Antitrust and Competition

Competition law is complex, but it shouldn’t hold you back. We give you the clarity to expand, innovate, and grow securely across borders.

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Antitrust and competition issues can define your ability to grow and compete globally. Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying, and enforcement priorities are constantly evolving. We don’t just defend your position – we equip you to thrive through regulatory change, protecting and strengthening your competitive advantage.

With over 35 offices worldwide, we have leading antitrust partners and teams in all the major jurisdictions across Europe, the United States, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. This seamless global platform empowers you to manage multi-jurisdictional matters with confidence, ensuring that strategy and outcomes are aligned worldwide.

We are at the forefront of major enforcement cases worldwide. Our insight into shifting policy and political priorities helps you prepare early, adapt quickly, and move forward with clarity.

We don’t just know the agencies and authorities you face – we’ve been part of them. Many of our lawyers have held senior roles at the European Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the UK Competition and Markets Authority. It’s this experience that gives us the credibility to engage regulators effectively and the perspective to shape outcomes in your favor.

Agency Investigations

Antitrust and Competition Litigation

Cartel Investigations

Competition Compliance

Dawn Raids

Leniency Applications

Merger Control

State Aid and Subsidy Control

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation

Regulations around abuse of dominance and restrictive practices affect many aspects of your business, from pricing and product distribution to technology licensing, and infrastructure access. At Hogan Lovells, our team provides strategic advice and representation in jurisdictions worldwide, helping companies navigate obligations on how they treat competitors, distribute through networks, and structure reseller or distributor relationships. We advise clients in regulated sectors like technology, life sciences, financial institutions, and transportation. Our deep experience includes managing market power inquiries, defending against claims of discriminatory or exclusionary conduct, and responding to investigations by EU and U.K. competition authorities. With Hogan Lovells, you gain a partner who helps you anticipate challenges, limit compliance risk, and ensure lawful commercial strategy under competition law.

Navigating antitrust investigations across multiple jurisdictions demands precision and speed. At Hogan Lovells, we leverage deep insight in handling investigations initiated by U.S. agencies, the European Commission, and national competition authorities. Our proactive, global approach ensures that early decisions, no matter where made, are aligned to minimize exposure to fines, damages, and criminal liability. We guide clients through complex antitrust enforcement and regulatory compliance matters with strategic insight into cross-border ramifications. Whether faced with dawn raids, dawn of inquiry, or escalating agency scrutiny, our experienced team delivers practical, high-impact solutions. Trust Hogan Lovells to safeguard your business and global reputation by anticipating risks and shaping effective outcomes in international investigations.

Claims in multiple jurisdictions. Class actions. Treble damages. Injunctions. The stakes in antitrust and competition litigation are sky high and claims are increasingly common. As market leaders with an unmatchable breadth of practice, we advise on the most high-profile antitrust and competition litigation cases. Our experience spans a wide range of contentious antitrust and competition issues across diverse markets and sectors, tackling some of the most complex legal challenges.

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Our cartel team at Hogan Lovells is truly global, including former officials from antitrust agencies. We are uniquely placed to advise clients on major cartel investigations conducted by antitrust authorities around the world. We offer practical advice coupled with unique insights. We can guide you through the storm.

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Effective antitrust compliance begins with prevention. At Hogan Lovells, we design bespoke global competition compliance programs grounded in commercial pragmatism and attuned to jurisdiction-specific risks – from market behavior and regulatory enforcement to local competition laws. Our tailored approach ensures your policies are adaptable, maximizing commercial flexibility while remaining fully compliant. We help organizations embed robust, dynamic compliance frameworks that align with operational realities and evolving regulatory landscapes. Whether addressing cartel risks, pricing conduct, or joint ventures, our competition compliance services emphasize proactive solutions to safeguard your business integrity. Leverage Hogan Lovells’ strength in competition law, risk mitigation, and compliance policy design to minimize enforcement exposure and maintain competitive advantage across jurisdictions.

