‘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.
Competition: EU and global in Belgium
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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- 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.
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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.
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- 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
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
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- 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
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- 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.’
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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.