Cormac Little SC

In 2020, he was among the first group of Irish solicitors to be named Senior Counsel by the Irish Government.

Cormac advises on the compatibility of business arrangements with EU and Irish competition laws and has represented clients in antitrust investigations by both the European Commission and the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission or CCPC (formerly the Competition Authority) and in proceedings before the EU and Irish courts. Cormac has also secured EU and/or Irish regulatory approval regarding many high-profile corporate transactions. He also advises both public bodies and disappointed bidders regarding challenges to contract decisions under EU/Irish public procurement rules. Cormac also specialises in EU State aid law, general EU law and assists clients regarding various types of regulatory investigations. He also advises clients on complying with EU/Irish AML/CFT rules and on other ‘white-collar’ crime issues. Cormac also advises on contentious issues including challenges to the decisions of regulatory/public bodies through litigation and/or statutory appeal processes.

Recent significant work includes advising:

• Kings Laundry Limited on its sale to Elis SA/Berendsen Ireland Limited. This transaction was eventually cleared by the CCPC (subject to up-front divestitures) after one of the longest notification processes under Irish merger control rules
• Aughinish Alumina in its challenge to a European Commission State and decision. Cormac pleaded Aughinish’s case before both the Court of Justice of the EU and the General Court of the EU
• DCC plc on the sale of Fannin Compounding to Baxter Healthcare. This transaction was cleared by the CCPC using the ‘failing firm’ defence.