Competition/Antitrust
Asia-Pacific Guide 2025 : Australia
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+61 2 9225 5000Chambers Review
Herbert Smith Freehills offers a global, regional and national depth of practice, bolstered by integration of competition expertise across the firm's international network and close collaboration with corporate and dispute resolution colleagues. The team is noted for its vigorous defence of ACCC enforcement proceedings, its frequent representation of leading energy sector players in regulatory investigations and its focus on market behavioural issues in the financial services sphere. Contentious competition law experience embraces both involvement in Full Federal Court and Competition Tribunal proceedings and increasing activity in private actions alleging the contravention of competition law provisions. The practice acts for blue-chip clients across a comprehensive range of industry sectors, including energy, financial services, infrastructure and telecommunications.
Work Highlights
- Herbert Smith Freehills advised Chemist Warehouse on a proposed merger with Sigma Healthcare.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"HSF has a strong and detailed knowledge of Australia's competition law and how it is interpreted and applied by the competition regulator."
"The firm has very strong technical capability and analytical skills."
"HSF has a strong and detailed knowledge of Australia's competition law and how it is interpreted and applied by the competition regulator."
"The firm has very strong technical capability and analytical skills."
Notable Practitioners
Linda Evans leads the regional Herbert Smith Freehills competition practice from the Sydney office and boasts expertise extending across the competition spectrum, from the management of billion-dollar merger clearance mandates to advising on the highest-profile class action cases.
"In my view, Linda is the pre-eminent competition lawyer in private practice in Australia, full stop."
"Linda Evans is an exceptional strategist and the go-to choice for high-profile complex competition and regulatory matters."
Patrick Gay assists a diverse clientele with merger control and regulatory investigations and is noted for his experience and knowledge of the ACCC and its key personnel. He is based in Sydney.
Sarah Benbow's knowledge and experience of competition and consumer law issues is regularly applied to advising clients on their interaction with ACCC investigations, prosecutions or enforcements, as well as on merger clearance. She is based in Melbourne.
"Sarah is always responsive, her advice is commercial and technically excellent. It is a pleasure working with her."
"She is just very commercial, has real understanding of the complexities, and how best to strategically navigate those."
Ranked Lawyers at
Herbert Smith Freehills
Australia