A&L Goodbody LLP is at the forefront of EU and competition matters, covering all aspects of the sector, including procurement, state aid and regulatory matters. It is also noted for its expertise in foreign investment control and foreign subsidies. The firm has worked on many of the biggest and most complex reviews in the jurisdiction, along with a series of large-scale investigations into anti-competitive behaviour. It has also landed a number of major competition litigation engagements, including follow-on damages actions. Vincent Power heads the EU, competition and procurement group and has an outstanding reputation across all areas. Alan McCarthy is a prominent name in merger reviews and Anna-Marie Curran is an experienced specialist in competition and procurement. Senior associate Lorna McLoughlin also impresses.
EU and competition in Ireland
A&L Goodbody LLP
Praxisleiter:
Vincent Power SC
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Alan McCarthy; Anna-Marie Curran; Lorna McLoughlin; Damien Ryan
Referenzen
‘I have dealt with Vincent Power and Enda Hurley predominantly and found them very professional and they make us feel really engaged’
‘Alan McCarthy is razor sharp, ferociously hard-working, and commercially savvy. His advice is always carefully crafted and robustly based. He is our first-choice in the Irish market for competition and EU issues. ’
‘Very knowledgeable team and experts in their area. Very quick with advice and are our go to subject matter experts.’
Kernmandanten
Gas Networks Ireland
MAN and MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland
Phey Topco
eircom / eir
Pernod Ricard
Dublin Airport Car Parking Case
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)
Electricity Supply Board (ESB)
Tazbell/Q-Park
Nursing Homes Ireland
Timisoara International Airport – Romania
Highlight-Mandate
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox has a sizeable team with two partners and eight associates. It has a substantial client base of domestic and multinational businesses, and has an outstanding record in merger control. The firm also has a significant presence in competition investigations and disputes, which includes representing clients in the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)’s investigations into motor insurance and event ticketing. It is also widely recognised for its expertise in state aid. Richard Ryan heads the competition and regulated markets group, which includes emerging talent Patrick Horan . Simon Breen is a rising star. Ronan Scanlan has left the firm.
Praxisleiter:
Richard Ryan
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Patrick Horan; Simon Breen
Referenzen
‘The team are helpful to work with and have a strong industry and company knowledge. ’
‘Richard Ryan has a deep understanding of the industry, company and legal issues involved. He is highly experienced and always happy to help. Patrick Horan is excellent to work with. He throws himself into understanding novel and complex issues, adopts a pragmatic approach and provides practical and clear considered advice. He communicates advice particularly well. ’
‘I believe that the Arthur Cox team would bring a very practical approach to any competition problem. They very much focus on actual practical steps and solutions as opposed to looking at competition theory and law.’
Kernmandanten
Permanent TSB
Sector Alarm Group
InfraVia Capital Partners
CRH plc
Irish Cement
Roadstone
Flutter Entertainment
KBC Group
Kerry Group
Ryanair
Stripe
Greencore Group
Mediahuis and Mediahuis Ireland
Insurance Ireland
Applegreen
Accenture
Volvo and Renault Trucks
Glanbia
Dole
National Broadband Ireland
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company
Dawn Meats
Compass Group
DFDS
John Laing Group
Phoenix Tower international
Apax Partners
PHOENIX Group
Musgrave group
Bunzl
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Flutter on the merger control aspects of its acquisition of an initial 51% stake in MaxBet, Serbia’s second-largest omni-channel sports betting and gaming operator.
- Acted for Ryanair in various sets of High Court proceedings issued against Skyscanner, Vola.ro, Ypsilon.net, Flightbox and Booking.com for alleged wrongs done arising out of involvement in screen scraping activities concerning Ryanair’s website and in offering Ryanair products or services for sale other than via Ryanair’s website.
- Advised Dawn Meats on the merger control aspects of its acquisition of Irish meat processor Kildare Chilling.
