Email: PracticeStaff_TeamX@matrixlaw.co.uk
Matrix is recognised as having a "growing reputation" in this area of practice by leading competition solicitors and is now a recommended set in this area in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. In addition to leading practitioners in competition law itself, Matrix complements this specialism with a unique combination of specialist criminal law, EU law, employment law, and public law expertise.
These interlocking areas of skill and experience are of particular relevance to the rapid developments at both the United Kingdom and EU levels:
* the changes to UK competition law since 2000 (notably the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002) have already led to a considerable increase in private litigation in both the CAT and High Court and complex appeals before the CAT
* the UK “cartel offence” renders individuals liable to imprisonment, disqualification as directors and heavy fines for participation in illegal cartels. The introduction of individual sanctions raises the strong risk of conflicts between the position of firms under investigation and that of implicated individuals
* modernisation of EU competition law raises complex issues of public law, double jeopardy and Community law as the relationship between the two parallel but not identical regimes is worked out
Members
Rhodri Thompson QC is an established leader in the field, with experience of representing not only a wide range of private clients, particularly in the field of sports, media and consumer goods, but also the regulators such as the OFT, the European Commission and the Office of the Rail Regulator. He is described as having “an excellent reputation as a fine advocate” (Legal 500) and was Chambers and Partners’ EU/Competition Silk of the Year in 2008.
Other members of Matrix with specific competition law expertise include Jessica Simor (a recommended junior in the directories), Eleni Mitrophanous, John O’Flaherty (who is a qualified economist with experience as an economic consultant), Christopher Brown and Nicholas Gibson.
Criminal, commercial, regulatory and public law specialists such as Clare Montgomery QC, Antony White QC, Rabinder Singh QC and Professor Takis Tridimas offer an exceptionally wide range of related expertise.
Cases
Notable cases in which members have recently appeared include MasterCard (General Court, pending) (Rhodri Thompson QC); Lucite v Commission and Peglar v Commission (General Court, pending) (Rhodri Thompson QC); Albion Water v Dwr Cymru (Court of Appeal and CAT) (Rhodri Thompson QC and John O’Flaherty), The Number (UK) and Conduit Enterprises v OFCOM (CAT) (Rhodri Thompson QC and John O’Flaherty) and Consumers’ Association v JJB Sports (CAT) (Rhodri Thompson QC).
In addition, various members of Matrix are currently advising parties in relation to various ongoing or recently concluded OFT investigations, including Scottish Milk, Dairy Retail Price Initiatives, Construction Industry Bid-rigging and Consumer Goods, and damages actions in the courts.
For further information and a full list of notable cases, download the brochure by clicking the 'downloads' tab below.
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Key:* Academic + Associate # Trainee
Photography courtesy of
Sarah Booker