Competition/Antitrust
Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 : Australia
Band 1
About
Provided by Clayton Utz
Clayton Utz's national competition team has truly cemented themselves as one of the most highly regarded competition teams in Australia and operate at the top of the market. The team has genuine depth of expertise across all areas of Competition Law. The team has a multi-sector focus that ensures they have the breadth of expertise necessary for a full-service competition practice – from market leading competition advice through to litigation. The competition team are continuously sought after to provide holistic advice for clients across concentrated and other markets, including telecommunications, technology, infrastructure, transportation, retail and others. The team do so in relation to ACCC investigations and enforcement actions, commercial disputes and proceedings, and in the growing class action space.
Chambers Review
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 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. Key clients include Jaguar Land Rover, United Airlines and Swift Networks.
Work Highlights
- Clayton Utz advised Apple on a Part IV case in the Federal Court brought by Epic Games relating to Apple's decision to remove Fortnite from the App Store and to prevent Epic from including its own direct payment system within the Fortnite app.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team are always very responsive and available for key commercial discussions. They are great at managing expectations and allocated budgets and advice often takes into consideration complex commercial aspects that also need to be managed."
"The Clayton Utz team is very experienced across regulated infrastructure assets and has a good depth of experienced lawyers. The team is well placed to respond to and handle complex transactions and advice."
"The team are always very responsive and available for key commercial discussions. They are great at managing expectations and allocated budgets and advice often takes into consideration complex commercial aspects that also need to be managed."
"The Clayton Utz team is very experienced across regulated infrastructure assets and has a good depth of experienced lawyers. The team is well placed to respond to and handle complex transactions and advice."
Notable Practitioners
Kirsten Webb heads the Clayton Utz competition team from the Sydney office, maintaining a diverse practice which covers merger clearance, litigation and regulatory mandates.
"Kirsten is great at quickly getting across a complex issue and suggesting a practical approach for resolving the issue."
"She is fantastic and a delight to work with, and also somebody who really is incredibly able in thinking about a case's legal and commercial aspects."
Michael Corrigan is Sydney-based and regularly advises prominent international clients on securing ACCC approval for major acquisitions.
"His immense experience in the space shone through and he provided pragmatic, strategic advice."
"He gave excellent service and advice."
Bruce Lloyd is based in Sydney and counsels both public and private sector clients on transactional matters as well as disputes relating to such issues as cartel conduct and misuse of market power.
"Bruce is a trusted strategic adviser."
"Bruce is involved in major issues for us. We hold him in very high regard."
"He is so experienced with us that he can assist with the politics of the firm and navigate our internal issues domestically and internationally. He can handle strategic and complex thinking and legal advice and has an incredible depth of knowledge."
Mihkel Wilding is Sydney-based and advises on major corporate acquisitions and disposals, as well as tribunal proceedings and litigation.
Adrian Kuti is active on both competition and consumer law mandates. He is particularly experienced in the handling of matters relating to the automotive sector.
"I can go to Adrian because he is very commercial, to the extent that he's almost a colleague. He's very responsive."
"Adrian has sound technical knowledge and commercial acumen. He is a highly trusted adviser and we are very happy with the services he provides."
Ranked Lawyers at
Clayton Utz
Australia
Members
Provided by Clayton Utz
Industries
Provided by Clayton Utz
Consumer
Energy/Resources
Financial Services
Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals
Infrastructure
Retail
Technology
Telecommunications
Transportation