Competition
Who we are
Competition Law is a real strength of Tyr. We are one of the few law firms outside of London with genuine expertise in this specialist area.
What we do
The firm advises on a full range of matters, such as:
Competition Litigation
- Ensuring dominant players in their market operate fairly
- Providing opportunities for victims of cartelised behaviour such as price fixing to recover losses
- Bringing private enforcement actions for abuse of dominant position
- Bringing private damages actions both in the High Court and the Competition Appeal Tribunal
Investigations and regulatory advice
- Acting for companies in Competition Act investigations by the CMA
- Advising companies on putting together a competition compliance programme
- Advising how to structure supply chain arrangements so as to remain compliant
How we can help you
Competition Litigation
The team has worked on some of the UK’s largest cartel damages actions as well having experience of bringing private enforcement actions for abuse of dominant position.
Investigations and regulatory advice
The CMA can fine up to 10% of an undertaking’s global turnover for the most serious competition breaches such as involvement in cartels. Therefore, it is critical that businesses understand what the law permits them to do. Investigations themselves are time-consuming and expensive, with information requests from the CMA often requiring a very quick response. Access to lawyers who understand how the competition regime works in practice is fundamental to the outcome of a case.
Examples of the team’s recent and previous experience
- We advised RHA Used Trucks Limited regarding follow-on damages, opt-in representative class action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to the European Commission’s Truck Cartel Decision in 2016. The claim is brought by the Road Haulage Association as a representative party for an opt-in class of road hauliers affected by the cartel of five major truck manufacturers (DAF, MAN, Daimler, Volvo, IVECO). This case made English legal history as the first ever opt-in Collective Proceedings Order approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- We advised an international shipping company in relation to an abuse of dominant position claim against a port operator.
- We advised a national professional training provider in relation to an abuse of dominant position claim against a chartered membership body.
- We acted for various suppliers of products to online and bricks and mortar retailers, in connection with investigations by the CMA.
- We assisted retailers with enforcement action for breach of distribution agreements.
- We drafted competition compliance manuals and providing training to employees tailored to their role within a business.
- Acted for a group of twelve UK retailers on cartel damages claims against MasterCard and Visa worth in excess of £1bn. The MasterCard case was in the Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2014 and 2016. – Asda Stores Limited v MasterCard Inc [2017] EHWC 993 (Comm).
- Acted on iiyama (UK) v Samsung Electronics Co [2018] EWCA Civ 220, a multi-million-pound follow on damages action based on the European Commission Decision on Liquid Crystal Displays for televisions and concerned the territorial application of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