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP has a formidable reputation for EU and competition matters, particularly in the technology sector. It has excelled in representing multinational giants in connection with the intersection between privacy law/digital regulation and competition law. It has advised multinational tech businesses on personal data matters and in headline competition-related litigation. The firm remains active in merger control, acting for both corporates and private equity houses. In competition enforcement and competition litigation, it has appeared in a series of major cases, including the motor insurance and ticketing investigations. Tara Kelly leads the team and is an experienced figure in merger control and the crossover between digital regulation and competition law. Dorit McCann is a leading figure in procurement, while Laura Durning and Liam Heylin provide further senior firepower.
Praxisleiter:
Tara Kelly
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Michael Madden; Liam Heylin; Laura Durning; Dorit McCann
Referenzen
‘Excellent public procurement law advice. Excellent litigation and public law advice. Excellent public data protection law advice.’
‘Tara Kelly and Liam Heylin are excellent. They give very thoughtful, to the point, practical advice, and demonstrate each time how they are the experts in their field, with keen insight on the latest developments. They are always happy to pick up the phone, work through an issue with you, and are a pleasure to work with. They are typically my go-to for Irish antitrust and FDI matters.’
‘I’ve worked primarily with Laura Durning and Liam Heylin. I have also found them to be highly responsive and available for ad hoc queries which arise.’
Kernmandanten
On the Beach
Statkraft
Proximus
AIB
Global Infrastructure Group
Science Foundation Ireland
Department of Environment Climate and Communications
Westcoast (Holdings)
Tobii
Bencis Capital Partners
Irish Life
Bord na Mona
ISC Evidensia
Teagasc
Road Safety Authority
Children’s Health Ireland
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Proximus on the Irish merger control aspects of its acquisition of Route Mobile including obtaining a clearance decision from the CCPC.
- Advised a ‘Gatekeeper’ on its approach to complying with the EU’s Digital Markets Act and reporting to the European Commission in respect of same
- Advised Science Foundation Ireland on all matters relating to state aid law relevant to the R&D sector and on the development of a robust grant contractual framework aimed at ensuring compliance with the state aid rules.
Matheson LLP
Matheson LLP is at the forefront of merger control, especially phase 2 merger review cases by the CCPC. It continues to stand out for its expertise in media mergers and its experience with the Irish FDI screening regime. It has worked on all completed CCPC investigations of recent years and has represented clients in a series of major competition cases, including the headline trucks litigation. Niall Collins heads the competition and regulatory group and remains a market leader in merger control. Kate McKenna has also made an impression in merger control and competition litigation. Calum Warren is another emerging talent and Simon Shinkwin was recently promoted to the partnership.
Praxisleiter:
Niall Collins
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Kate McKenna; Calum Warren; Simon Shinkwin; Conor Slowey
Referenzen
‘Niall Collins is great, responsive, smart and practical. Conor Slowey, who recently the joined the team, is always across the detail. ’
‘Calum Warren is a particularly skilled lawyer and a pleasure to work with. He is clearly an expert in competition law. He is always approachable and gives very practical advice, breaking down a very complex area of the law into understandable language. I would highly recommend him.’
‘Kate McKenna is an outstanding talent. She has wonderful insights and wisdom and has a real talent in delivering difficult messages in a collaborative and easy to understand fashion. She is always calm and collected in her manner and extremely professional.’
Kernmandanten
Cellnex Telecom
Oracle
Aon
Kerry Group
Credit Union Mortgage Services Ireland
Winthrop Technologies
CMA CGM
Brookfield Corporation
Tirlán Co-operative Society
Mediahuis NV
AXA S.A.
