Competition: EU (Foreign Expertise) | Global

Gerhard Fussenegger is based in the Brussels office of bpv Huegel and assists clients with behavioural investigations before the Austrian competition authorities and merger control filings involving Austria.

Volker Weiss of Schoenherr is admitted to the Bar in Austria and has experience in advising clients on merger filings and FDI notifications before the EU and Austrian authorities. He also frequently assists with the competition-focused analysis of transactions that centre around Central and Eastern Europe.

Volker Weiss of Schoenherr is admitted to the Bar in Austria and has experience in advising clients on merger filings and FDI notifications before the EU and Austrian authorities. He also frequently assists with the competition-focused analysis of transactions that centre around Central and Eastern Europe.

As Clifford Chance's former head of antitrust in Hong Kong and China, Brussels-based Richard Blewett is highly experienced in assisting international clients with attaining competition approval for mergers and joint ventures in China.

is based in the Brussels office of Jones Day. With her insight into the French market, she often advises energy sector clients on approval proceedings and antitrust investigations before both the European Commission and the French Competition Authority.

The French law-qualified Jean-Nicolas Maillard is based in the Brussels office of Dentons and has notable experience in assisting clients with cartel investigations by the French competition authority.

Andreas von Bonin skilfully handles major state aid litigation on behalf of beneficiary companies. He is held out as a high-profile figure in the state aid space, advising prominent European clients on state aid issues, such as recently in connection to energy markets, as well as COVID-19 government measures.

Anne Federle often acts for clients on competition investigations, representing complainants and defendants in cartel and abuse of dominance cases, before both the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. She is also often involved in mandates concerning competition compliance and distribution issues.

Axel Gutermuth plays a leading role on high-profile complex merger control mandates in the technology and life sciences sectors. He also regularly advises on competition compliance in commercial agreements and complaints to European authorities. Axel Gutermuth is German law-qualified and assists with merger filings to the Bundeskartellamt, as well as antitrust investigations.

Bernd Meyring heads Linklaters' competition team in Brussels and is admitted to practice in Germany and in Belgium. He is known for his work on behalf of third-party interveners in abuse of dominance cases. He also assists with merger and FDI filings, particularly for clients in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors.

Bertold Bär-Bouyssière of Dentons is a seasoned competition law practitioner, whose broad knowledge includes IP-related competition disputes. He has particularly strong experience in the life sciences sector. He is admitted to practice both in Germany and in Brussels.

Christian Filippitsch has standout experience acting on the defendant side of EC abuse of dominance investigations and on cartel proceedings. He also regularly advises on multi-jurisdictional merger filings that include EC notifications. He is admitted to practice in Germany and additionally assists with national merger filings before the German authorities.

Clemens York von Wartenburg splits his time between the firm's offices in Germany and Belgium. He offers notable experience representing clients before the Federal Cartel Office in both merger clearance mandates and behavioural investigations, as well as follow-on damages actions.

Falk Schöning splits his time between the firm's offices in Brussels and Berlin and assists clients with the competition law aspects of mergers and joint ventures, including advising on FDI notifications.

Frank Montag has a well-established reputation as a top Brussels-based competition lawyer. He is best known for his merger control work, having handled notable phase II investigations on behalf of manufacturers. He offers additional experience in abuse of dominance investigations and appeals against cartel decisions. He is also German law-qualified and is a sought-after adviser to well-known German companies.

Jens Peter Schmidt co-heads the Noerr Brussels office and is also admitted to practice in Germany. He advises on mergers that trigger filings to the EC or the German regulators, including those that require supporting FDI notifications.

Jens-Olrik Murach is based in the Brussels office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. He regularly advises international corporates and private equity houses on merger notification filings with the German authorities.

German-qualified Michael Bauer is based in the Brussels office of CMS and represents clients before the German courts in disputes over abusive pricing and cartel damages actions.

Michael Rosenthal heads the firm's competition team and leads sophisticated merger control and behavioural matters that involve interaction with the EC. Standout mandates include his defence of clients in EC behavioural investigations into alleged cartel activities and subsequent follow-on damages actions. Splitting his time between the firm's offices in Belgium and Germany, he also has notable experience assisting clients with notifying mergers before the German authorities.

Philipp Werner assists clients with obtaining clearance for cross-border mergers and acts on follow-on damages claims. He is also German-qualified and has proven experience in the defence of investigations carried out by the German Bundeskartellamt.

The German-qualified Silvio Cappellari is based in the Brussels office of SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz. He often assists clients with the notification of mergers and with competition compliance mandates.

Stephanie Birmanns leads the Brussels office of SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz and has a strong focus on assisting clients with FDI reviews before the German authorities. She also advises clients on merger clearance reviews and competition compliance issues.

Thomas Wessely attracts particular praise for his activity in significant cross-border transactions in the telecoms sector. Thomas Wessely is based in Brussels and is also qualified to practise in Germany, where his work also includes advising clients on antitrust risks.

Assimakis Komninos handles impressive mandates for high-profile clients from the technology sector. He represents companies in EC behavioural investigations and related CJEU appeals. He is also admitted to the Athens Bar and often handles mandates that involve interaction with the Hellenic Competition Commission.

