Simon Neill

Background

About Simon Neill

I advise on EU and UK competition law, a field I entered back in 1996 shortly after qualifying at Freshfields. What I love about competition law is that it is rooted in what companies actually do and how they compete in the market. No case is the same, and you are continually learning about new industries and markets. In a given week, I could be advising on the EU distribution strategy of a high end bicycle manufacturer, understanding how competition works in the market for specialist medical nutrition and defending a financial services client involved in a CMA investigation. In terms of my experience, my formative ten years at Freshfields left me with a strong merger control background, and I have acted on all manner of mergers, from the straightforward to the highly complex, and everything in between. Some memorable merger clearances include Nielsen/Ebiquity, Carphone Warehouse/Dixons, Stena/P&O, Deloitte/Arthur Andersen, Onex/Air Canada/Canadian Airlines and a host of acquisitions by Tyco. Since joining Osborne Clarke, my practice has become substantially more varied. As well as merger control, I am regularly advising clients on competition law investigations, abuse of dominance cases and restrictive agreements and practices. I work with clients to minimise their compliance risks while not stifling their ability to compete effectively in the market. I am privileged to co-head Osborne Clarke's international competition team, and I have led the UK competition practice at Osborne Clarke since joining the firm in 2005.