Client-focused and hands-on

Wragge & Co's award-winning Antitrust team advises on competition matters including the full range of EU regulatory, trade law issues, state aid and public procurement. It also regularly supports merger and acquisitions work.

Whether providing standalone advice or supporting corporate, its job is to facilitate commercial dealings, provide solutions and get on with it!

Team members bring useful experience from in-house positions, including the European Commission. They are led by the "very experienced" (Legal 500 2011) Bernardine Adkins.

Bernardine's experience includes representing Thomas Vale before the CAT Tribunal in the high-profile case concerning 'cover pricing' in the construction industry. She succeeded in reducing its fine to £171,000 from an initial penalty of £2 million imposed by the Office of Fair Trading.

This was the first time a solicitor had taken a cartel case all the way through from the initial dawn raid to representing the client in the tribunal in challenging the size of the penalty. Involving bold decisions and creative solutions, the team's work scooped the 'Litigation and Regulatory Team of the Year' title at the 2011 British Legal Awards and was highly commended in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers 2011 report. Bernardine was also listed in The Lawyer's 2012 'Hot 100' report, an annual report which celebrates 100 high achievers in the legal profession.

To meet the need for speed, the Antitrust team provides people on the ground in Birmingham, London and Brussels, plus a network of tried and tested global contacts at selected law firms.

In the case of an Office of Fair Trading or European Commission dawn raid, the team offers immediate support with a Dawn Raid Action team of antitrust and litigation experts. And to help clients prepare for a dawn raid, they'll even arrange a mock one.

Straight & Narrow is a bespoke online interactive compliance service to ensure the compliance message reaches all corners of the business and to identify training needs.

Specialists are available in healthcare, food and drink, life sciences, automotive and aviation. Regular news briefings are also available for clients and contacts. To sign up, please contact Bernardine Adkins.

The team's client list includes Birds Eye, Cadbury plc, Dyson and Unilever.

For more on antitrust, contact Bernardine Adkins (bernardine_adkins@wragge.com).