Annamaria Mangiaracina makes her debut in the rankings this year on the back of glowing market support. She counts large multinationals amongst her client list, for which she advises on cross-border merger control and FDI filings before the European Commission and other national authorities, including - as an Italian-qualified lawyer - the ICA.

Francesco Maria Salerno is admitted to practice in both Italy and Brussels and is the managing partner of Gianni & Origoni's Brussels office. He exhibits a focus on complex state aid matters. He is particularly active advising Italian clients, providing general state aid advice as well as representation before EU courts in contentious cases, such as recently in connection to COVID relief measures by the State. As part of his broader competition law practice, Francesco Maria Salerno stands out for his experience in telecoms or IT sector merger control and FDI mandates that are filed before the Italian competition authorities.

Mario Todino has notable experience in EU merger control mandates involving consumer goods and energy sector clients. He is also admitted to practice in Italy and has a strong reputation for advising on behavioural investigations and merger control proceedings undertaken by the Italian competition authority.

Massimo Merola has a longstanding reputation as one of the top choices for complex state aid matters. He acts for beneficiary companies or their representative bodies on EC state aid investigations, on EGC appeals or on their role in the notification of new state aid measures. Massimo Merola is also central to the firm's wider EU competition practice, assisting clients with merger clearance notifications. He is admitted to practice in Italy and often advises Italian clients on state aid matters before the Italian authorities.

Based in Brussels, Edmon Oude Elferink heads the Dutch antitrust practice at CMS. He has a strong focus on assisting clients with obtaining merger and FDI clearance from the Dutch authorities, as well as representing clients in follow-on damages actions and challenges to ACM decisions.

Based in the Brussels office of Houthoff, Gerrit Oosterhuis often assists clients with notifying mergers and joint ventures before the Dutch competition authorities. He also has experience in foreign direct investment issues and state aid mandates.

Dutch-qualified lawyer Lodewick Prompers has notable experience assisting clients with obtaining merger clearance before the Dutch competition authorities and representing clients in ACM investigations into alleged abuse of dominance.

Katarzyna Czapracka makes her debut in the rankings this year on the back of praise from the market. She draws upon her expertise to assist clients in the TMT and natural resources industries with merger clearance proceedings and EC antitrust investigations. She is also qualified in Poland and often assists with Polish merger control filings.

Alfonso Lamadrid demonstrates impressive work highlights representing high-profile clients from the technology sector before both the European Commission and the CNMC. He has experience in standout cases seeking the annulment of EC fines imposed against IT companies for abuse of dominance. Alfonso Lamadrid additionally exhibits high levels of activity on seminal state aid matters, where he has successfully represented clients in appealing EC state aid decisions before the EGC.

Edurne Navarro Varona is an experienced practitioner in the Brussels office of Uría Menéndez who demonstrates longstanding expertise in antitrust investigations by the EC and Spanish competition authorities. Her activity on merger control mandates complements her well-rounded practice and skill set. As a Spanish-qualified lawyer, she is also central to the firm's domestic Spanish competition law practice and represents clients before the CNMC in merger notifications and FDI filings.

Miguel Troncoso Ferrer is based in the Brussels office of Gómez-Acebo & Pombo and has a strong focus on assisting clients with merger clearance mandates before the CNMC, as well as advising on damages claims before the Spanish courts.

"He is an excellent competition lawyer with a deep understanding of clients' needs. Based on his many years of in-house experience, he delivers concise, practical suggestions that can be implemented immediately."

Stefan Perván Lindeborg of Mannheimer Swartling splits his time between Brussels and Sweden. He has a premier track record of advising blue-chip companies on merger control and behavioural issues before both the SCA and the European Commission. In addition, he offers notable assistance on FDI mandates and assists clients with the compliance of distribution agreements. He often assists major corporations in the transport sector with competition mandates.

Izzet Sinan is a partner in Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP's Brussels practice and advises on mergers and FDI filings notified to the EC and other competition authorities. Izzet Sinan has notable experience working together with local Turkish counsel on investigations initiated by the Turkish Competition Authority in addition to investigations into alleged abuse of dominance before the European Commission.

Alec Burnside is admitted to practice in Brussels and in the UK, with experience dealing both with the EC and with the CMA. His comprehensive practice spans merger control matters and antitrust investigations, as well as advisory work relating to sustainability practices in competition law.

Anna Lyle-Smythe acts as head of the Slaughter and May Brussels office where she draws upon her skill to assist clients from a broad range of sectors, including technology and aviation. She is admitted to practice both in the UK and in Brussels, and she often advises on merger control filings made to the CMA or to the EC. She has further experience acting for clients on cartel and abuse of dominance investigations.

Bill Batchelor has standout experience in merger clearance matters, often in the technology sector. He is admitted to the Bar in Brussels, as well as England and Wales, where he regularly assists with interactions with the CMA.

Moving up in the rankings is Jordan Ellison who is a Brussels-based, English law-qualified lawyer advising on phase II merger investigations undertaken by the CMA or by the EC. He also stands out for his work representing clients in antitrust investigations or appealing EC abuse of dominance decisions taken against IT companies.

Matthew Levitt has defended major companies in EU cartel investigations in various sectors, including shipping and technology. He also has experience advising on block exemption regulations, abuse of dominance cases and merger clearance filings. Qualified in England and Wales, he additionally assists clients with damages actions, antitrust investigations and mergers before the CMA and the CAT.