Ms Sophie Lawrance > Bristows LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Bristows LLP Offices
100 VICTORIA EMBANKMENT
LONDON
EC4Y 0DH
England
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Ms Sophie Lawrance
Work Department
Competition and EU, Competition litigation
Position
Sophie specialises in EU and UK competition law and litigation.
Sophie has a particular interest in working with businesses in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors, and in relation to the competition issues that arise in connection with standardised technology. Her practice spans all competition issues, but has a particular focus on litigation and investigations.
Sophie has significant experience of competition litigation in the UK courts. She has been involved both in pure competition law actions, acting for both claimants and defendants, and in several substantial pieces of patent litigation in which competition defences have been raised. Sophie has market-leading experience of cases involving FRAND licensing obligations, acting for both implementers and patentees. Alongside this, Sophie’s case load to date has included defending applications for interim injunctive relief, handling mixed stand-alone/follow-on damages claims, raising and defending competition issues arising from the seeking of remedies in IP cases and claims arising from IP licences.
Alongside her litigation case-load, Sophie handles competition authority investigations at both EU and national level, including in dawn raid situations. A recent focus has been on CMA investigations into the UK generics sector. Issues on which she has advised in this context include both substantive competition law and procedural issues, such as legal professional privilege, as well as dealing with competition director disqualification cases which are now a focus for the UK competition regulator.
Sophie is a member of the Competition Law Association (CLA) Committee. She regularly contributes feedback on competition policy issues, as well as speaking at conferences and writing on competition law issues in journals and blogs. Sophie is a regular contributor to Bristows’ blog on the competition/IP interface, the CLIP Board.
Career
Qualified 2004;
Partner 2016
Languages
French and German (both good)
Memberships
Competition Law Association; Law Society Competition Section
Education
MA French and German, University of Cambridge
MA, MPhil, PhD, University of Cambridge;
Postgraduate Diploma in Competition Law, King’s College, London, 2005;
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
The ‘excellent‘ team at Bristows LLP specialises in the intersection between competition and IP matters, particularly in relation to the use of data, investigations, and FRAND licensing issues. Practice head Sophie Lawrance is an ‘expert’ who maintains a pharmaceutical and tech-focused practice, often handling appeals in the Supreme Court; whilst the ‘very knowledgeable and practical’ Stephen Smith has broad knowledge spanning the full-range of both contentious and non contentious matters, including jurisdictional challenges and interventions in judicial reviews.
London > Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
The ‘outstanding’ competition group at Bristows LLP has been recognised as among ‘the best for innovation and IP related competition matters’ in the market. The practice has a proven track record in representing clients within the technology and life sciences sectors. Team lead Sophie Lawrance is a key port of call for clients in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors, providing specialist guidance on various competition law issues, including licensing standard essential patents. Stephen Smith has 20 years’ experience advising across a broad range go EU and UK competition law matters across the life sciences, financial services, retail, telecommunications and technology sectors.
Lawyer Rankings
- Competition litigation London > Dispute resolution
- EU and competition London > Corporate and commercial
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Digital content & social
- Industry focus > TMT
Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Advertising & marketing
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > PATMA: Trade mark attorneys
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- Employment > Employers