Vincent Brophy has over 20 years’ experience in counseling and representing clients on matters involving antitrust/competition law. He is an experienced advocate who appears before the authorities in mergers, cartels and abuse investigations, as well as in related litigation before the courts. He has acted in some of the largest ever mergers and most complex antitrust cases. He advises across a wide spectrum of industries and services. His experience ranges from mining and minerals to energy, consumer goods, payments, wholesale/retail banking, technology and foodstuffs. Vincent Brophy studied at the University of Oxford and the University of Paris. He works in both English and French and is admitted in Brussels and London. Prior to joining Sidley in 2020, Vincent Brophy was a partner in the antitrust practice of another international law firm
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As of April 1, 2014, the UK will have a new competition law enforcer. To date, the UK has been unusual among European Union (EU) Member States in having two distinct competition authorities, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Competition Commission (CC). They will now be replaced by a (...)
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The UK’s New Civil Antitrust Investigations Regime* From April 1, a new regime for civil antitrust investigations applies in the UK with the entry into effect of the new Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) (see Antitrust Alert). The CMA has recently published guidance on how this new regime (...)
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Imposing a broad remedy to address competition issues, the European Commission cleared Unilever‘s acquisition of Sara Lee‘s household and body care business on 17 November 2010. This merger decision is a reminder that the EC has the power to seek a remedy from merging parties that goes further (...)
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On 18 August 2009, the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) published a consultation on significant proposed changes to its guidance on the adoption of competition disqualification orders (CDOs) against company directors. The OFT’s proposed changes present a significantly more aggressive approach in (...)
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The global financial crisis has seen competition authorities come under pressure to relax their interpretation of competition laws in order to help companies weather the current financial storm. In general, competition authorities have been reluctant to do so, on the basis that in such (...)
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On 30 June 2009, the UK antitrust authority, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), published its ‘Jurisdictional and procedural guidance’ for mergers (Guidance). This consolidates, updates, and expands on previous OFT guidance and practice and is therefore essential reading for those involved in a (...)
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On 10 June 2009, the European Commission (EC) imposed a fine of € 20 M on Belgian electricity supplier Electrabel for implementing a merger without seeking its prior approval, in breach of the EC Merger Regulation (ECMR). This decision merits attention not only because it is one of only a (...)
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On 14 May 2009, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the UK’s competition agency, allowed an application of the « failing firm defence » under UK competition law, thereby clearing the HMV/Zavvi retail store acquisitions to proceed. The UK is one of the few jurisdictions to have explicitly recognised (...)
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The UK antitrust authority, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), published on 18 December 2008 a restatement of its position on the « failing firm » defence in merger reviews. In current economic conditions, this is timely confirmation of the relevant principles and practice. It is also a reminder (...)
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