Competition

Our Competition Law Team advises businesses on their day-to-day compliance with competition law, as well as the impact of the UK merger regulations on corporate transactions.

The Team regularly advises on both domestic and European competition law. Many of our clients have business arrangements that involve agreements with commercial partners in the EU and beyond, and the Team is well versed in the cross jurisdictional issues which these arrangements can generate.

The work carried out by our Competition Law Team includes:

• Advising manufacturers/brand owners, distributors and retailers on restrictive arrangements in distribution, agency, sales and purchasing agreements.
• Advising clients on lawful collaboration, joint venturing and joint bidding arrangements in competitive bid tender processes.
• Advising clients on their response to investigations (including Dawn Raids) by the Competition and Markets Authority or other sector regulators.
• Advising trade associations on their constitutions, policies, procedures and activities.
• Advising clients on technology, research and development (technology transfer) and collaboration arrangements.
• Preparation of internal guidance, policies and procedures, and delivery of training, to ensure competition law compliance by all members of your business.

If you believe that your suppliers or competitors are acting in breach of competition law, we can advise on appropriate steps to be taken with the Competition and Markets Authority, or the offending party directly, to seek redress or the cessation of the offending action.

Merger control

Our Competition Law Team also advises businesses and their owners on the potential impact of the UK merger control regime on corporate transactions. In addition to initial analysis and advice in respect of the applicability of the merger control regime on transactions, the Team advises on merger notifications and potential undertakings or other steps to be taken to obtain merger clearance where necessary. We work closely with our Corporate Team to ensure our clients are fully aware of the timing, costs and other potential implications of merger controls on their transactions.