Business areas in focus

Competition Law

Challenges and requirements

It can be a challenging task for businesses to ensure compliance with the numerous applicable competition rules and there is a significant risk of infringing these complex rules. Concurrently, there is a tendency to penalise infringements of competition rules increasingly severely.

How we can help

We have more than 20 years experience in competition law issues. In particular, we have significant experience in the evaluation of agreements and conduct in cases where businesses stand accused of infringing competition rules, as well as applications for the approval of mergers. Moreover, we conduct numerous cases in the fast developing area of civil lawsuits for the infringement of competition rules on behalf of, among others, businesses seeking compensation.

As a result of the input of our legal financial consultants, we are able to integrate the economic aspects of a transaction in to our legal advice, which is particularly useful in larger compensation cases, as well as cases concerning merger control and abuse of a dominant position.

We regularly develop and implement different compliance programmes and training sessions for our clients. Via these programmes and sessions, we educate our clients in managing competition law aspects, often as regards actual problems faced by our clients, and avoiding infringements.

Our advice encompasses, among others:     
  • Cartel investigations
  • Cooperation and distribution agreements
  • Price structure, discount and bonus systems
  • Abuse of dominant position
  • Conduct of cases before the competition authorities, the European courts and the Danish courts 
 
  • Merger control
  • Compensation cases
  • Undertakings with special and exclusive rights
  • Compliance programmes
 

 

Our ratings

Chambers Europe Rating 2012

Competition and European Law

This full-service team advises on a broad range of competition matters and public procurement mandates. Its large client portfolio includes GlaxoSmithKline, Bang & Olufsen, Scania and Cheminova. Peers applaud its work in state aid in particular. Sources say: "There is no doubt of this firm's skill in the competition field."

Highly experienced litigator Peter Stig Jakobsen handles both competition and public procurement issues. Jesper Kaltoft is noted for his excellent merger control work. Market commentators highlight Michael Honoré for his state aid expertise. Simon Evers Kalsmose-Hjelmborg is commended for his prowess in public procurement and competition law matters.

Chambers and Partners Europe, Competition/European Law

Legal 500 Rating 2012

EU and Competition

Bech-Bruun is praised for ‘great industry knowledge’ and ‘quick, precise’ advice on state aid, anti-competitive practices, merger control and public procurement. Group head Simon Evers Kalsmose-Hjelmborg, who has ‘overall strength in EU matters’, and the ‘top-class’ Michael Honoré act for Energinet.dk and DSB in complex state aid cases. The ‘competent, responsive’ Peter Stig Jakobsen successfully represented Viasat UK Broadcasting against TV 2 in the Supreme Court. Jesper Kaltoft is representing 1,106 claimants seeking €590m from DONG Energy for abuse of dominance and excessive pricing.

Legal 500, EU and competition

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Academy for clients 29 November 2011
Aarhus

Competition law

Academy for clients 22 November 2011
Copenhagen

Competition law