Ali Nikpay
UK Guide 2025
Band 1 : Competition Law
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
020 7071 4273Share profile
Band 1
About
Provided by Ali Nikpay
Practice Areas
EU/UK competition law in particular economically complex mergers/behavioral cases, multi-jurisdictional cartels, multi-jurisdictional mergers, sector/market investigations and UK National Security and Investment reviews.
Career
Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Antitrust and Competition Group. Multiple winner of The Lawyer Hot 100 Awards; named by the Daily Telegraph as “one of the world’s preeminent experts in European competition law” and by the FT as one of the “top 10 legal innovators” in Europe. Prior to private practice served for 5 years at the EC’s DG for Competition followed by a decade at UK competition authority. Roles included Senior Director for Merger Decisions, Senior Director for Cartels, and Senior Director for Policy.
Publications
Faull & Nikpay: The EU Law of Competition - “the best single volume work dealing with EU competition” according to the European Competition Law Review.
Personal
Vice-chair of the London School of Economics governing council.
Chambers Review
UK
Ali Nikpay stands out for his ability to assist clients with obtaining competition law clearance for high-value mergers, often acting for private equity houses. He also advises clients on CMA market investigations as well as matters involving allegations of abuses of dominant positions or restrictive agreements and competition law disputes.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Ali Nikpay's experience, foresight and strategy have proven very effective at advancing our overall legal strategy and helping to achieve our commercial objectives."
"Ali Nikpay is one of the top competition lawyers in the UK. He thinks outside of the box, always applies a commercial lens and has a deep understanding of how the CMA operates and thinks."
"I wholeheartedly recommend and vouch for the quality of Ali Nikpay's legal service."
"The reason Ali Nikpay is the best antitrust adviser in the UK is because he understands the interplay between the law, what the regulator actually thinks and the external context to merger clearance."
"I know him to be a smart and savvy lawyer."
"Ali Nikpay's experience, foresight and strategy have proven very effective at advancing our overall legal strategy and helping to achieve our commercial objectives."
"Ali Nikpay is one of the top competition lawyers in the UK. He thinks outside of the box, always applies a commercial lens and has a deep understanding of how the CMA operates and thinks."
"I wholeheartedly recommend and vouch for the quality of Ali Nikpay's legal service."
"The reason Ali Nikpay is the best antitrust adviser in the UK is because he understands the interplay between the law, what the regulator actually thinks and the external context to merger clearance."
"I know him to be a smart and savvy lawyer."