/Home/Global/Competition: EU in Belgium/Herbert Smith Freehills
View profile of Herbert Smith Freehills
Department profile
Herbert Smith Freehills
Department profile | Herbert Smith Freehills
Competition: EU

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Competition: EU - Belgium

3
Band 3

What the Team is Known For

Herbert Smith Freehills' Brussels competition practice leverages its expertise to work on corporate transactions that often draw scrutiny both from the EC and from various other competition regulators worldwide. It advises on EU merger control issues arising from high-profile strategic acquisitions that test the scope for further consolidation of sectors including energy, consumer goods and TMT. Key lawyers offer notable strength in state aid mandates, advising beneficiary companies on state aid investigations and compliance matters, as well as advising on FSR. The firm also has experience in antitrust investigations, including appeals to the CJEU seeking to overturn findings of abuse of dominance.

Work Highlights

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills

  • Herbert Smith Freehills acted for Coca-Cola in connection with an ongoing investigation by the European Commission, relating to allegedly misleading environmental claims.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

The Herbert Smith Freehills team is our go-to adviser for across-the-piste EU antitrust matters.

Competition: EU respondent
Global

The team has a good understanding of business needs and market conditions.

Competition: EU respondent
Global

Herbert Smith Freehills possesses deep understanding of the European regulatory environment, and is able to navigate the clients through this.

Competition: EU respondent
Global

We appreciate the firm's careful approach, utilising extensive regional expertise and local networks.

Competition: EU respondent
Global

The lawyers at Herbert Smith Freehills have excellent legal expertise, experience and commercial understanding.

Competition: EU respondent
Global

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

2
Kyriakos Fountoukakos
2
Band 2

Herbert Smith Freehill's managing partner of global competition, regulation and trade, Kyriakos Fountoukakos, moves up in the rankings this year following impressive market feedback. He has notable experience in merger control filings made in support of a wide variety of cross-border M&A and JV transactions, notifying prominent deals before the EC as well as coordinating filings across jurisdictions. He additionally represents clients in antitrust investigations and appeals against European Commission decisions. He also manages the firm's cross-border Japanese competition practice.

Kyriakos is a star player in the team, our go-to person and a top competition lawyer.

Kyriakos Fountoukakos is good at connecting the dots, very alert and astute at bringing us relevant details. He is the number one lawyer for us.

Kyriakos is a practical and strategically-minded lawyer.

Kyriakos Fountoukakos sees the big picture, and can help guide matters very effectively, through his excellent knowledge of the European competition sector.

View Profile
3
Lode Van Den Hende
3
Band 3

Lode Van Den Hende has notable experience in state aid enforcement, EU regulatory issues and contentious mandates, with a particular focus on representing clients from the energy and hospitality sectors.

Lode Van Den Hende is an expert and performs very well in leading his team.

Lode is an experienced and sophisticated practitioner, with a deep knowledge of European law.

View Profile

Ranked Lawyers at
Herbert Smith Freehills

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Belgium

Competition/European Law: State Aid
3
Lode Van Den Hende
3
Band 3
View Profile
Competition: EU
2
Kyriakos Fountoukakos
2
Band 2
View Profile