MA (Cambridge) – First Class; BCL (Oxford) – Distinction; BPTC (BPP) – Outstanding
MA (Cambridge) – First Class; BCL (Oxford) – Distinction; BPTC (BPP) – Outstanding
Which sections would you like to include in your PDF download?
Jack is ranked by the legal directories as a “rising star: tier 1” and “up and coming”. He is recognised as having been instructed by an “enviable line-up of clients” in “a number of momentous cases” in competition, EU, procurement and public law fields, and having “established himself as a particular authority” in UK-EU Relations Law post-Brexit. Clients describe him as “highly intelligent and articulate”, “razor sharp”, “tenacious”, “very enthusiastic”, “extremely diligent”, “a future silk in the making”, “a strong team member”, and “great to work with”.
Recent career highlights include having represented Intel in securing one of the largest fine annulments ever (€1 billion) in its long-running abuse of dominance case in the EU Courts, and conducting oral advocacy on behalf of Google at the General Court against a €1.5 billion fine in another landmark abuse of dominance case.
In addition to England and Wales, Jack is called to the Bars of Ireland and Northern Ireland (thus retaining his rights of audience before EU courts and legal professional privilege to advise on EU law). Jack is also a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel. He is a graduate from the University of Oxford (Hertford College) with a Distinction in the BCL Masters in Law (ranked 2nd in the year). Before that, he graduated from the University of Cambridge (St Catharine’s College) with a First Class Degree in Law. Jack was the recipient of Gray’s Inn’s top scholarships for Bar School and Pupillage.
Jack is ranked as a “rising star: tier 1” in the 2022 and 2023 Legal 500 and “up and coming” in the 2022 and 2023 Chambers & Partners for Competition Law. Jack’s clients include, for example, Google in five separate matters; Intel; Samsung; the CMA; and the FCA. He has advised on an extensive array of competition law matters and is representing clients in some of the leading cases, particularly in the fields of abuse of dominance and collective proceedings.
Abuse of dominance
Collective Proceedings
Anti-competitive Agreements
Consumer
Having been called to the Bars of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Jack retains his rights of privilege to advise clients confidentially on matters of EU law and to represent clients before the EU Courts. He has been instructed in a number matters before the General Court and Court of Justice:
During a traineeship at the Court of Justice with Judge Vajda (the last UK Judge)prior to coming to the Bar, Jack worked on cases including: Kadi II (the effect of European procedural rights), Pringle (the validity of the European Stability Mechanism), Abdulrahim (continuing interest to bring an action for annulment), and Inuit I (the definition of regulatory acts in Article 263 TFEU for the purposes of standing).
Jack has been at the forefront of all matters in connection with Brexit and the UK’s new relationship with the EU post Brexit, UK-EU Relations Law.
Jack is the founder and editor of www.eurelationslaw.com. He has published extensively on the topic (see publications below). He is also the co-editor of a book on the constitutional implications of the Miller (Article 50) case (with Professor Mark Elliott and Professor Alison Young): available here.
He has been instructed in a range of Brexit litigation, including Miller 1 (Article 50 litigation), Eurotunnel v Secretary of State (Brexit no deal ferry contracts), and Heathrow v Treasury (decision to remove tax reliefs at the end of the Brexit transition period).
He has advised both public and private clients on a range of constitutional matters arising out of Brexit and EU Relations Law, including in relation to: the Article 50 process, the EU Withdrawal Acts, the use of the royal prerogative, acquired EU rights, the transition period, the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Jack has spoken about these, and related, topics at numerous events and given oral evidence to Parliament. See here.
He also undertook a six-month secondment in the Bank of England’s Legal Directorate’s EU Withdrawal Unit.
Jack is ranked as “Rising Star: tier 1” for Procurement Law in the 2022 Legal 500. He has been instructed on both claimant and defendant sides in major procurement litigation.
Jack also has experience of mediation in procurement dispute contexts, and has oral advocacy experience in the TCC. He has frequently advised on the formation of confidentiality rings and various interlocutory matters.
Before becoming a Barrister, Jack was a College Lecturer at Brasenose College (University of Oxford) where he taught Administrative Law and Constitutional Law. Due to this academic and teaching background, Jack has experience and expertise beyond his date of Call in a range of public law matters.
Jack is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel, enabling him to undertake civil and EU work for all government departments.
The great majority of Jack’s work includes a commercial and regulatory element. In particular, Jack’s Competition Law, Procurement Law and Sports Law practices involve a considerable amount of commercial and contractual analysis.
Jack has oral advocacy experience before the County Court, the First Tier Tax Tribunal, and the High Court. He has represented clients at CMCs, and in relation to: applications for strike out, to rectify misstatements on the Companies House register, and to extend time for the registration of charges at Companies House. He has also represented British Airways before the County Court to defend a claim concerning an EU-derived right to compensation arising out of a delayed flight (Regulation No 261/2004).
He has also sat as an Arbitrator, appointed by Ofwat, in a dispute under the Water Industry Act 1991, and has advised on the Arbitration Act 1996.
Jack has advised and assisted on a range of sports matters, particularly in a football context. He has advised and represented national sports governing bodies, clubs and private individuals in relation to:
Jack has experience in front of a variety of forums including disciplinary and arbitral panels and the High Court.
Up and Coming in European Law: “Jack Williams has acted in a number of momentous cases before the EU courts and has advised various public bodies on the implications of Brexit. Williams has established himself as a particular authority on the emerging area of EU relations law”. “He is enthusiastic, kind and extremely diligent. He is very thoughtful and good to work with.” – Chambers UK, 2023
Up and Coming in Competition Law: “selected to represent an enviable line-up of clients ranging from the CMA to global technology companies”; “notable experience of CMA appeals, and damages claims, including collective actions”; and “A very impressive junior: he’s tenacious and has strong analytical skills, and is a strong team member.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2023
Rising Star in Competition: “Highly intelligent and articulate, Jack is able to get to grips with complex issues and deal with a high volume of work; no doubt a future silk in the making.” – Legal 500, 2023
Rising Star in Public Procurement – Legal 500, 2023
Up and Coming in Competition Law: “He rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck into the detail.” “He is super eager, razor sharp and great to work with.” “selected to represent an enviable line-up of clients” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2022
Rising Star in Competition: “Clever, calm, effective – a team player.” – Legal 500, 2022
Rising Star in Public Procurement: “He is a very enthusiastic junior barrister with excellent drafting skills and real desire to do his very best for the client and the case. He is a pleasure to lead and he has a great career ahead of him.” – Legal 500, 2022
Rising Star in Public Procurement: ‘He is a very enthusiastic junior barrister with excellent drafting skills and real desire to do his very best for the client and the case. He is a pleasure to lead and he has a great career ahead of him.’ – Legal 500, 2021
Bar Professional Training Course: BPP & Gray’s Inn
Postgraduate: Oxford University
Undergraduate: Cambridge University
Books
Chapters
Articles
Blog posts