People

Michael Madden

Partner

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Contact

+353 1 614 5226

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Michael is a Partner in our EU & Antitrust team and is a regulatory specialist with almost 20 years’ experience.

As well as advising on State aid, merger control and antitrust matters, he has extensive experience advising clients on sectoral regulation with particular expertise in media and telecoms. Michael has a background as a competition economist and previously worked with the Irish telecoms regulator, ComReg. This allows him to bring unique mix of experience and expertise to bear in advising clients on regulatory matters and in ensuring a practical and effective approach to engagement with national and EU regulators.

Michael has taught economics at University College Dublin and the University of Western Sydney and has contributed to a wide variety of publications on competition and regulatory matters.

Knowledge:

Antitrust, Merger Control and State Aid
Media and Communications
Regulated Industries

Representative Matters

Michael advises clients on merger notifications to the CCPC and the European Commission.

Having particular expertise on the Irish media merger regime, Michael has advised Virgin Media on its acquisitions of TV3 and UTV Ireland. More recently, Michael advised 21st Century Fox on its proposed acquisition of Sky and in respect of Disney’s proposed acquisition of 21st Fox assets.

Michael has also advised Discovery Communications in respect of its acquisition of Scripps Network Interactive, in which we were successful in persuading the Department of Communications that the merger did not trigger under the Irish media merger regime.

Michael advises clients in relation to the CCPC’s competition investigations into the ticketing and insurance sectors.

Michael has also advised in respect of the European Commission’s abuse of dominance investigation into Google.

Michael advises both public and private clients on the interpretation and application of State aid law, including on making and defending State aid complaints.

Michael is currently advising the Department of Communications on State aid aspects of its National Broadband Plan, including on the State aid notification to the European Commission. Other clients in this area include Science Foundation Ireland, National Treasury Management Agency, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, various universities and Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company.

Michael has particular expertise in the area of telecoms regulation and has advised the Department of Communications on all aspects of its National Broadband Plan.

Michael has advised ComReg on various spectrum auctions including on all aspects of its hugely successful 4G and 5G spectrum auctions. Michael also advises ComReg on its powers, functions and duties under the common regulatory framework.

Michael advises private clients on the scope and application of Irish and EU telecoms regulation, including as it applies to VoIP and OTT services. Michael has advised a number of high profile technology companies on the interpretation and application of the telecoms regulatory framework and on the European Electronic Communications Code.

Michael also has expertise in the area of Irish and EU broadcasting regulation, advising both old and new media clients on the scope and application of all aspects of the Irish and EU broadcasting regulatory frameworks.

Michael advises in respect of both linear and non-linear services and is also advising clients (in particular multinational technology clients) on recent amendments to the AVMS Directive.

Michael has also advised a range of broadcasters seeking to relocate to Ireland post-Brexit, including on the first licence application to have been made to the BAI in light of Brexit.