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MA (Hons) Economics, Cambridge (First Class), Diploma in Law (City University)
MA (Hons) Economics, Cambridge (First Class), Diploma in Law (City University)
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Meredith is a leading silk for competition law and economic regulatory matters. He is described in the legal directories as “the go-to silk in bet-the-market competition law cases”, “absolutely fantastic”, “outstanding”, “a leading figure”, “superb in every way” and a “stand-out performer” “operating at the very top of his field”.
As an advocate, Meredith appears in damages actions, claims for injunctions and challenges to competition and regulatory decisions. He has considerable experience of collective proceedings and cases which raise further issues such as conflict of laws and interaction with intellectual property law. In addition to involvement in cases across all main industry sectors he has particular experience in the technology, media and telecommunications (“TMT”) sphere.
Recent cases include acting for: Google in its appeals in the European Courts in Shopping and Android; in collective proceedings including for Google, Amazon, DAF and the Performing Rights Society; for Apple in FRAND claims brought by Optis; and for EE in a collusion claim brought against mobile operators by Phones4u.
He also sits as an arbitrator in international commercial disputes.
Attributes receiving praise in the main legal directories include the following:
Meredith has acted for: (in TMT) Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Sky, BT, EE, Vodafone, Three, TalkTalk, Philips, Verizon, Alcatel-Lucent, Premier League, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and (IP specialists) Sisvel and IPCom; (in power and water) National Grid, EdF, ScottishPower, Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water), Scottish Water; (in transport) Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Korean Air Lines, P&O, Stena, DFDS and Tubelines; (in manufacturing, including pharmaceuticals) DAF Trucks, Dow Chemical, TEVA and Vertex Pharmaceuticals; (in financial services) a leading international investment bank and comparethemarket; (in retail) Dixons Carphone Warehouse, Asda, Argos, Morrisons; (in hotels) Intercontinental Hotels.
Meredith has won Chambers UK competition law barrister of the year both as a silk and as a junior. In addition to consistent recognition in the leading directories, he has been featured in legal publications including the Lawyer Hot 100, Chambers Hot 100, Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal and Global Competition Review.
Collective Proceedings
Court of Justice of the EU and General Court appeals
Non-collective damages actions and injunctions; regulatory challenges
Leading silk in Competition: “He is superb in every way. sharp mind and great on the economics of a case.” – Legal 500, 2024
Competition: “Meredith was just incredibly impressive in the court.” “He is vastly experienced, technically excellent and a superb cross-examiner.” “Meredith is operating at the very top of his field.” “Meredith is intellectually very strong, writes well, is a receptive and effective advocate, and can reduce complex issues to straightforward language, so that they are easy to understand, which clients like.” “He is compelling and strategic.” “His judgement is very good, so he knows when not to pick a fight.” – Chambers UK, 2024
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): “A very responsive silk with an excellent mind.” – Legal 500, 2024
Telecommunications: “Able to put forward very, very good points, he is a very pleasant opponent who provides a stiff challenge for the other side.” “Meredith is a very versatile silk whose advice proves invaluable.” – Chambers UK, 2024
Competition: “Fiercely intelligent, an incisive cross-examiner and a powerhouse on his feet. Meredith is creative and solution-orientated.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2023
Telecommunications: “Always very well-prepared, easy to engage with and highly pragmatic.” – Chambers UK, 2023
Leading silk in Competition: “Meredith is brilliant. Bright, sharp and a great communicator, his clients always value his clear and calm approach.” – Legal 500, 2023
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): “Meredith has a remarkable intellect, easy rapport with clients and a clarity of thought and argument which is respected by the judiciary.” – Legal 500, 2023
“Meredith Pickford QC is highlighted as “a tremendous silk who is particularly strong in complex cases requiring a mastery of economics”. He is “strategic, thoughtful and great with clients”.” – Competition, Who’s Who Legal Global Guide 2022
“Meredith Pickford QC attracts notable praise as “a pleasant, energetic barrister, who is especially strong on economic issues.” – Competition, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2022
“Brings a depth of knowledge that is highly valued” by clients and is appreciated for being “strategic but also cautious, ensuring that risks are not taken in the litigation without careful thought.” – Telecoms, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar and Global Guide 2022
“Brings a depth of knowledge that is highly valued” by clients and is appreciated for being “strategic but also cautious, ensuring that risks are not taken in the litigation without careful thought.” – Telecoms, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2022
Competition Law: “A tenacious, skilled advocate bursting with energy and power in a courtroom. The go-to silk in bet-the-market competition law cases.” “Meredith is excellent when there is a strong economic element to the case. He has an economics background and he can get into that detail that others can’t.” “He has a brain the size of the planet.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2022
Telecommunications: “He is one of the leading intellects at the Bar. His ability to distil complex issues into simple propositions is second to none.” – Chambers UK, 2022
Leading silk in Competition: “Approachable and collegiate. Able to see a legal argument from all perspectives and provide precise and cogent analysis.” – Legal 500, 2022
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): “He inspires confidence with his intellect, attention to detail and judgement.” – Legal 500, 2022
Competition Law: “Meredith is extremely charming and great with clients, and has the strategic ability to stand back and see the bigger picture.” “He is cerebral and brilliant at knotty economic issues.” “Very strategic and good at reading the courtroom.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2021
Telecommunications: “Meredith is great to work with. He always provides clear advice and views, often concerning the application of complex, technical legislation to complex, technical facts, and he presents his advice in a way which is easy to understand and implement. What is more, Meredith is very happy to debate his views and clarify where appropriate.” “He is impressive. His advice is clear and concise, and he demonstrates good judgement. He is decisive and able to quickly identify the winning points.” – Chambers UK, 2021