Dawn raids – unannounced inspections by competition authorities – are becoming more aggressive and complex. They often involve thorough IT searches and may require simultaneous response actions in multiple jurisdictions. Any interference or obstruction during these raids can lead to significant fines. Hogan Lovells offers fast, coordinated global legal assistance to help clients respond effectively. Additionally, the firm provides preventive tools including award-winning e-learning, multijurisdictional guidelines, and simulated dawn-raid training to prepare all staff, from receptionist to CEO, to navigate these risky enforcement encounters. With Hogan Lovells’ insight, businesses can minimize risk and ensure readiness for abrupt regulatory scrutiny.

In cartel enforcement, leniency applications provide a powerful tool for companies to minimize legal exposure. At Hogan Lovells, we stress that timing is crucial: full immunity or amnesty is granted only to the first entity to report cartel conduct to antitrust authorities; subsequent applicants may secure only reduced exposure. A comprehensive, global leniency strategy is essential – applicants often must file in multiple jurisdictions to ensure complete protection. Leveraging deep antitrust experience, we help clients design and execute coordinated filings to maximize legal shield and compliance. Trust Hogan Lovells to deliver agile, cross-border guidance, protecting your business through proactive cartel leniency, antitrust defense, and risk-mitigation strategies.

Effective merger control requires careful legal strategy, early planning, and cross-border coordination. Hogan Lovells offers clients market-leading advice on navigating merger filings, investigations, and remedies across jurisdictions. Whether your deal triggers review thresholds in the EU, the UK, the U.S., or emerging markets, we help anticipate regulatory objections, design mitigation strategies, and defend approval applications. Our team supports clients of all sizes – corporates, private equity, financial institutions – through mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other transactions that implicate competition law. With Hogan Lovells, you gain depth of experience in managing evolving enforcement trends with precision and commercial awareness.

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Our lawyers will guide you through the jungle of EU State aid law and the UK Subsidy Control regime – regardless of whether your company is incorporated in the EU, the UK, or abroad. We help you understand the implications of State aid and Subsidy Control for your business and how you can benefit from government funding in a compliant way. We also represent clients in EU Commission investigations and national and EU Court proceedings, both as beneficiaries and as complainants regarding aid/subsidy for competitors.

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We help clients navigate the increasing complexity of FDI filings globally. We analyse where a M&A transaction might require FDI filings and where notifications may otherwise be warranted. We structure deals so that they allow for the quickest path to closing from an FDI perspective, and we prepare and coordinate such filings with our own offices across the world and with a tried and tested network of local partner firms.

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The FSR is reshaping the regulatory landscape, and early preparation is essential. Our clients worldwide trust us to guide them through these challenges and ensure FSR-readiness on all fronts. Whether you are engaging in M&A or public procurement procedures, defending against FSR investigations, or dealing with subsidized competitors, we are here to help.We bring together a multidisciplinary team with deep expertise in EU competition law, state aid, public procurement, and trade regulations. With our deep understanding of the FSR gained through our early involvement in some of the key cases in this area, we deliver practical, actionable solutions tailored to your needs.

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Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells is well-sourced in competition law.. and equipped to deal with both complex and sophisticated matters in an organized and pragmatic way."

Chambers & Partners, Global Guide, 2025

Hogan Lovells is strong on cross-border issues. They are the best for antitrust litigation and the lawyers are top-notch, very practical, smart in and out of the courtroom and very hardworking."

Chambers & Partners, Global Guide, 2025

Key contacts

Logan M. Breed

Partner

Logan M. Breed

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Dr. Christoph Wünschmann, LL.M. (University College London)

Partner

Dr. Christoph Wünschmann, LL.M. (University College London)

Partner

Munich

Christopher Thomas

Office Managing Partner

Christopher Thomas

Office Managing Partner

Brussels

Meet the Antitrust and Competition team

Representative experience

Serving as global antitrust and competition counsel to long-time client International Business Machines (“IBM”), on its acquisitions of Red Hat (US$34 billion), Nordcloud, Turbonomics, HashiCorp (US$6.4 billion), and most recently Confluent (US$11 billion).

Served as health care antitrust counsel to UNC Health in the US$2 billion state financed project to build the first ever standalone children’s hospital in North Carolina.

Secured favorable settlements for Ford and BMW related to cartel probes by the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority into end-of-life vehicle recycling. This matter was nominated for “2025 Cartel Matter of the Year: Europe” by Global Competition Review.

