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.

Splitting his time between E+H's offices in Brussels and Vienna, Jochen Anweiler frequently advises clients on the notification of mergers before the Austrian Federal Competition Authority. He also has experience defending clients in investigations into allegations of possible anti-competitive behaviour.

Richard Blewett enters the rankings this year, having received significant praise from clients for his involvement in cross-jurisdictional merger clearance mandates. He is well positioned to advise clients on investigations carried out by the European Commission. He previously served as head of the firm's China Antitrust Practice.

Antoine Winckler is recognised among market commentators as a hugely experienced and high-profile figure within the Brussels competition law community. He attracts particular attention for assisting with sophisticated merger control mandates. As a member of both the Paris and Brussels Bars, he has further experience representing clients in behavioural investigations before the French Competition Authority.

Admitted to practice in France and Belgium, Charlotte Breuvart 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.

Based in Brussels, Stéphane Hautbourg is noted for his ability to handle both behavioural investigations and merger control filings before the French Competition Authorities.

Alexander Israel is admitted to practice in Germany and Brussels. He advises on the notification of global transactions to the EC and FCO and often co-leads on transatlantic transactions, covering the EU side of the mandates. He has a number of clients from the pharmaceutical and technology sectors. He also represents clients in complaints to the German regulator alleging abuse of dominance. He joined Morrison Foerster in February 2025.

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 with standout experience in the energy markets sector.

Axel Gutermuth plays a leading role on high-profile complex merger control and FDI 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 the firm's global antitrust and foreign investment group 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 and for assisting clients in appealing European Commission decisions. He also assists with merger and FDI filings, particularly for clients in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors.

Christian Filippitsch has notable 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.

Christian von Köckritz is based in the firm's Brussels office and has notable experience advising clients on FCO investigations into allegations of price fixing and abuse of dominance. In addition, he defends clients in follow-on damages claims.

Clemens York von Wartenburg enters the rankings this year following glowing market support. Dual qualified in Germany and Brussels, he has a well-established practice spanning across behavioural and transactional mandates, including investigations before the European Commission and German Federal Cartel Office. He additionally regularly oversees FDI screening processes.

Entering the rankings this year is Falk Schöning. He has extensive experience handling complex global merger and FDI filings before the European Commission and, due to his dual-qualification, the German Federal Cartel Office. He is also adept at assisting complainants in abuse of dominance proceedings.

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 defending clients in cartel investigations. 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. He has further experience in cartel investigations.

German-qualified Michael Bauer is based in the Brussels office of CMS and represents clients in merger and FDI filings before the German authorities, as well as advising on state aid matters involving Germany.

Michael Rosenthal heads Sullivan & Cromwell'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.

Assimakis Komninos handles impressive mandates for high-profile clients from the technology and pharmaceuticals sectors. 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 counts large multinationals among 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. Her practice extends to behavioural mandates, including abuse of dominance investigations.

Denis Fosselard assists clients with EC merger notifications, the filing of complaints of abuse of dominance and appeals of cartel decisions. He is particularly active for clients hailing from the telecommunications and other regulated industries. Denis Fosselard is also Italian law-qualified and advises on merger clearance and FDI notifications to the Italian competition authority.

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.

Mario Todino has notable experience in EU merger control mandates involving transport 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. His practice extends to assisting clients with compliance mandates.

Massimo Merola of BonelliErede 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.

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.

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.

Greetje van Heezik who enters the rankings this year is based in Houthoff's Brussels office. She has a strong focus on European law issues, including representing clients before Dutch authorities in disputes concerning EU regulations on noise pollution. She also handles state aid issues.

Dividing his time between AKD's offices in Brussels and Amsterdam, Pieter Kuypers frequently represents clients in private enforcement actions before the Dutch courts, and in challenges to ACM decisions.

Katarzyna Czapracka 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.

Head of the Brussels office of Gómez-Acebo & Pombo, Miguel Troncoso Ferrer has a practice which specialises in damages actions and merger clearance mandates before the Spanish Competition authorities.

Climbing the rankings this year is Anna Lyle-Smythe, who acts as head of the Slaughter and May Brussels office. She frequently 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 and often assists clients in the technology sector with challenging decisions under the EU's novel Digital Markets Act.  He is admitted to the Bar in Brussels, as well as England and Wales, where he regularly assists with interactions with the CMA.

Jordan Ellison 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.

Kerry O’Connell boasts a solid practice advising clients on antitrust investigations and merger clearance proceedings before the European Commission, including phase II proceedings.

Richard Pepper is admitted to the Bar in England and Wales. He joined the Brussels office of Paul, Weiss in the autumn of 2024. He has notable experience assisting clients with merger control filings before the CMA.

Highlight matters for Trevor Soames include his advice on the complainant side of EC abuse of dominance cases in the IT sector. He also represents third-parties in high-profile merger clearance mandates in the IT sector, while his status as a member of the English Bar and as a solicitor-advocate enables him to handle competition litigation before UK courts. He moved to Geradin Partners in January 2025.