Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Competition/Antitrust - Australia
What the Team is Known For
The Clayton Utz team is noted for its ready engagement with especially complex issues, particularly large cross-border mergers and alleged cartels. The firm is also prominent in the energy and resources, financial services, media, technology and telecommunications sectors, and is increasingly active on the competition aspects of major infrastructure projects. The practice is a favoured Australian choice for referrals from international law firms thanks to its independence from formal alliances, and because much of its work focuses on the representation of global market leaders in their dealings with the Australian competition law authorities. Primarily Sydney-based but with additional resources in offices in Brisbane and Perth, and highly valued as part of a well-integrated, national full-service firm, the team is equipped to provide back-up on corporate or commercial issues.
Strengths
Clayton Utz has an excellent team, including top senior partners and very good juniors. They run a well-managed operation.
Clayton Utz are our go-to advisers for complex, strategic deals. They provide calm, solutions-focused advice backed by extensive experience.
Work Highlights
Clayton Utz represented Jaguar Land Rover Australia, the first respondent in a consolidated class action in the Federal Court of Australia concerning alleged defects in diesel particulate filters.
Notable practitioners
Kirsten Webb is based in Sydney and maintains a diverse practice that covers merger clearance, litigation and regulatory mandates.
Kirsten is an amazing sounding board.
Kirsten Webb is brilliant, calm and practical. She brings the experience needed in complex transactions and can read the room on difficult commercial matters.
Michael Corrigan is based in Sydney and regularly advises prominent international clients on securing ACCC approval for major acquisitions.
Michael is very good both from a legal perspective and commercially. He acts with a very calm demeanour.
Bruce Lloyd is based in Sydney and counsels both public and private sector clients on transactional matters, as well as in disputes relating to issues such as cartel conduct and misuse of market power.
Bruce is always willing to provide advice that is well considered, insightful, pragmatic and concise.
Bruce is more than just a highly intelligent and deeply experienced practitioner - he is a strategist and commercial operator, who we and our executives rely on for those thorny issues.
Mihkel Wilding is based in Sydney and advises on major corporate acquisitions and disposals, as well as on tribunal proceedings and litigation.
Mihkel did an excellent job under extreme time pressure.
Mihkel's industry knowledge is incredibly valuable, and he is very responsive.
Adrian Kuti heads the firm's competition team from the Sydney office. He is active on both competition and consumer law mandates, and is particularly experienced in the automotive sector.
Adrian is a nice guy and a good competition lawyer.
Adrian Kuti is intelligent, practical and business-oriented. He thinks broadly about the issues at hand and is one of our constant go-to lawyers.