The Fourth Annual UK Competition Litigation Conference

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Monckton Chambers, NERA Economic Consulting, and Augusta Ventures presents the Fourth Annual UK Competition Litigation Conference on Thursday 1st December 2022 from 08:30am at the ME London Hotel.

Please join Monckton Chambers, NERA Economic Consulting and Augusta for a conference celebrating recent developments in competition litigation in the UK and ringing in 2023. This is the fourth annual conference and happily again together in person at the ME Hotel.

Lord Justice Green of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales will start the conference’s discussion, followed by six panels then discussing different aspects of the regime, recent cases, and the year ahead. We will cover key recent decisions, innovations in the strategy and process of bringing litigation, the role of experts, and the new Subsidy Control rules.

As before, we bring together leading lawyers, King’s Counsel, academics, and economists to discuss competition litigation in the UK.

We then warmly welcome delegates to celebrate the season of cheer with an evening champagne reception while enjoying panoramic views of London from the Radio Rooftop Bar.

For more information, to see the programme for the day and to register your place, please click here.

Who’s Who Legal (WWL) Competition – Monckton in table for Leading Lawyers

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WWL: Competition covers a total of 2,433 lawyers. The lawyers selected advise and represent clients in internal, regulatory and criminal investigations as well as assisting with merger filings, civil and criminal litigation and cartel matters.

Monckton is one of only two barristers’ Chambers included in WWL’s selection of “Leading firms and sets: Competition by number of listed practitioners”, which is predominantly made up of the major international law firms. Congratulations to the Monckton members included within the listings:

To view the report, please click here

Who’s Who Legal (WWL) Government Contracts – Monckton in table for Leading Lawyers

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WWL: Government Contracts covers a total of 467 lawyers.

Monckton Chambers is one of two Chambers recognised and listed second in the table of 12 “Leading firms and sets in WWL: Government Contracts 2022 by number of listings”.

Congratulations to the following Members who have been listed:

To view the report, please click here

Chambers UK Bar 2023: Monckton Chambers is once again Top Ranked for five areas

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Chambers UK Bar today launched their 2023 guide and Monckton Chambers has once again been recognised as a Top Ranked set for five areas:

  • Competition ‘Monckton Chambers is renowned for its superb ability in complex competition law mandates across a breadth of key areas.’
  • EU law ‘Many of Monckton Chambers’ key areas of practice are grounded in its members’ superb understanding of EU law principles. ‘
  • Telecoms regulation ‘Monckton Chambers handles the full spread of telecommunications law work and is particularly well known for its strength in competition cases.’
  • Public procurement ‘An esteemed chambers which undertakes the full sweep of procurement cases on both the advisory and contentious fronts. The set receives instructions from tenderers and contracting authorities alike and can assist with all stages of the procurement process.’
  • Indirect Tax ‘A first-rate set known for its extensive work across the full gamut of indirect taxation disputes.’

The Set has also been ranked in a further seven areas:

  • Administrative and public law
  • Community Care
  • Civil Liberties
  • Data protection
  • Environment
  • Group Litigation
  • Sport

Individual members were also recognised as “Leading Individuals” in an additional 12 practice areas:

  • Animal Law
  • Aviation
  • CDR London
  • Consumer Law
  • Education
  • Immigration
  • International Human Rights Law
  • Life Sciences
  • Local Government
  • Public International Law
  • Regulatory
  • Social Housing

With a total of 142 rankings, 62 individual barristers from Monckton have been listed this year across 23 practice areas. We are thrilled to see 17 new entries into the tables with 21 improved rankings. Congratulations to all members listed.

Congratulations also to our clerking and staffing teams who are praised for ‘providing a very user-friendly service’ being ‘supportive, co-operative and helpful’ being ‘flexible and adaptable’ and most importantly, ‘client-orientated.’

See full Monckton Chambers’ rankings here.

Monckton Chambers receive three awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2022

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After being shortlisted for multiple awards, Members of Monckton Chambers are delighted to have won three awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2022. 

The awards recognise those who are at the top of the profession, identified by extensive objective research. We are delighted to have been recognised for:

  • Competition Set of the Year
  • Competition Silk of the Year – Josh Holmes KC
  • Technology and Data Junior of the Year – Ben Lask

Congratulations to all of our colleagues who won in their categories and to all those who were shortlisted this year.

