EU and Competition Law

Julian Maitland-Walker’s long established reputation as an EU and competition law specialist has led to Maitland Walker developing into the leading niche UK specialist practice in the field.

Maitland Walker’s area of expertise includes the following:

• Anti competitive practices - we offer advice on EU and UK competition law, covering all aspects of commercial activity including marketing, distribution, franchising, IP licensing, R&D agreements and specialisation.

• Compliance programmes - undertaking competition compliance audits, establishing corporate compliance programmes and providing monitoring and “hotline” advice services.

• Regulatory investigations - Maitland Walker has considerable experience in handling “dawn raids” and other investigations by regulatory authorities, providing a rapid and effective response when required.

• Mergers and acquisitions - one of Maitland Walker’s principal activities is advising on the regulatory and filing requirements under EU and UK law with regard to mergers and acquisitions. Maitland Walker offers the complete service from initial advice to the preparation of the required filings and obtaining clearance.

• Leniency - Maitland Walker is experienced in assisting clients in leniency applications for competition law infringement and the obtaining of immunity from proceedings on behalf of directors and officers.

• Competition/anti-trust litigation - Maitland Walker has unrivalled experience in competition law litigation having acted for both claimants and defendants in competition law litigation. We acted for the claimants in the first case in which damages for infringement of competition law were awarded.  We also acted for the claimant in the first ever grant of interim measures by the Office of Fair Trading.

• Trade law - Maitland Walker advises clients on all aspects of international trade. For example, we are currently advising a consortium of international publishers in a complaint against the German Government before the EC Commission for defective implementation of the Copyright Directive EC/2001/29.

In addition we regularly offer advice on:

• State aids and public procurement

• EC anti-dumping investigations

• Implementation of EU regulatory provisions under national law

For further information please contact Julian Maitland-Walker.