in a Phase 1 merger control remedy investigation of the European Commission and ongoing remedy implementation supervision.

Stibbe

The EU law, competition, and regulation team at Stibbe handles the full range of national and EU competition law, including cartel investigations, abuse of dominance, State aid, and merger control. Team co-head Peter Wytinck is a go-to for damages claims, while co-head Sophie Van Besien advises on international and multi-jurisdictional merger control proceedings.

Praxisleiter:

Peter Wytinck; Sophie Van Besien


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Quentin Declève


Kernmandanten

AB Inbev


Belgian State


British American Tobacco


CERP


D’Ieteren


Ethias


Fluvius


Hansea


Havenbedrijf Antwerpen


KBVB


URBSFA


LRM


MAN


Mydibel


Partena


Pidpa


Punch Powertrain


Schindler


Sibelco


Télésecours


Vitrix


Touring


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising Inbev on several court cases dealing with alleged abuse of its dominant position and alleged abuse of economic dependence on the market.
  • Representing British American Tobacco in appeals against the Dutch and Belgian Competition Authorities’ decisions concerning the tobacco industry to fine four major cigarette manufacturers.