Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation

Gilbert + Tobin’s Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation group is the go-to competition practice in Australia. To operate effectively, businesses need to understand the relevant competition law and regulatory regimes applicable to their industries, particularly businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions. With a comprehensive understanding of competition law issues and various regulated markets, our competition lawyers provide practical and strategic legal advice to deliver on corporate objectives, while mitigating risk.

    Our Approach

    With eleven partners, five special counsel and a large team of lawyers, Gilbert + Tobin’s market-leading competition practice is one of the largest in Australia. We consistently win complex and cutting-edge work because of our track record for achieving results for clients on high-stakes transactions and complex litigation. With a sophisticated understanding of the interplay between law, economics and our clients’ commercial strategies, we provide practical and strategic advice so that our clients can achieve their commercial objectives whilst complying with competition laws. We are the go-to firm for international companies with interest in Australia.

    We provide commercially-focused legal solutions to help achieve business objectives. Our team advises a diverse client base that includes listed companies, privately held companies and government. We advise board members and senior management on strategic business and policy issues as well as providing competition law, consumer law and regulatory advice to legal teams on transactions, dealings with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and other regulators, compliance and day-to-day issues.

    Our competition, consumer + market regulation services include advising on:

    • Mergers and acquisitions, including ACCC clearances and authorisations.
    • Competition law issues arising from joint ventures and strategic alliances.
    • ACCC investigations, enforcement proceedings and private litigation, including representing cartel leniency applicants in Australia and Asia Pacific and representing parties in civil damages proceedings.
    • Criminal investigations under the CCA.
    • Access regimes, economic regulation and pricing decisions including representing regulators and regulated businesses.
    • Legislative reform, including preparing submissions to government and regulatory reviews such as the Digital Platform Services Inquiry.
    • Misleading and deceptive conduct, consumer protection and unconscionability issues.
    • Compliance systems and providing training to in-house counsel and whole business teams, including as part of court-ordered compliance programs.

    We have particular areas of expertise in the following sectors of commerce and industry:

    • Aviation
    • Consumer + Retail
    • Digital + Data
    • Energy + Infrastructure
    • Financial Services
    • Health + Life Sciences

    Band 1 in Competition/Antitrust

    CHAMBERS ASIA-PACIFIC 2023

    Tier 1 in Competition and Trade

    LEGAL500 2023

    The team is recognised as 'Elite'

    GCR100 2023

    Awarded Law Firm of the Year – Competition

    BEST LAWYERS 2022

    Merger Control Matter of the Year – Korean Air’s proposed A$1.6 billion acquisition of Asiana.

    GCR AWARDS 2023

    Four partners ranked

    WHO’S WHO LEGAL 2023

    Merger Control Matter of the Year – Americas - AbbVie's $63 billion acquisition of Allergan

    GCR AWARDS 2021

    Merger Control Matter of the Year – Google's US$2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit

    GCR AWARDS 2021

    The team named the leading firm in Asia-Pacific, Competition 

    WHO’S WHO LEGAL 2018