Competition/Antitrust | Europe

CMS continues to be one of the leaders in the Hungarian competition law market thanks to its ability to handle a broad range of complex matters. The team offers impressive experience in high-profile cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, as well as representing clients in sector inquiries, appeals against Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA) decisions and damages actions. It is also strong on merger clearance mandates, including challenging decisions to prohibit mergers on competition law grounds. The firm is a popular choice with clients from the energy, TMT, financial services, and food and beverage sectors. The Hungarian team collaborates with the firm's offices across the region on multi-jurisdictional mandates.

DLA Piper moves into the top tier of the rankings this year on account of its impressive work representing clients in investigations into allegations of unfair commercial practices, including cartels, bid rigging and abuse of dominance. The law firm also has experience in appealing Hungarian Competition Authority decisions and acting for clients in damages actions and market inquiries. The team is also strong in merger control filings. It is a popular choice with clients from the technology, food and beverage, construction and financial services industries. The firm is also notably active in consumer protection issues.

Baker McKenzie maintains its position as one of the pre-eminent addresses for competition law questions in the Hungarian market. The law firm owes its leading position to its ability to handle both complex phase II merger control mandates and high-profile behavioural investigations into allegations of unfair commercial practices, cartel involvement and possible abuse of dominance. The team also offers notable experience in challenging decisions of the Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA). It has a broad client base that includes high-profile companies from the automotive, technology, retail and energy sectors. Clients further benefit from the team's ability to collaborate with the firm's global network of offices on multi-jurisdictional matters.

Dentons often assists clients with investigations into allegations of unfair commercial practices, including abuses of dominance and cartels, as well as advising on leniency applications and appeals against fines. The law firm offers further experience in merger control and state aid matters. It regularly assists clients with competition law compliance queries. The team has a number of clients from the TMT sector.

Lakatos, Köves & Partners covers the full range of competition law matters, advising clients on merger clearance and foreign direct investment filings, as well as representing them in behavioural investigations and challenges to Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA) decisions. The law firm also assists with damages actions and competition law compliance matters, particularly around distribution issues. The team has a number of high-profile clients from the TMT sector.

The firm has a broad competition law practice covering merger clearance mandates, state aid questions and the competition compliance aspects of commercial agreements. The law firm is active in behavioural matters, representing clients in investigations into allegations of unfair commercial practices and cartel involvement. It also advises clients on high-profile damages actions. The team often works with its broader network to handle matters before the European Commission as well as before the Hungarian Competition Authority. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

CERHA HEMPEL enters the rankings this year on the back of notable activity in behavioural investigations before the Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA) and in merger control filings. The law firm frequently assists clients with issues of compliance with competition law. Team members offer additional experience in public procurement mandates.

Kinstellar represents clients in a range of competition law issues, from market studies and unfair commercial practices investigations to merger control notifications and state aid issues. The law firm also assists clients with competition law compliance issues, particularly with regard to commercial agreements. It is a popular choice for clients from the energy industry.

Oppenheim Law Firm represents clients in consumer protection and unfair commercial practice investigations. It has additional experience in merger clearance filings and state aid notifications. The team further advises clients on the competition law compliance aspects of their distribution strategies.

Schoenherr often assists clients with merger clearance filings, often acting alongside the firm's office in Vienna on multi-jurisdictional mandates. The law firm also represents clients in investigations into alleged anti-competitive behaviour, as well as in subsequent challenges to authority decisions and damages actions. The team also assists clients with compliance matters.

Szecskay is particularly active on contentious competition law matters, including representing clients in abuse of dominance and sector investigations. The team also advises clients on challenges to Hungarian Competition Authority decisions and on follow-on damages claims. The law firm additionally acts on state aid matters and merger clearance mandates, including investigations into whether conditions for completed mergers have been met. The team often assists clients with antitrust compliance.