Meta
Bauer Media Group
Blackrock Health
CLdN
Gilead
Grain Management
Insurance Ireland
Hayden AI
Le Creuset
MTM Packaging
Smurfit Kappa Group
Ticketmaster
Bank of Ireland
Three Ireland (and its parent CK Hutchison)
Parma Investments Limited, and its parent Goodman Group
Daily Mail / DMGT plc
Discovery
Enterprise Ireland
ASL Aviation
Brokers Ireland
Orpea S.A
Ornua
Speed Fibre Group (enet, Airspeed and Magnet) & its parent AMP Capital
SSE
Irish Distillers and its parent, Pernod Ricard
AIB
An Post
Fexco
Abtran
Aramark
Bord Na Mona
Boskalis
College Proteins
Commercial Mushrooms Producers Co-Operative Society (CMP)
Carr Communications
Chapel Gate
Commscope
Discovery
Department for Energy
daa plc
Disney
Energia
FitBit
Irving Oil / Top Oil
JPI Media plc
Microsoft
Monument Re
Monaghan Mushrooms
Newsbrands
Nicholl (Fuel Oils) Ltd
Nomad Foods
Oaktree
Opel
Post Office Limited
Saint Gobain
Sky Ireland
Sport Ireland
TINE
TripActions
Irish Life
Waystone (Ireland) Ltd
Iveco SpA
Linnaeus Veterinary Group
Vermilion Energy Inc
Vodafone Ireland Ltd
Worldwide Flight Services (WFS)
Carne Global Financial Services Ltd
Royal Bank of Canada
Supersapiens
Shares.io
Alibaba.com
Aer-Rianta International cpt
Fresenius Medical Care (Ireland) Ltd
Wellster Healthtech Group GmbH
Virgin Media
Macquarie Group Limited
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Smurfit Kappa Group on its $11.1bn acquisition of Westrock, including as lead antitrust adviser on all European merger filings and one of the first FSR filings to the European Commission.
- Advised Bauer Media Audio,on a series of acquisitions in the media sector including obtaining regulatory approvals.
- Acted for Cellnex Telecom in the sale of its Irish business to Phoenix Tower International.
McCann FitzGerald LLP
McCann FitzGerald LLP has an established background in all EU and competition areas, including merger clearance, abuse of dominance allegations, cartel defence, state aid, regulatory matters, public procurement and competition litigation; litigators Rosaleen Byrne and Catherine Derrig have developed a specialism in competition litigation. The team has made a further impression in cartel work and in competition court experience, remaining noted for its expertise in the transport and telecoms sectors. Laura Treacy heads the competition, regulated markets and EU team, having a broad practice covering merger control, cartel investigations and contentious matters, along with having a solid background in state aid. Orlaith Sheehy specialises in public procurement. Stephen Ryan has been promoted to of counsel.
Praxisleiter:
Laura Treacy
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Rosaleen Byrne; Catherine Derrig; Orlaith Sheehy; Stephen Ryan
Referenzen
‘McCann delivers outstanding competitive and strategic guidance on even the most complex deals. Their highly experienced team swiftly identifies key issues, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. Their collaborative, flexible approach makes working with them a truly rewarding experience.’
‘Laura Treacy is a highly experienced partner and the go-to expert for complex cases and challenging competition matters.’
‘Stephen Ryan is one of the best competition lawyers of his generation. Not only does he have an encyclopedic knowledge of EU competition law, but he has a great mind for strategy. He is also really easy to work with and is always available to attend to any last minute needs of the team.’
Kernmandanten
AIB
Bord na Mona
Central Bank of Ireland
CHC Ireland
Coca-Cola
ComReg
ESB
National Transport Authority
Transport Infrastructure Ireland
Vodafone
Cemex / Readymix
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Transport Infrastructure Ireland on various aspects of EU, state aid and procurement law in connection with its major projects.
- Acted for DAF Trucks in follow-on damages claims in Ireland arising from a Commission decision containing a finding of infringement of competition law rules.
- Acted for ComReg in a case which provides clarity under Irish law about the way in which a regulator can analyse data seized during a dawn raid.
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP remains at the forefront of merger control, including advising on phase 2 investigations by the CCPC. The firm also has an established presence in state aid, public procurement, trade and regulatory law, along with investigations and litigation (including follow-on damages actions). It has extensive industry coverage, particularly in the media sector. Cormac Little SC has an outstanding reputation, a true leader in the market, while Claire Waterson remains noted for state aid, public procurement and regulatory matters, with Sheila Tormey recognised for merger control, follow-on damages actions and regulatory issues.
