People
Niall is a partner and Head of our Competition & Antitrust team. His primary area of practice is Irish and EU competition law. He has extensive experience advising clients on all aspects of competition and antitrust law, but particularly on complex mergers. He also advises on intellectual property/competition interface issues, competition investigations, follow-on actions and leniency applications.
Niall was recently identified by Global Competition Review as one of the world's top antitrust lawyers under the age of forty in their ‘40 under 40’ feature. He is ranked in the top tier of competition advisers in Ireland by both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 and was recently identified by Who’s Who Legal as one of three ‘Thought Leaders’ in competition law in Ireland.
Niall regularly represents clients from a broad range of sectors including energy, insurance, agriculture and food, telecommunications, transport and infrastructure, technology, sport and financial services.
Niall joined the Firm in 2011, having previously practised with the EU & Competition Practice at Ashurst LLP in London and with the Antitrust & Competition Practice at Latham & Watkins in London
Specialties
- Merger Control
- Energy
- Pharmaceuticals
- IP/Technology
Representative Matters
- Advising on the Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (CCPC) investigations into the ticketing and insurance sectors.
- Advising Fane Valley on its acquisition of Silver Hill Foods, and Smyths Daleside and on its joint venture with ABP Group in relation to Slaney Foods.
- Acting in the defence of a follow-on action for damages arising from the European Commission's decision in the ‘Trucks’ case.
Recommendations
Legal 500, 2021
Niall is celebrated as an elite ‘Hall of Fame’ practitioner and “a fantastic lawyer to deal with”.
Chambers & Partners, 2020
Niall is an "excellent, hugely impressive individual who is commercially minded".
Areas of Expertise
Competition & Antitrust Sports Law Energy, Utilities & Projects Life SciencesProfessional Memberships
Competition Section - Law Society of England & Wales
Education
Cambridge University, LL.M (Leonard Coling Scholar)
University College Dublin, BCL