Integrated into the global antitrust & foreign investment group, Linklaters‘ German antitrust team offers longstanding experience in national and international merger control as well as cartel proceedings, including abuse of market power and damages compensation proceedings before the relevant authorities in Germany and the EU. In addition to ongoing antitrust law advice, which also covers compliance, the team regularly advises in close cooperation with the experts from the corporate, dispute resolution and energy law teams; this is complemented by Christoph Barth’s investment control expertise. Key contact Carsten Grave is experienced in merger control and cartel proceedings. Other core members are Daniela Seeliger (cartel proceedings, compliance and cross-border merger control proceedings) and counsel Ingo Klauß, who is increasingly instructed by clients with a dominant market position.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Linklaters' antitrust team has strong sector expertise in the telecommunications market and cleverly combines this with excellent antitrust law expertise. Even when it comes to questions about day-to-day business, the team succeeds in generating added value with precise, yet practical advice and, with appropriate effort, identifying and designing good solution areas.'
'Highly motivated and qualified, very pleasant, pragmatic, goal-oriented and solution-oriented.'
'Daniela Seeliger: Competence and argumentative persuasiveness with a friendly, approachable relationship with the client.'
'Carsten Grave: Technically excellent, at the same time pragmatic, reliable partner even in difficult situations.'
'Christoph Barth has an impressively broad range of knowledge and knows how to find pragmatic solutions.'
'Kaan Gürer: Good availability for the client; his work is result-oriented and prepared for the client and the working practice. Very pleasant to work with.'
'Ingo Klauß: An exceptional consultant who delivers outstanding performance both in his own work and in that of his team.'
'David-Julien dos Santos Goncalves: Committed and experienced in merger control.'

Work highlights

Advice to Dr. Ing. hc F. Porsche AG on the antitrust proceedings on car emissions before the European Commission against the five German automobile manufacturers Daimler, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche.
Representing Silgan Holdings Inc in lengthy antitrust proceedings before the European Commission and in parallel in several proceedings before the European courts due to allegations of alleged antitrust behavior in metal closures and food cans. In July 2022, the European Commission imposed a total fine of €31.5 million on Silgan and its competitor Crown in a settlement decision.
Successful defense of E.ON SE against 11 annulment actions brought by various municipal utilities and regional energy companies regarding the European Commission's approval under merger control law for the takeover of E.ON's renewable energy generation plants by RWE AG.