For further information about our Competition practice Dr Christian Karbaum is at your disposal at any time.
Our antitrust team provides comprehensive advice to companies as parties or third parties in transactions, in particular in merger control proceedings of the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission, in investment control proceedings before the BMWK as well as in proceedings of the European Commission on subsidy control under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation.
Through our worldwide network of leading law firms, we also coordinate merger control notifications and investment control notifications in third countries for our clients. Most recently, we have advised the following clients, for example:
Our firm represents numerous companies and members of management in cartel fine proceedings of the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission.
We assist companies in the search situation, advise on the strategic decision whether to file a leniency application and develop a defense strategy together with our clients. Through our network of international law firms, we also coordinate leniency applications on a worldwide basis.
Recently, GLADE MICHEL WIRTZ has been active in the following proceedings, among others, which have received wide public attention:
Food retail, meat and sausage products, confectionery, coffee, mills, industrial chemicals, railway technology, mining technology, silo mortar, polyurethane foam, plastic packaging for food, power transformers, drugstore articles, concrete pipes, paving stones, automatic doors, industrial insurance, luxury cosmetics, sanitary ware, heat shielding sheets or steel.
We also represent our clients in investigations regarding the abuse of a dominant market position before the European Commission and the Federal Cartel Office.
We also represent our clients in proceedings concerning abuse of a dominant market position before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office.
If companies have a certain market power, they are affected by behavioral restrictions to which other market participants are not subject. As a result, their purchasing and sales strategies, as well as their contracts, prices and discounts, must comply with special requirements, in particular the prohibition of discrimination and obstruction.
We therefore support clients with strong market positions in exploiting existing leeway and observing the requirements of the prohibition of abuse in their daily business. Conversely, companies can be affected by abusive conduct on the part of third parties. In this respect, we advise our clients on how to assert their interests against strong market players in negotiations and, if necessary, by filing complaints with the antitrust authorities.
Recent mandates in this area have concerned, for example, the automotive, wind power, energy services, online sales, players' agents or the licensing of standard-essential patents.
We also represent our clients in proceedings concerning abuse of a dominant market position before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office.
If companies have a certain market power, they are affected by behavioral restrictions to which other market participants are not subject. As a result, their purchasing and sales strategies, as well as their contracts, prices and discounts, must comply with special requirements, in particular the prohibition of discrimination and obstruction.
We therefore support clients with strong market positions in exploiting existing leeway and observing the requirements of the prohibition of abuse in their daily business. Conversely, companies can be affected by abusive conduct on the part of third parties. In this respect, we advise our clients on how to assert their interests against strong market players in negotiations and, if necessary, by filing complaints with the antitrust authorities.
Recent mandates in this area have concerned, for example, the automotive, wind power, energy services, online sales, players' agents or the licensing of standard-essential patents.
One of our main areas of expertise in the field of competition is antitrust litigation.
We represent clients in challenging administrative and administrative fine decisions, e.g. in merger control cases of the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. In civil law, we are particularly active in defending and asserting cartel damages claims (follow-on damages) as well as in the context of enforcing claims against market-dominant companies.
For further details, please refer to the Litigation section.
We advise our clients in specific occasions (for example, following the discovery of a violation of antitrust law) and preventively in the development, structuring, implementation and support of compliance management systems.
An important component of our preventive advice is the definition of appropriate prevention processes and the preparation of risk-adjusted compliance documentation, which documents measures to mitigate compliance risks and also contains antitrust guidelines for employees. Our advisory service includes trainings (in person or electronically) for executives and other employees active in risk areas.
Compliance for associations is also an important part of our work, because association work involves increased antitrust risks both for the associations and their members. We therefore provide ongoing advice to associations and members of associations on compliance issues and with regard to meetings in order to ensure conduct in compliance with antitrust law.
For further details, please refer to the Compliance section.