Freehills is recognised as having one of the premier, and truly national, competition and market regulation practices in Australia. One of our greatest strengths is our unparalleled relationships at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and other regulatory bodies.

Our clients receive the benefit of our group’s extensive experience in all aspects of competition law and market regulation across diverse industries, including financial services, energy and resources, transport and logistics, health and pharmaceuticals. Drawing together the skills and experience of some of Australia’s leading authorities in competition and market regulation, we provide our clients with strategic, analytical and innovative advice.

Our areas of practice are:

• mergers and acquisitions
• enforcement and litigation
• access and market regulation
• advice and compliance.

The sub-menus in the Competition & Market Regulation area provide specific examples of our experience in our various competition service areas.

Obtaining and maintaining an edge on your rivals is critical to your business. So, when important competition law and regulatory issues arise, Freehills understands that you want high quality, clear and commercial advice.

In a highly competitive market environment, there are pressures on business to ensure they comply with regulatory requirements and embrace growth through mergers, joint ventures and other strategic avenues. The changing nature of the law regulating these business activities means companies must secure expert advice. In some instances, litigation support for competition-related matters may also be required.

Our highly experienced Competition & Market Regulation group can also offer expert assistance in regulatory enforcement or litigious matters.

Awards

• Best Lawyer International Awards, Paul Evans received an award in the Regulatory category, 2008
• Best Lawyer International Awards, Ranked ‘No 1’ in Australia in the Antitrust category, 2008, 2009 

Legal guides

• Global Competition Review (GCR) Country Survey, ranked as ‘Elite’, 2007, 2009
• PLC Which Lawyer?, 'Leading' firm for Competition/Antitrust, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Asia-Pacific Legal 500, top tier ranking for Competition and Trade, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Testimonials

• ’technically proficient and hard-working” team’ – Chambers Global  2009
• ‘… commercially focused and flexible’, ‘… continues to impress clients with its “top-rate work and great turnaround times”’, ‘The team “fully understands the different needs of government and private sector clients”’, ‘Clients also enlist its services when faced with major disputes’, ‘…cultivated excellent relationships with the ACCC and key government departments’, and ‘… well versed in contentious matters.’ Chambers Global, 2008
• ‘The Freehills team with market leader Bob Baxt continues to provide cutting edge contentious and advisory advice’, PLC Which Lawyer?, 2007
• Bob Baxt is the ‘elder statesman of Australian competition law’, Who’s Who Legal, 2006, a ‘long-standing expert in competition law and policy’, PLC Which Lawyer?, 2007, and is ‘a deeply experienced senior competition practitioner’, Chambers Global, 2008
• ‘Michael Gray is an “active, visible and highly talented” competition lawyer’, Chambers Global, 2008, and he ‘is recommended for his high-quality, practical advice’, Asia Pacific Legal 500, 2006–2007
• Paul Hughes is a ‘highly-recognised competition law expert’, PLC Which Lawyer? 2007, and ‘a top-flight lawyer for telecommunications regulatory issues’, Chambers Global, 2008
• Chris Jose ‘supplements his competition practice with administrative law experience and in-depth knowledge of the energy and telecoms inclusives’, Chambers Global, 2008
• Don Robertson is ‘praised as a “clear sighted practitioner”’, Chambers Global, 2008, and ‘recognised for the strength of his competition litigation skills in particular’, PLC Which Lawyer? 2007