Neil is a Partner in the firm's Competition Group in the Innovation department. He has over 20 years' experience in EU and UK competition law, as well as giving advice on commercial, regulatory and procurement issues.
Neil's expertise includes advising in relation to competition law compliance, merger control, competition and regulatory investigations, appeals against regulatory decisions, commercial and consumer law issues. His clients span a range of sectors, most notably in automotive, travel, commodities, and manufacturing.
Neil also has extensive experience advising on public procurement issues both in terms of advising on procedures and tender documentation, and also challenging contract awards. He has worked across a broad range of industries including on local authority property developments, NHS Supply equipment contracts and MoD defence industry contracts.
As regards regulatory issues, Neil has advised extensively on sanctions laws including dealing with unfreezing bank accounts, obtaining regulatory clearances and providing strategic advice.
Ranked as a Leading Individual in Travel by Legal 500 2019, Neil's travel clients include trade associations such as ABTA and ETOA, and global tour operators such as APT, ICE and TTC. He has spoken widely at travel industry events in the UK and overseas.
Neil is a regular contributor to LexisNexis publications including Tolley's Company Law (merger control chapters) and PSL Competition Law. He has also contributed to a number of industry publications in particular within the automotive and travel sectors.
Key Experience
- Advising numerous clients on sanctions related issues including obtaining OFSI licences and securing payments from customers, and banks
- Advising a London broker on an FCA competition law investigation
- Advising Balmoral Tanks on civil and criminal aspects of a six year investigation by the CMA into information sharing including appeals up to the Court of Appeal
- Advising EuroChem on a number of transactions triggering multi-jurisdictional merger control and FDI filings
- Acting for EuroCarParts on a Phase 2 merger investigation by the CMA into the acquisition of Andrew Page Limited (cleared)
- Drafting global compliance materials including training on three continents for Euromoney Institutional Investor plc
- Advising Retirement Villages on CMA and Law Commission investigations into the use of assignment fees in the retirement housing sector
- Establishing the International Lithium Association, drafting competition law guidelines and monitoring all meetings and publications
Career History
Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Partner, K&L Gates LLP
Associate, Ashurst LLP
Associate, Clifford Chance
University of Cambridge, Law (LLM)
Articles and Publications
- Tolley's Company Law (merger control chapters)
- ABTA Travel Matters (Brexit article)
- LexisNexis (Aon and Willis Towers Watson merger – Practical implications for policyholders)
Events
- 'Trading After Brexit', Retail Forum, Mishcon de Reya, April 2019
- 'Modern Slavery and Ethical Supply Chains', Mishcon de Reya, May 2019
- 'ETOA BEIS Business Readiness Fund Seminar', Cinema 1 Barbican, 31 October 2019
- Presented to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Mishcon de Reya, 21 November 2019
- 'COVID-19: UK Response', ETOA Webinar, Monday 6 April 2020
- C&IT WEBINAR: Coronavirus and crisis, 22 April 2020
- Women in Luxury Interiors Forum: 'Navigating COVID-19, and Beyond: Guidance for Luxury Interiors Businesses', 11 August 2020
- ABTA Travel Law Seminar 2020, 23 September 2020
- 'Update on competition and consumer laws', ABTA Regulatory Seminar, 30 November 2021
- Presentation on the National Security and Investment Act, International Competition Lawyers Network (ICLN) Event, 2 December 2021