Represented Vodafone in the appeal of one of the largest standalone competition claims tried before the English courts, brought by the administrators of Phones 4u. Following a five day hearing in May 2025, the Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed all six grounds of appeal, upholding the High Court’s rejection of all claims.

Representing Walmart Mexico in a major Cofece abuse of dominance investigation concerning supply conditions with suppliers, one of the regulator’s most significant cases in recent years. Hogan Lovells is leading a constitutional challenge before specialized antitrust courts against Cofece’s findings and imposed compliance measures.

Representing Elevance and multiple other Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance companies in multidistrict litigation alleging algorithmic price fixing of out of network provider reimbursement through Multiplan.

Advised Groupe ADP, the operator of Paris’ major airports and a global leader in the airport industry and hospitality, in obtaining EU merger control clearance for the creation of two joint ventures with Fraport, a publicly listed German stock corporation and operator of Frankfurt Airport.

Served as antitrust counsel for Zimmer Biomet’s US$1.1 billion acquisition of Paragon 28 and its acquisition of Monogram Technologies.

Representing Europe’s leading defence technology company Helsing on all aspects, including competition and FDI, of its acquisition of Bavarian aircraft manufacturer Grob Aircraft SE from H3 Aerospace GmbH & Co KG.

Representing Celonis in a landmark antitrust action against SAP in the Northern District of California.

Counseled Walmart on antitrust issues related to its acquisition of VIZIO Holding Corp., a manufacturer of televisions and visual equipment, in a US$2.3 billion transaction.

Represented Columbus McKinnon on a DOJ Second Request on US$2.7 billion proposed acquisition of Kito Crosby Limited.

Counseled Cardano, a UK – and Netherlands-based asset manager and investment advisor, on merger control and FDI strategy focusing on the UK and the Netherlands.

Represented eightyLEO in the successful defense against a hostile takeover by Chinese investors through a forced corporate redemption of share. The Berlin Administrative Court ruled in favour of the Federal Government and eightyLEO, who were joint parties to the proceedings.

Representing Agri Stats, Inc. in a long-running, bet-the-company litigation, securing key summary judgment victory for the client in private litigation and serving as lead trial counsel in an anticipated trial against the Department of Justice.

Served as global antitrust and competition advisor to SES in its US$3.1 billion acquisition of Intelsat, which involved a CFIUS (national Security) review in the USA and coordinated FDI procedures in the UK (including an CMA probe), France, the Netherlands, Australia, and other countries.

Counseled Multiply Group (an Abu Dhabi–based holding company listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Main Market) in the multi-jurisdictional obtention of merger control and FDI clearance in Spain in relation to the acquisition of a majority stake in Castellano Investments, Spain’s second largest fashion retail group - transaction valued at well above EUR 1 billion.

Served as antitrust counsel to Texas Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in the United States, in the creation of the new US$1 billion Kinder Childhood Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Represented ASSA ABLOY in the DOJ challenge to the US$4 billion acquisition of HHI division of Spectrum Brands; Hogan Lovells obtained first DOJ consent decree in the Biden administration.

Obtained clearance from the European Commission for an Asia entity in a highly complex in-depth investigation involving the analysis of PRC subsidies.

Acting for a Finnish global food packaging company in a State aid investigation by the EC concerning tax rulings from Luxembourg, and in related proceedings before the General Court of the EU.

Represented a Korean EV battery and electronic materials manufacturer on a successful formal State aid investigation before the Commission, on Regional aid for a large investment project.

Acted successfully for a US subsidiary of a global infrastructure materials manufacturer in two U.S. DOJ Antitrust Division criminal investigations and a related DOJ civil False Claims Act investigation, all of which were closed with no further action.

Acting for a major real estate investment company in an ongoing antitrust investigation by Mexico’s COFECE agency.

Represented a South-Korean manufacturer of electronic products in follow-on damage proceedings before the District Court of Hertogenbosch in relation to a cartel decision taken by the Brazilian competition authority.

Representing Cumulus in its Sherman Act case alleging Nielsen leveraged its national ratings monopoly to force purchases of local data. Obtained a critical preliminary injunction in this on-going case.

