recent case studies

 

competition

 

Below are just a few examples of our work across a wide range of industry sectors where we advised: 

 

  • a client received a letter from the Office of Fair Trade (OFT) alleging anti-competitive behaviour via price fixing. This is one of the most serious offences. We reviewed the client’s re-selling arrangements and considered market share file without penalties. In addition, we developed a competition compliance policy with our client and advised on staff training, definitions and established whether they were dominant in their market. We responded to the OFT letter, co-operating throughout the investigation and achieved closure of the OFT
  • a major international telecommunications company when responding to an extended OFT Competition Act investigation
  • the operator of a passenger train franchise in the UK on competition aspects of regulated network access, commercial agreements and procurement, competition compliance generally, advice on the effect of the Enterprise Act and an OFT Competition Act investigation
  • a well-known international publisher on sector dominance issues
  • a distributor in dispute with a manufacturer supplier who objected to its products being sold by a particular discount retailer. The manufacturer had threatened to suspend supplies to our client unless it stopped supplying the discount retailer. We advised our client on legal rights before a meeting and drafted a letter to the manufacturer. Full supplies to our client were re-established who has continued to supply the discount retailer
  • on the structuring of a worldwide development, an IP licensing arrangement and the impact of EU law for a major manufacturer for the pharmaceutical industry
  • a client on a joint venture company in salad growing with a Spanish company. There was to be an exclusive agreement to supply all of the salad grown to our client. We highlighted the potential anti-competitive nature of the arrangements, and established that a suitable EU exemption was available and advised on the arrangements

 

For further information please contact Mary Chant in the competition team on 023 8085 7043 or email mary.chant@bllaw.co.uk