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Martin H. Rees
Partner
Martin Rees is a partner in the Antitrust and Competition and Regulatory Group based in London. He specialises in contentious competition law, including the defence of clients in investigations by the European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority, applications and references to the European Courts in Luxembourg, appeals to and judicial review before the UK Competition Appeals Tribunal and claimant and defendant litigation for damages and injunctive relief before the High Court in London and related appeals.
His practice covers cartels, abuse of dominant position, investigations by sector regulators, merger and market investigations, state aid and procurement, and industry sectors such as transport, sport, retail, energy, industrial products healthcare and food and drink.
- Representing an airline in a European Commission investigation into air cargo surcharges.
- Representing an airline in an appeal to the General Court following European Commission’s decision in Airfreight and opposing intervention by a potential claimant in the General Court and appeal to ECJ.
- Representing an airline in the defence of a contribution claim issued in England, The Netherlands, Germany and Norway following the European Commission Decision in Airfreight.
- Representing a UK sports body in an appeal of the OFCOM decision in the Pay TV Statement and an appeal to the Court of Appeal of the decision of the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- Representing a sports body in a reference to the European Court of Justice in the decoder cards case.
- Advising a Premier League football club on the application of state aid rules to a proposal for the development of a new stadium.
- Advising a Premier League football club in connection with an investigation into media rights by the UK Office of Communications.
- Representing various retailers in three OFT investigations into the pricing of sportswear.
- Representing a retailer in an inquiry by the Competition Commission into Payment Protection Insurance and in a successful judicial review of the Commission’s decision to prohibit sale of PPI at point of sale.
- Representing two oil companies in a claim in the English High Court alleging an abuse of dominance by a landlord related to an oil terminal.
- Representing an oil company in the defence of a contribution claim in the English High Court following the European Commission Decision in Candle Wax.
- Representing two ships classification societies in a European investigation into provision of classification services.
- Conducting an investigation for a container shipping line following dawn raids by the European Commission.
- Representing an electronics manufacturer in an investigation by the European Commission into the pricing of car parts.
- Representing a consumer goods manufacturer in the defence of a standalone contribution action in the English High Court related to European Commission Decision in Copper Tubes.
- Representing two construction companies in an appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal against fines imposed by the OFT in the cover pricing construction cases.
- Representing a motorway services operator in a counterclaim in the English High Court alleging an infringement of Art. 101 TFEU by a car park services provider.
- Representing a manufacturer in an appeal to the General Court of a fine imposed by the European Commission in Industrial Threads.
Education
- College of Law, Guildford, 1973
- St. Catherine's College, Oxford, M.A., 1972
Admissions
- Brussels, 2010
- England and Wales, 1976
Languages
- English
- French
- Recognized in Chambers Europe 2020 for: UK - Competition Law: Litigation
- Recognized in Chambers Europe 2019 for: UK - Competition Law: Litigation
- Recommended in Chambers UK 2018 for: Competition Law; Litigation, London
- Recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2017 for EU and competition; Competition litigation
- Recommended in Chambers Global 2016 Edition for Competition/European Law and Competition/European Law Litigation in UK
- Recognized as a leading individual by Chambers UK 2016
- Recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2015 for EU and competition; Competition litigation; Public Affairs
- Recommended in Chambers Europe 2015 Edition
- Recognized in Chambers Global 2015 as a leading international expert on Competition/European Law and Competition: Litigation (double ranked)