“An exceptional advocate” with “a remarkable ability to critically analyse every facet of an argument in order to identify the winning approach.” – Competition, Who’s Who Legal Global Guide 2021
“A prominent name in the TMT space where he regularly represents high-profile clients in regulatory proceedings.” – Telecoms, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2021
Leading silk in Competition: ‘‘Hugely impressive – has really grown into his role as QC. A very able advocate; provides leadership but is also collegiate and open.’’ – Legal 500, 2021
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): ‘‘He has the fundamental quality of a top silk; he is incredibly bright. He has excellent judgment and a remarkable ability to distill complex issues into simple and effective strategies.’’ – Legal 500, 2021
“A leader” in competition law, acclaimed for his work in damages actions and regulatory matters.” – Competition, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2020
“Stands out among peers at the bar thanks to his impressive handling of contentious regulatory proceedings and IP disputes in the telecoms sector.” – Telecoms, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2020
Competition Law: “An extremely hands-on QC, who gets into the detail and lives and breathes the case.” “His capacity to absorb facts and get right to the heart of the issues is impressive.” “Sometimes the message we need to give to the client can be difficult, especially where there are potential criminal sanctions for the individuals concerned. If you are trying to give advice to a client at an early stage, having someone of his stature, who is also very calm and measured, is vitally important.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2020
Telecommunications: “He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the telecommunications regulatory landscape, a tremendous ability to assimilate information, and a great facility in presenting information and solutions in a client-friendly manner.” “He is a very good team player who is not afraid to roll his sleeves up, and he is very good at dealing with cases that might be quite challenging.” – Chambers UK, 2020
Leading silk in Competition: ‘‘He has a strong understanding of economic issues.’’ – Legal 500, 2020
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): ‘‘A fantastic expert cross-examiner.’’ – Legal 500, 2020
Competition: Meredith Pickford QC is held in high regard by peers as “a tireless and skilled advocate” who is “a tremendous asset to any team”. He is particularly experienced in matters pertaining to the telecommunications sector. – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL) UK BAR, 2019
Competition Law: “Has the ability to absorb a lot of information very quickly and to identify issues that other advisors might miss.” – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2019
Telecommunications: “He has a detailed knowledge of economics and has acquired a familiarity with the technical and complex commercial aspects of the sector.” “He is approachable; he picks up the phone and will discuss anything no matter how mundane. He also comes across really well in court as he is able to gauge the level of detail to go into, and when to push and not to push.” – Chambers UK, 2019
Leading silk in Competition: ‘‘Very highly rates; a sharp silk.’’ – Legal 500, 2018
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): ‘‘He has the ability to explain complex economic concepts in an intuitive way.’’ – Legal 500, 2018
Competition Law: “He is good at explaining economics in simpler terms and can distil his messages and engage with our commercial colleagues.” – Chambers UK, 2018
Telecommunications: “A very good tactician who is someone you feel in very safe hands with.” – Chambers UK, 2018
Leading silk in Competition: ‘‘Intelligent and good with clients.’’ – Legal 500, 2017
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): ‘‘A tenacious and effective advocate.’’ – Legal 500, 2017
Future Leaders 2017: Barristers Analysis: “Meredith Pickford QC focuses his practice on damages actions, challenges to regulatory decisions and claims for injunctions. He is widely nominated throughout Europe as one of the leading barristers in the UK.” – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL), 2017
Competition Law: Receives universal praise for his grasp of complex economic evidence. He has acted in numerous high-profile cases spanning the full range of competition law. “He is strong on the economics and the pure legal aspects of cases, and he is very user-friendly. He is an integral part of the team.” – Chambers UK, 2017
Telecommunications: Wins plaudits for his user-friendly approach and impressive advocacy skills. Solicitors consider his background in economics to be a key advantage when he provides telecoms regulatory advice. “It’s a technical and specialist field and he gets to grip with it easily.” “He’s very good at cross-examining technical experts.” – Chambers UK, 2017
Leading silk in EU and Competition: “Very bright and responsive; excellent overall.” – Legal 500, 2016
Leading silk in Telecoms (regulatory): “He has an outstanding ability to present arguments effectively on paper and in court.” – Legal 500, 2016
“Meredith Pickford QC … is a “tremendously bright lawyer” who “presents creates yet practical solutions”. His court work is “simply top notch”. He is also noted for his regulatory work in the media and entertainment and telecoms sectors.” – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL) UK BAR 2016
Competition: Has “a terrific mind”, “a consummate understanding of economic arguments” and is also popular for being “a true fighter for his clients”. – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL) UK BAR 2016
Telecommunications: Praised for being “a consummate professional”, clients warm to his “hands-on and friendly” approach. – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL) UK BAR 2016
Media & Entertainment: Has “considerable experience and expertise” in the media industry, and is recommended for his “willingness to always go the extra mile for clients.” – WHO’S WHO LEGAL (WWL) UK BAR 2016
Competition Law: “An outstanding barrister whose economics training is a valuable asset.” – Chambers UK, 2016
Telecommunications: “He understands the economic argument and then articulates it in a persuasive way that succinctly gets the point across.” “Our go-to guy, he’s one of the cleverest at the Bar and also nice to work with.” – Chambers UK, 2016
New Silk in EU and Competition Law: ”Able to understand, focus and clearly articulate complex economic issues.” – Legal 500, 2015
New Silk in Telecoms Law: ”He has a fantastic grasp on economic and technical issues.” – Legal 500, 2015
Competition Law: “Very incisive and user-friendly.” “If you had a competition regulatory question on pricing, he’d be every competition silk’s choice.” – Chambers UK, 2015
Telecommunications: “A formidable degree of experience and intellect, and his advocacy skills are excellent.” “An economist by training – so he brings those analytical skills too.” – Chambers UK, 2015