David Went

Competition

David is internationally renowned as a leading competition law specialist. He won the Chambers and Partners 2022 Competition Junior of the Year Award, was noted as a Competition Future Leader in Who’s Who Legal: Competition 2018 (dedicated to the world’s leading competition experts aged 45 and under), and in 2012 was featured in Global Competition Review’s list of leading competition lawyers under 40 years old worldwide. For a number of years now he has been recognised (among only a select number of barristers) in Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2021: Competition Juniors and Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2023.

Prior to returning to his roots as a barrister during 2015 (having originally been called to the bar in 1999), David’s considerable competition law experience has been acquired at two leading US law firms in Brussels and London, most recently as partner at Sidley Austin LLP. David has acted for clients (e.g., ADM, Alberto Culver, Aon, Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, GSK, Hachette, IBM, LG Electronics, Spectris, Viterra, and Western Union) on some of the most significant and complex matters over the past 16 years across the spectrum of competition law work.

Regularly appearing before the main EU and UK courts and competition authorities, David specialises in all litigation and advisory aspects of competition law, covering:

Abuse of dominance Cartels Commercial practices Compliance Damages actions M&A Public procurement State aid Related areas of EU, public and regulatory law

David has experience of working in a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, financial services, FMCG, high-tech, insurance, IT/internet, life sciences, manufacturing, media, mining, publishing, shipping, sports, telecoms, and utilities.

He has worked on a large number of multi-jurisdictional matters using, where needed, a network of trusted local counsel. David also has good working relationships with competition law specialists at the main economic consultancies.

As clients make clear in legal directory submissions, David is approachable, practical, and commercially focused. In addition, clients appreciate his ability to quickly understand their business models and needs, coupled with his creativity in finding solutions.

He combines huge commercial knowledge with a second-to-none understanding of competition law. A naturally industrious advocate his attention to detail is truly market-leading.

Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law (Outstanding in Competition Law, 1998) Post-Graduate Diploma in Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, (Distinction/1st in year, 1997) A. in Literae Humaniores, The Queen’s College, Oxford University (Academic Exhibitioner and Organ Scholar, 1995)