Competition: EU | Europe

Freshfields is regarded as a market leader for advice on complex EU competition law issues. The law firm has the ability to bring together specific sector expertise and a deep understanding of the EC to advise on phase II merger investigations into planned transactions, including in the pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and natural resource sectors. The firm has acted on appeals and subsequent damages claims against merger prohibition decisions made by the EC. It represents defendants in abuse of dominance or cartel investigations initiated by the EU authorities. Key partners have a strong reputation for their handling of contentious state aid mandates, including important cases that relate to the provision of tax breaks to defendant companies. Freshfields also has an important domestic Belgian competition law practice that handles BCA cartel investigations, merger control issues and follow-on damages claims filed in Brussels.

Latham & Watkins maintains its spot in the top band based on ongoing recognition of its repertoire and performance. The law firm showcases recent experience in phase I and II EU merger investigations into transactions in the healthcare, telecommunications and heavy industry sectors, as well as impressive behavioural mandates, including investigations into no-poach agreements. It additionally defends clients in investigations into abuse of dominance and has experience in the complainant side of similar investigations. Its lawyers also represent clients in appeals to the CJEU and the EGC against EC decisions, particularly concerning cartel fines. The law firm complements its practice with expertise in state aid matters, including high-profile cases that relate to tax rulings for individual companies.

Climbing the rankings this year is Clifford Chance, who stands out for its work on the complainant side of significant EC investigations into alleged abuse of dominance in the IT sector. It has represented clients in subsequent EGC appeals that seek to overturn considerable fines. The firm also represents defendants in behavioural investigations. Clifford Chance has additional experience in high-profile merger control work, covering EC and other non-US filings of global mandates and acts for clients on cases dealing with issues around FDI and FSR. The team is also a favourite amongst clients for its ability to provide advice on new digital regulations.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom benefits from a strong pipeline of major M&A transactions, including US strategic investments into Europe and vice versa. The strength of its Brussels-based practice earns the firm roles on transactions that are subject to detailed investigation by the EC and that often necessitate the negotiation and implementation of complex remedy packages. The firm is particularly popular with clients from the technology sector and often assists with challenging decisions under the EU's novel Digital Markets Act. Skadden also acts on important EU behavioural mandates, including investigations into potential collusion.

Slaughter and May's competition teams in Brussels and London often work closely together on high-value mergers that are likely to attract considerable scrutiny from the CMA and the EC. The law firm has also acted on antitrust investigations, often involving alleged breaches of Article 102. Slaughter and May's lawyers additionally assist third-party interveners with EGC cases seeking to overturn merger clearance decisions or appeals of EC abuse of dominance decisions taken against IT sector clients. The firm is very active on matters involving the technology, environment and sports fields.

Some of Arnold & Porter's most impressive work stems from its strong reputation among major life sciences sector companies, which instruct the firm on mergers and abuse of dominance complaints. The firm has also acted on phase II EU merger investigations of planned IT sector transactions, working together with lawyers in Washington, DC to coordinate US merger and FDI filings. The team also advises on DMA matters and follow-on damages litigation.

Baker McKenzie is often selected to handle merger filings in support of high-value transactions that are notifiable both to the EU and to numerous competition authorities worldwide. It has handled standout transactions on behalf of clients from the TMT, consumer goods and life sciences sectors. The law firm is adept in advising clients on sector inquiries, issues around selective distribution networks as well as vertical block exemption regulations. The team also has a notable state aid practice that includes compliance mandates for public bodies and CJEU appeals against EC findings of illegal state aid. Baker McKenzie equally boasts strength in abuse of dominance investigations before the EC.

Covington & Burling has an established reputation for its work on high-profile state aid cases for public entities, and it has been notably active in the notification or defence of state aid measures introduced to support the aviation sector. The team also has proven experience in defending clients in BCA investigations and advises on domestic civil litigation that seeks to rely on competition law principles. The law firm acts both for merging parties and for third-party interveners on transactions that are notified either to the EC or to the Belgian Competition Authority. Together with its London colleagues, the Brussels team regularly advises on large-scale global merger control mandates. It has additional experience in handling EC cartel probes. The firm is particularly popular with clients from the life sciences sector.

Moving up the rankings this year is Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. The firm handles significant EC behavioural mandates on behalf of sophisticated US or Europe-headquartered companies. It defends clients in EC abuse of dominance investigations and acts for major complainant companies seeking to gain traction with the EC for new cases. The law firm also acts on cartel cases and assists a number of clients with merger clearance and FDI filing mandates, including phase II investigations. The team additionally handles notifications of state aid schemes or EGC cases through which companies seek to overturn rulings on compatible state aid.

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.