 

The Procurement Bill – A series of briefings

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Monckton Chambers recently co-hosted an event with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer on how the Procurement Bill proposes to reform public procurement law in the UK.

Following the event we are publishing a series of briefings on the Bill – the first of which by Alexia Millet and Azeem Suterwalla, considers the provisions of Bill relating to contract performance.

The second briefing, by Elizabeth Forster and Michael Bowsher QC, looks at how the Procurement Bill would change the rules relating to exclusion and debarment.

In the third briefing, Alexia Millett and Azeem Suterwalla consider the changes to the rules on modifying existing contracts.

In the fourth briefing, Tom Hutchison and Ewan West address the provisions in the Bill relevant to direct awards and their likely effect.

You can view the briefings here:

Legal 500 UK Bar 2023: Record number of rankings

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In the recently launched Legal 500 UK Bar 2023, Monckton Chambers secured a record number of rankings totaling 141. This includes 60 individual barristers from Monckton listed across 20 practice areas, and 27 new entries into the tables this year. Congratulations to all members listed.

Monckton Chambers has been recommended, as a TOP-TIER set in the following five practice areas:

  • Competition ‘Monckton Chambers is an exceptional competition law set. It has depth of competition specialists at all levels of seniority and experience and is involved in most of the major competition cases, breaking new ground in a fast developing and complex field.’
  • EU law ‘Monckton has an outstanding range of barristers in EU law. I have encountered many of them in cases in the European Courts.’
  • Telecoms regulation ‘Monckton Chambers are a leading set-in telecoms work. ‘
  • Public procurement ‘Monckton are at the top of the public procurement Bar.’    
  • Tax: VAT and excise ‘The set is well known for VAT, customs and excise and its particular expertise in EU law and its application in the indirect tax world. ’

The Set has also been ranked in a further three areas:

  • Administrative law and human rights
  • Data protection
  • Sport

Individual members were also recognised as “Leading Individuals” in:

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Consumer
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Fraud: civil
  • Group Litigation
  • Immigration (including business immigration)
  • International arbitration: counsel
  • Public international law
  • Professional Negligence
  • Social housing
  • Asia Pacific: The English Bar – Commercial

Congratulations also to our clerking team who are praised for being ‘Always helpful and available ‘prompt and responsive’ and provide a ‘good and personal approach.’   

See full Monckton Chambers’ rankings here.

Professor Panos Koutrakos mentioned in Opinion by Advocate General of European Court of Justice

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Professor Panos Koutrakos is mentioned in the Opinion by Advocate General Medina in Case C-407/21 Union fédérale des consommateurs – Que choisir (UFC – Que choisir) Consommation, logement et cadre de vie (CLCV) v Premier ministre, Ministre de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Relance.

This case is a reference to the Court of Justice by the French Council of State (Conseil d’État). It is about the COVID 19 pandemic and the right of national authorities to introduce temporary derogations from consumer legislation governing package travel contracts. The dispute was about French legislation dealing with the pandemic and which allowed travel package organisers to issue travellers with vouchers instead of a refund as a means of managing their immediate liquidity problems. The issue was the compatibility of such measures with EU law, in particular Directive 2015/2302 on package travel.

In her Opinion, delivered on 15 September 2022, Advocate General Medina referred to the book edited by Panos Koutrakos (along with N Nic Shuibhne and P Syrpis), Exceptions from EU Free Movement Law- Derogation, Justification and Proportionality (Hart Publishing, Oxford, 2016).

Professor Koutrakos has written and advised on EU law, including free movement of goods, services, and persons, as well as various aspects of the relationship between EU and international law.

Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022 – Monckton Chambers and five members in the shortlists

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Monckton Chambers is delighted to have been recognised and shortlisted for this years upcoming Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022.

The set has been nominated for ‘Competition/ EU Set of the Year’ and five members shortlisted for individual awards:

The shortlists are a result of extensive objective research by over 200 analysts. The lists reflect achievements over the past 12 months including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service. They honour the work of Chambers across the country based on the research for the most recent edition of Chambers UK Bar.

Thank you to our professional clients for their ongoing support and for taking part in this year’s research cycle and congratulations to all those shortlisted.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 17th November 2022.

The full shortlist can be seen here.