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Competition & Regulation

Competition & Regulation
Competition Law
European Union Law
Public Procurement
Sectoral Regulation
Investment Screening
Related Sector
Technology, Data & Comms
Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
Financial Services

Key Contacts

Cormac Little SC

Cormac Little SC

Partner

Claire Waterson

Claire Waterson

Partner

Sheila Tormey

Sheila Tormey

Partner

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Our experience includes advising:

  • King Digital Entertainment plc on its USD$5.9bn sale to Activision Blizzard Inc. under the EU Merger Regulation. This transaction was also cleared by the US and South Korean merger control authorities.
  • DCC plc on the sale of Fannin Compounding to Baxter Healthcare. This ‘merger to monopoly’ was cleared by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (“CCPC”) under the ‘failing firm/division’ defence.
  • ComReg (the Irish telecoms regulator) on a number of regulatory matters including High Court enforcement proceedings.
  • Asics, the well-known sportswear brand, in defence of an abuse of dominance case in the Competition List of the High Court.
  • Public bodies such as SOLAS/FÁS, the IDA and Fingal County Council on their EU/Irish public procurement obligations. We have also represented numerous bidders in challenges to the decisions of public bodies under public procurement remedies rules.
  • Uniphar (a major pharmaceutical wholesaler) on the acquisition of its rival, Cahill May Roberts. This ‘3 to 2’ transaction was cleared by the CCPC after a Phase II investigation.
  • Aughinish Alumina on challenges before the EU Courts to European Commission Decisions finding a hydrocarbon tax exemption to be unlawful State aid.
  • DCC plc on the sale of part of its Food & Beverage division to Valeo Foods UK Limited.  This transaction was cleared, subject to remedies, by the CCPC.
  • Premier Lotteries Ireland Limited on the regulatory aspects of its negotiations with the Irish Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the award of the new National Lottery licence in 2014.
  • Selfridges Group on the acquisition of Arnotts, the major Dublin department store. This involved a voluntary referral of the merger from the European Commission to the CCPC and obtaining unconditional clearance.

Areas of expertise include:

Corporate / M&A
Litigation & Investigations

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