Represented Royal Mail and BT in the Trucks cartel litigation in the UK, setting a precedent for subsequent cases. We recovered significant damages and costs for our clients in a judgment that was fully upheld by the Court of Appeal.

How we’ve helped our clients succeed

Close-up of a stylized circuit board representing IBM’s $6.4 billion acquisition of HashiCorp, guided by Hogan Lovells through complex global regulatory review

Guiding IBM’s US$6.4 billion acquisition through complex global review

Regulatory

https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/case-studies/guiding-ibms-6-billion-acquisition-through-complex-global-review

Guiding IBM’s US$6.4 billion acquisition through complex global review

Regulatory

Pivoting market pressure into a collaborative future for On the Beach

Regulatory

https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/case-studies/pivoting-market-pressure-into-a-collaborative-future-for-on-the-beach

Pivoting market pressure into a collaborative future for On the Beach

Regulatory

Telecom tower at sunset with city lights in background – representing Hogan Lovells’ landmark legal victory for Vodafone in one of the largest standalone competition cases in the English courts

Securing a victory for Vodafone in one of the largest competition cases in the English courts

Regulatory

https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/case-studies/securing-victory-for-vodafone-in-one-of-the-largest-competition-cases-in-the-english-courts

Securing a victory for Vodafone in one of the largest competition cases in the English courts

Regulatory

Awards and recognitions

Recognized as a Top Antitrust & Competition Practice in GCR 100 Global Elite

Global Competition Review

2024-2025

Tier 1 for Competition and Antitrust in Mexico

Legal 500 Latin America

2025

Ranked as a top law firm in Germany

JUVE

2025

Competition & Regulatory Team of The Year

The Lawyer Awards

2024

Practice Group of the Year

Law360

2023

Antitrust and Competition ranked practice group of the year

Law360

2022-2023

Band 2 for Antitrust Law in Germany

JUVE Handbook of German Commercial Law Firms

2025-2026

Tier 2 for Antitrust Law in Germany

Legal 500 Germany

2026

Navigate change with our latest insights

Insights and Analysis

The Italian Competition Authority’s quantum computing inquiry

03 April 2026

Insights and Analysis

Merger Notification Update

24 March 2026

News

The FTC and DOJ Seek Public Comment on Antitrust Guidance for Business Collaborations

24 March 2026

News

HSR filings revert to pre‑2025 requirements after Fifth Circuit order

20 March 2026

View more insights and analysis

News

Antitrust and Competition

Competition law is complex, but it shouldn’t hold you back. We give you the clarity to expand, innovate, and grow securely across borders.

Explore our capabilities

Abuse of Dominance & Restrictive Practices

Agency Investigations

Antitrust and Competition Litigation

Cartel Investigations

Competition Compliance

Dawn Raids

Leniency Applications

Merger Control

State Aid and Subsidy Control

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation

Abuse of Dominance & Restrictive Practices

Agency Investigations

Antitrust and Competition Litigation

Cartel Investigations

Competition Compliance

Dawn Raids

Leniency Applications

Merger Control

State Aid and Subsidy Control

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells is well-sourced in competition law.. and equipped to deal with both complex and sophisticated matters in an organized and pragmatic way."

Hogan Lovells is strong on cross-border issues. They are the best for antitrust litigation and the lawyers are top-notch, very practical, smart in and out of the courtroom and very hardworking."

Key contacts

Representative experience

How we’ve helped our clients succeed

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Awards and recognitions

Recognized as a Top Antitrust & Competition Practice in GCR 100 Global Elite

Tier 1 for Competition and Antitrust in Mexico

Ranked as a top law firm in Germany

Competition & Regulatory Team of The Year

Practice Group of the Year

Antitrust and Competition ranked practice group of the year

Band 2 for Antitrust Law in Germany

Tier 2 for Antitrust Law in Germany

Navigate change with our latest insights

"Emerging tech" and why it is different ISCWT CDWEB

Fuel to the fire – How Germany’s fuel price crisis spilled a competition law overhaul

FTC launches task force to promote competition and consumer protection enforcement in the healthcare industry

Merger Notification Update

The FTC and DOJ Seek Public Comment on Antitrust Guidance for Business Collaborations

HSR filings revert to pre‑2025 requirements after Fifth Circuit order

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