Van Bael & Bellis has a strong EU and domestic Belgian competition law offering, with a deep bench of partners based in Brussels. It handles behavioural and merger control matters that necessitate interaction with the EC or the BCA. The law firm has notable experience in the appeal of EC decisions, having acted on significant cases for third-party interveners or addressees of EC decisions operating in the IT, energy and sports sectors. It assists an impressive list of life sciences or consumer goods companies with questions surrounding pricing of goods or the management of compliance programmes. Van Bael & Bellis has also secured roles acting on phase II EC merger investigations and is active in cartel cases and subsequent damages claims.

The firm benefits from a long-established domestic Belgian practice that targets sophisticated competition law mandates investigated by the Belgian Competition Authority. It advises on the notification of Belgian mergers or joint ventures, and it defends clients in BCA cartel investigations. The lawyers have also acted on EU cartel investigations and appeals against significant fines, including for multinational financial institutions and truck manufacturers. The Brussels team handles European or global transactions that trigger EU merger notifications, serving a broad client list that includes Middle Eastern oil and gas companies, as well as global financial services and investment firms.

Advancing in the rankings this year is Ashurst, a law firm that frequently advises on EU merger clearance matters and FDI notification. Ashurst defends clients in BCA or EC cartel and abuse of dominance investigations and advises governments on important state aid cases. It also acts on ongoing compliance mandates, while key individuals attract attention for their work on significant competition law cases within the sports sector.

Some of Hogan Lovells' most high-profile work highlights include instructions on important EGC and CJEU appeal proceedings in which the firm seeks the annulment of high-value EC competition fines. Hogan Lovells has notable experience in abuse of dominance mandates and also handles significant merger control matters, often involving FDI concerns.

Sidley Austin couches its competition law capabilities within a wider EU law practice that handles EC-level regulatory and policy mandates and leads challenges to national laws that restrict fundamental rights afforded by EU treaties. It advises life sciences and technology sector clients on specific EU competition cases and on compliance issues. The law firm also assists clients with obtaining merger clearance and FDI approval for transactions, often representing third parties in significant merger investigations and working alongside colleagues in the US or UK. Sidley Austin also advises key telecoms clients on their responses to EC investigations. It has further strengthened its offering in state aid work with the recent arrival of Elisabetta Righini.

contrast has a superb reputation for its handling of top-end domestic Belgian competition law matters. It acts for complainants, defendants and third-party interveners on BCA behavioural investigations and assists with appeals against BCA decisions. The team frequently advises clients on merger clearance proceedings before the BCA and the EC. The firm also handles mandates that raise complex issues regarding vertical agreements between manufacturers and distributors and defends civil claims filed in Belgium that raise competition law arguments in relation to the termination of distribution agreements. The law firm also offers experience in behavioural investigations before the EC. It is a popular choice with clients in the automotive sector.

Bolstered by strong market support, Cooley makes its debut in the rankings this year. The law firm boasts a multidisciplinary team that wins acclaim for its experience in merger control mandates, including transactions that come under phase II scrutiny. Its practice is particularly acclaimed in the technology and life sciences sectors, cementing its status as a trusted adviser to large multinationals. Cooley is equally equipped to assist clients in EC cartel or abuse of dominance investigations.

Dechert is especially strong on the coordination of global merger and FDI filings. The team is also experienced in EC cartel investigations and in EGC appeals against adverse decisions. It additionally advises on the filing of complaints with the EC seeking the investigation of anti-competitive practices and assists with third-party interventions in merger investigations. Dechert has also actively contributed to the push to enable competitors to engage in sustainability initiatives without fear of reprisal from competition regulators.

Gleiss Lutz predominantly attracts attention for its state aid expertise. It defends private companies against state aid complaints and assists public entities with proceedings opposing the recovery of unlawful state aid. The firm is also notably active in appeals against EC merger decisions, having acted on cases seeking either to challenge merger prohibitions or seeking the annulment of fines imposed for alleged gun-jumping in notifiable transactions. The team has additional experience in abuse of dominance investigations and cartel cases, as well as follow-on damages actions.

Partners in Hengeler Mueller's Brussels, Berlin and Düsseldorf offices work together to handle sophisticated EC and domestic German competition matters. The law firm is capable of handling in-depth merger investigations, including those that necessitate FDI filings in Germany. It has notable experience representing companies in EC cartel investigations, as well as in EGC appeals of cartel and merger decisions, and in follow-on damages claims.

Kirkland & Ellis International makes its debut in the rankings this year, garnering positive feedback from market commentators. Since the opening of its Brussels office in 2021, the firm has built a strong antitrust team adept at managing high-profile global merger control and FRS clearance mandates. Leveraging the resources of its well-established London office, the team frequently advises multinational clients on pan-European antitrust issues, including cartel investigations.

Reed Smith has the proven capacity to handle significant mandates relating to EC behavioural investigations or merger and FDI notifications. It also provides ongoing advice to key clients on their interventions in third-party mergers or on the competition law implications of new commercial agreements. The law firm is active for US, European and Asian clients and has experience dealing with innovative mandates, such as those linking sustainability issues and competition law.