Competition Law
UK Guide 2025 : Scotland
Band 1
Contact number
0131 228 3777About
Provided by Brodies LLP
Our lawyers support clients with important and complex areas of competition law, combining our practical experience and regulatory insight with clients' understanding of their own markets to ensure compliance, secure clearances, address rule breaches and resolve disputes. We work collaboratively with our clients to help them comply with competition law in ways that focus on and facilitate their commercial aims.
We advise on EU and UK competition law in areas including cartels and other potentially anti-competitive arrangements, the abuse of dominant market positions, cartel damages actions and market investigations.
We have an excellent track record of obtaining deal-critical merger clearances for M&A projects, and are also experienced in handling business critical matters such as dawn raids and internal investigations.
We support both public and private sector clients with procurement and State aid matters, in contentious and non-contentious situations.
Chambers Review
Brodies is a law firm based in Edinburgh whose competition practice is well known for advising public bodies on subsidy control matters, as well as representing defendants in high-profile cartel follow-on damages claims. It regularly acts for clients on merger control processes, in addition to National Security and Investment Act filings. Its lawyers also demonstrate expertise in competition compliance matters and dawn raids, often acting for industry associations on issues such as the competition compliance of sustainability standards. Additionally, the competition team works closely with well-regarded colleagues who specialise in public procurement.
Work Highlights
- The firm advised Walter Merricks in respect of his class action against Mastercard, with a claim value over £10 billion.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"It has an excellent team that provides very strong litigation advice and input via a highly skilled team."
"The team is very informative at every stage."
"The team has been proactive and thorough with advice, explaining complex situations in simple terms."
"I think that Brodies understands our business well. The advice is quite invaluable, and the team has kept a good ongoing interest in both the industry and our position."
"It really has been excellent because sometimes you need advice in short order and Brodies knows our business quite well so we can ring them up and they can hit the ground running."
"It has an excellent team that provides very strong litigation advice and input via a highly skilled team."
"The team is very informative at every stage."
"The team has been proactive and thorough with advice, explaining complex situations in simple terms."
"I think that Brodies understands our business well. The advice is quite invaluable, and the team has kept a good ongoing interest in both the industry and our position."
"It really has been excellent because sometimes you need advice in short order and Brodies knows our business quite well so we can ring them up and they can hit the ground running."
Notable Practitioners
Charles Livingstone is the head of Brodies' competition practice. He often advises domestic and international clients on merger notification matters and also has experience representing clients in subsidy control cases and cartel follow-on damages claims. He equally leverages his skill to assist with competition compliance programmes and NSI Act filings.
"Charles Livingstone is a highly skilled and knowledgeable litigator who is not just technically very strong but marries that expertise with a very good client manner and a strong work ethic."
"Charles Livingstone's knowledge is exceptional on competition matters and the relevant law. He is able to distil this and convey it to an audience that is not legally qualified."
"Charles Livingstone gives well-considered, tailored advice."
Jamie Dunne is an Edinburgh-based lawyer who plays a key role in Brodies' competition team. He supports clients on a range of matters, including follow-on damages claims and UK merger control notifications. Additionally, he assists with compliance programmes, subsidy control mandates and NSI Act filings.
"We trust Jamie Dunne and he understands our business. He understands things that are way outside our normal scope of work."
"He's extremely approachable, happy to chat any time and his knowledge of the law is excellent. He's more than willing to go the extra mile, chatting issues through and exploring other angles."
"Jamie Dunne is extremely responsive and very knowledgeable in his area of expertise."
"Jamie Dunne has been fantastic and is very knowledgeable in these areas. He has given outstanding feedback in really difficult and boring area of the law, which he made really come alive."