Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Merger control is the cornerstone of the EU and competition law practice at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, which frequently handles cases before the FCA and the European Commission (including complex phase II reviews), in addition to coordinating multi-jurisdictional merger filings alongside its Brussels and other international offices. The team particularly impresses with its advice to leading French private equity firms, but its client base also includes key players in the aviation, shipping and retail sectors, among others. In addition, the firm assists with antitrust investigations and state aid issues. Faustine Viala is leading the Paris team's advice on a host of high-profile merger control cases.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The Willkie Farr & Gallagher competition team combines technical expertise, strong involvement in their files, rigour and communicative dynamism. Faustine Viala must be a good manager and teacher because all the members of her team have the same qualities: empathy, expertise, availability and rigour.’
‘A file managed by Faustine Viala is a file that is moving forward! Faustine Viala takes charge of the matter and provides everything necessary for a good outcome: detailed analyses, compliance with deadlines, leadership with potential partners and knowledge of regulatory contacts. In addition, she communicates easily with operational teams and helps mobilize them.’
‘The team's strengths are its responsiveness, technical ability, competence, and an efficient international network that can be mobilized quickly, with very good quality teams outside France.’
‘This team combines great technical mastery of the subject matter with an ability to propose concrete solutions. It is for me a benchmark in Paris.’
‘Faustine Viala has a great capacity for analysis and above all for proposing solutions to potential problems detected.’
‘Very committed and innovative team - it offers training to its clients in line with their needs and sectors of activity.’
‘Deep expertise in EU competition law, with a great insight into the trends they are seeing across the market and in their interactions with regulators. Their work is thorough and comprehensive, and their entire team, from top to bottom, is very responsive and knowledgeable. ’
‘Faustine Viala combines very strong technical skills and an ability to provide innovative and reliable solutions while putting herself at the level of a non-lawyer client.’
Key clients
- KKR
- ICG
- Ethypharm
- Air France
- CDC
- Ardian
- Bel Group
- Bpifrance
- CMA CGM
- Elior Group
- Arkema
- Casino
- PAI Partners
- Kuehne + Nagel
- Lagardère Group
- Latour Capital
- Materne
- Insight Partners
- IK Investment Partners
- Saint Gobain
- Air Liquide
- Bureau Veritas
- Naval Group
- Mecachrome
- Syntagma
- Waterland Private Equity
- OpenGate Capital
- EuroTorp
Work highlights
- Advised Ardian on an in-depth phase II investigation by the FCA regarding the acquisition of sole control over Société du Pipeline Rhône-Méditerranée (SPMR).
- Advising Air France KLM on the merger control aspects of a 10-year strategic partnership between its cargo division and the newly launched CMA CGM Air Cargo.
- Advised PAI with regards to the merger control aspects of the acquisition of IFF’s Savory Solutions Group, which required notification to the competition authorities of Mexico, Canada and the EU.
Lawyers
Leading individuals
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Faustine Viala