Praxisleiter:
Cormac Little SC
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Claire Waterson; Sheila Tormey
Referenzen
‘William Fry have an excellent understanding of the complex regulatory landscape and a commitment to delivering strategic, results-oriented advice.’
‘Their ability to give sound practical advice taking into account all of the various stakeholders and nuances of our particular industry.’
‘William Fry has a diverse skill set and a highly capable team with years of experience across a variety of competition matters. They are an inclusive, collaborative group that works closely with clients, consistently striving to secure the best possible outcomes from regulators.’
Kernmandanten
Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission)
Thorntons Recycling
Kilsaran Concrete
The Irish Times
Uniphar
Dense Air Ireland
EirGrid
Softbank
Beacon Hospital
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications/DECC
Loch Garman Harbour Mussels
TL Mussels
Crescent Seafood
River Bank Mussels
WD Shellfish
Fjord Fresh Mussels
SOLAS
Aurivo
Premier Lotteries Ireland
Highlight-Mandate
- Appointed in May 2023 to advise Coimisiún na Meán, the newly-established body responsible for regulating broadcasters and online media, in its design and implementation of a new regulatory regime for online safety.
- Advised KIlsaran Concrete in connection with a merger control investigation into the construction products sector.
- Advised the Irish Times on the sale of its majority stake in WKW FM.
Byrne Wallace Shields LLP
Byrne Wallace Shields has an established and highly-reputed EU and competition practice, thanks largely to the presence of prominent figure Marco Hickey. It has a fine record in merger control, including reviews at national and EU level and is further recognised for its work in sub-threshold merger matters. The firm is also noted for competition litigation, including follow-on damages actions.
Praxisleiter:
Marco Hickey
Referenzen
‘Marco Hickey has unparalleled knowledge and combines this with an astute read of the commercial situation.’
‘Marco Hickey and the team have a depth of knowledge and an ability to break down the most complex of activities into simple and easy to understand options and this sets them apart from others.’
‘Marco is incredibly personable and so easy to work with as a client.’
Kernmandanten
Erisbeg Group
Egis International
Gardiner Group
Centric Health
Millstreet Equestrian Services
Neylons Facility Management
Gowan Group Limited
Murphy Geospatial Limited
Viagogo AG
BoyleSports
Highlight-Mandate
- Acted for the Erisbeg Group on an agreement to acquire a majority stake in MP & E Trading Company trading as EMR Integrated Solutions; the transaction required a notification to the CCPC.
- Acted for the Gowan Group in a transaction that involved various relevant overlap markets and was unconditionally approved by the CCPC in Phase 1.
- Acted for Millstreet Equestrian Services (owner of the largest equestrian venue in Ireland and host to various national and international equestrian events) in proceedings before the Irish High Court against Show Jumping Ireland alleging infringement of both EU and Irish competition law.
Philip Lee LLP
Philip Lee LLP has a history in the public procurement and state aid fields, thanks to its background as a public sector-oriented firm. Having developed its private sector focus, it has built a much stronger focus on broader EU and competition matters, including merger control where it now works alongside a number of international firms on cross-border transactions. The EU and competition team has deep experience in the automotive, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and broadcasting and communications sectors. Ronan Dunne is an authority on state aid matters, merger control and wider competition issues. Founding partner Philip Lee and Kerri Crossen provide additional public competition and procurement experience.
Praxisleiter:
Ronan Dunne
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Philip Lee; Kerri Crossen; Daniel Hanrahan
Referenzen
‘The expertise of the Philip Lee team is genuinely exceptional, but yet more impressive is their ability to communicate and explain these issues to non-lawyers, and their profound understanding of the commercial and strategic, as well as legal issues at play.’
