Competition Law
UK Guide 2025 : London (Firms)
Band 2
Contact number
+44 20 7374 8000Chambers Review
Herbert Smith Freehills is well regarded for its ability to handle contentious competition law matters, often acting for the defendants on high-profile damages claims, including class actions. In addition to its strength in competition litigation, the law firm also advises clients on all competition law aspects of corporate transactions, assisting with merger clearance investigations, foreign direct investment filings and notifications under the National Security and Investment Act. The team further represents clients in investigations into possible anti-competitive behaviour carried out by the CMA and other authorities. It benefits from long-standing relationships with clients in the technology and transportation sectors.
Work Highlights
- Herbert Smith Freehills acted for Amazon on its defence of two collective proceedings order applications in the CAT in relation to an alleged abuse of dominance.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team is very easy to communicate with, client-friendly and commercial. It has a strong network for international merger control and can pull together different threads in complex matters."
"It is a very knowledgeable and diligent team that works quickly and efficiently to deliver high-quality legal advice."
"Herbert Smith Freehills' team has good expertise, is very likeable and demonstrates a good understanding of our business and the issues at hand."
"The lawyers are all over recent developments and take a proactive approach to keeping clients up to date with changes that might be of relevance to them."
"We find their advice to be consistently excellent and very commercial and pragmatic at the same time."
"The team is very easy to communicate with, client-friendly and commercial. It has a strong network for international merger control and can pull together different threads in complex matters."
"It is a very knowledgeable and diligent team that works quickly and efficiently to deliver high-quality legal advice."
"Herbert Smith Freehills' team has good expertise, is very likeable and demonstrates a good understanding of our business and the issues at hand."
"The lawyers are all over recent developments and take a proactive approach to keeping clients up to date with changes that might be of relevance to them."
"We find their advice to be consistently excellent and very commercial and pragmatic at the same time."
Notable Practitioners
Kim Dietzel is highly regarded for her work on high-profile follow-on damages actions and collective proceedings, often acting on behalf of the defendant. She also has experience representing clients in investigations carried out by the CMA and other regulators.
"Kim Dietzel is outstanding and doing an amazing job."
"Kim Dietzel is a really good competition litigator."
"She has a careful eye for detail."
Stephen Wisking stands out for his work defending clients in high-profile collective proceedings and follow-on damages claims, in addition to antitrust investigations initiated by the CMA. He is a popular choice with clients from the technology, transport and financial services sectors.
"He is really good; everyone knows he is good. He is strategic and very nice to work with."
"Stephen Wisking is very commercial, easy to speak to candidly, understands our business and drivers and offers pragmatic advice."
"Stephen Wisking is super smart and strategic, with excellent judgement. He is top-notch, calm and strategically astute."
"Stephen Wisking on the defence side would be my first port of call. He has a first-rate mind, great intellect, encyclopedic knowledge, impeccable judgement and is great at negotiating settlements."
"Stephen Wisking is extremely experienced, calm and exceptionally wise."
André Pretoriusacts for clients on the competition law aspects of transactions, assisting with obtaining merger clearance and approval under the NSIA and subsidy control framework. He also assists clients with CMA and EC investigations into alleged breaches of competition law.
"I have found him to be really approachable and down to earth. He thinks about the details and can take a commercial view of this technical area."
"André Pretorius provides good, helpful and practical support."
Veronica Roberts demonstrates experience advising clients on merger clearance filings, including representing them in phase II CMA investigations. She has further experience in FDI and National Security and Investment Act notifications. She also assists clients with competition compliance matters.
"She is able to use her extensive knowledge and previous experience dealing with regulators to make sure our cases successfully pass their scrutiny. She is always quick to answer questions."
"I was impressed by how fast she was able to understand the technical details of the business."
"I always know that when I contact Veronica Roberts about a matter, we are in very safe hands."
"Veronica Roberts is very helpful."
"Veronica Roberts is a very sensible practitioner."
Ranked Lawyers at
Herbert Smith Freehills
London (Firms)