‘Ronan Dunne is the partner with whom we work most closely and have developed a high trust relationship over a number of years and important cases. He is always responsive and wears his expertise lightly. Ronan has developed a deep understanding of our organisation’s commercial and strategic objectives – and offers counsel and guidance on how legal arguments and litigation can assist us in achieving them. While obviously an external resource, he is most definitely on our team.’
‘Philip Lee has many specialists with knowledge in EU-compliant public procurement, so they are not dependent on a single partner or associate. They are responsive and willing to find good fee solutions such as fixed fee for an agreed scope of work.’
Highlight-Mandate
Addleshaw Goddard
Addleshaw Goddard has made a particular impact in merger reviews before the CCPC, including phase 2 reviews. The small team has also landed a number of regulatory investigations instructions; this includes representing a client in connection with a European Commission cartel investigation. Eoghan Ó hArgáin leads the EU, competition and procurement group, and is a recognised expert in merger notifications for corporates and private equity houses. Elaine Cahill has joined as a senior associate, having spent 12 years at the CCPC.
Praxisleiter:
Eoghan Ó hArgáin
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Elaine Cahill
Referenzen
‘The team of Eoghan Ó hArgáin and Elaine Cahill are extremely knowledgeable about their area and are extremely responsive and client user-friendly, which is vital for a business like ours.’
‘Eoghan Ó hArgáin as partner and Elaine Cahill as senior associate are both exceptional to deal with. They are both extremely approachable and speak in a way that everybody dealing with them clearly understand. They impressed everybody in our organisation who dealt with them.’
Kernmandanten
Q-Park Ireland
Inflexion
Moore Kingston Smith (MKS)
Chirisa Group Holdings
Shorecal
CNB Investments
United Hardware
Aerospace Software Developments
The Society for Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI)
LDC Capital (Part of Lloyds Banking Group)
Highlight-Mandate
Beauchamps LLP
Beauchamps LLP solidified its EU and competition practice with the hire of John Gaffney from Al Tamimi & Company in Abu Dhabi; Gaffney had previously worked as an EU and competition partner at two Irish firms before practising at a series of international firms and then in the Gulf. He has joined a team that has maintained its presence in procurement and merger notifications to the CCPC. Áine Smith is a procurement specialist with a focus on public sector and utility sector clients.
Praxisleiter:
John Gaffney; Áine Smith
Referenzen
‘I had the pleasure of working with Aine Smith on a complex challenge. From the outset, Aine’s professionalism and empathy were evident and she explained every step of the process in clear and understandable terms, which was very reassuring and alleviated my concerns. Aine also addressed any potential issues and addressed them ahead of time. Communication was excellent and Aine was always available to answer my questions no matter how small. ’
‘The Beauchamps team are a very professional team who are dedicated to providing an excellent service. They are responsive and keep you informed at all times. The team is diverse and we have always been provided with the right advice or the relevant person within Beauchamps has been brought in where required.’
‘Aine Smith provides procurement advice. Aine is the ultimate professional, responsive, knowledgeable, thorough, extremely informed, and provides very detailed advice.’
Kernmandanten
Aramark
Avista CLG
Bord na Mona
Business Growth Fund
Central Statistics Office
Clúid Housing Association
daa plc (Dublin Airport Authority)
Dublin City Council
Eastern and Midlands Regional Authority
Education and Training Boards Ireland
Ethos Engineering
Fingal County Council
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
Happy Pear
Health Service Executive (HSE)
Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI)
Housing Agency
IDA Ireland
Inishoo Management (Westport Estate)
InTouch Games
Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC)
McCabes Pharmacy
Nalac Limited
National Disability Authority
National Library of Ireland
Ordnance Survey Ireland/Tailte Eireann
Ormonde Organics
Pobal
Respond Housing Association
Securispeed Group
Siga Hydro Holdings
South East Technological University
The Arts Council
TUSLA
VetPartners
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Meath County Council in the defence of judicial review proceedings in the Commercial Court in respect of a challenge to the establishment of a multi-supplier framework for the provision of dwellings on a design and build basis across six counties.
- Advised the Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC) on a range of matters involving procurement law, advising specifically in the context of complex Dynamic Purchasing Systems and multi-party frameworks.
- Represented the seller in a joint merger notification to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in respect of the disposal of a group of companies to a trade buyer in the logistics sector.
DAC Beachcroft Dublin
DAC Beachcroft Dublin has a rich portfolio of international clients and continues to expand its presence in the healthcare sector. The Dublin-based team frequently advises on cross-border merger notifications, particularly in relation to UK-Ireland deals, and has extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional regulatory matters. Joanne Finn heads the EU, competition and regulated markets team in Dublin, having amassed over 20 years' experience in the sector. Elaine Davis is another area specialist at senior associate level.
Praxisleiter:
Joanne Finn
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Elaine Davis
Referenzen
‘Excellent – very knowledgeable with a highly pragmatic approach and easy people to work with. ’
‘Joanne Finn – highly capable, engaging and on top of her subject. Great sector knowledge, expertise and experience meaning she has the ability to provide very tailored advice. Elaine Davis – similarly engaging with great subject and sector knowledge and expertise. Both are an absolute pleasure to work with.’
Kernmandanten
Wiggin LLP
Fusion Connect
Viaro Energy
Broderick Group
Maxol
Franke
FW Capital
Swansea Bay City Deal/Spirit
TransUnion
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
Highlight-Mandate
- Supported Wiggin LLP in advising clients on multi-jurisdictional regulatory matters.
- Continued to advise the Legal Services Division of the CCPC, including on matters arising from the statutory merger review regime in Ireland.
- Advised one of Ireland’s largest retail motor fuel suppliers, providing a full suite of EU, competition law and compliance advice.
Eversheds Sutherland
Eversheds Sutherland has a burgeoning position in the market thanks largely to the presence of Sean Ryan, who has more than 25 years' experience in the EU and competition field. The team has a solid record in cross-border merger control, including in the healthcare, technology, financial services, retail, aviation, e-commerce, insurance, and banking sectors. It has demonstrated further expertise in the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, the new Irish FDI screening provisions, dawn raids and state aid matters. Kasturi Moodaliyar is a hugely experienced senior associate.
Praxisleiter:
Sean Ryan
Weitere Kernanwälte:
Kasturi Moodaliyar
Referenzen
‘An excellent team which listens to the client’s needs and provides concise, valuable and client specific advice. ’
Kernmandanten
Irish Bookmakers Association
Intel
Endless LLP
DD Group
Media Central
Sanbra Group
DCC
Conduent Business Solutions (France) SAS
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board
Dukes Education
Highlight-Mandate
- Advised Intel on a high-profile €11bn joint venture with Apollo in the semiconductor industry, focusing on EU/Irish merger control, Irish FDI screening, and EU FSR rules.
- Advised The Irish Bookmakers Association on a dawn raid carried out by the CCPC as part of a criminal investigation.
- Advised Media Central on the media merger aspects related to its acquisition by Bauer Media Audio.
RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP is at the forefront of state aid and procurement matters. It has an established record in state aid and competition rules relating to the knowledge transfer activities of Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) in Ireland. The firm is also noted for public procurement advice to local authorities and other public bodies. Merger control advice and dawn raid response are also key areas of expertise. Diarmaid Gavin heads the competition team and is an experienced figure in state aid and merger notifications. Finola McCarthy heads the procurement team.
Praxisleiter:
Diarmaid Gavin; Finola McCarthy
Referenzen
‘The team is very experienced and has an excellent understanding of the workings of the CCPC which gives me considerable confidence as a client.’
‘The collaboration has been good and smooth. RDJ has always put forward a prepared and reliable team to address our inquiries. Their deliveries were timely and of great quality. We are very satisfied with their assistance.’
Kernmandanten
Cork City Council
Sidero
Spark Legal Network
Donegal County Council
O’Flynn Hotel Group
Enerpower
BA Finglas