Christian Ahlborn, former global head of antitrust at Linklaters, is leaving this summer to join Covington & Burling’s Brussels office as a partner, as large law firms gear up to advise clients on new EU rules governing competitive digital markets.
London-based Ahlborn had co-led Linklaters’ technology sector team, and has worked at the firm for nearly 30 years. He has helped to guide Linklaters clients including Microsoft Corp, Unilever Plc and Lloyds Banking Group Plc.
Last month, EU countries and lawmakers reached a deal on landmark rules that could curb the power of major technology companies. The Digital Markets Act’s digital “gatekeeper” rules are designed to prohibit companies from favoring their own services over those of rivals.
EU antitrust leaders are also preparing to consider new ways to streamline existing competition rules that have imposed billions of euros in fines against technology companies.
Johan Ysewyn, co-chair of Covington’s global antitrust practice, said there’s a demand now for antitrust and competition lawyers. He attributed some of the hiring to a growing need for compliance advice, more investigations in the digital sector and increasingly labor-intensive legal work.
“The merger and competition investigations have become more data-intensive and document-driven, which of course requires larger teams,” he said.
Another former Linklaters antitrust leader, Jonas Koponen, jumped in March to Cooley’s office in Brussels, where the EU’s competition office is headquartered. In March, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton added former Linklaters antitrust partner Isabel Rooms in Brussels.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Judge Allows FTC Antitrust Case Against Amazon to Move Forward
Oct 1, 2024 by
CPI
SAP Leader Urges Caution on EU AI Rules, Warns of Competitive Disadvantage
Oct 1, 2024 by
CPI
Colorado’s Grocery Workers Unite to Oppose $24.6 Billion Supermarket Merge
Oct 1, 2024 by
CPI
Canada’s Competition Bureau Warns Businesses of Tougher Enforcement
Oct 1, 2024 by
CPI
Top Antitrust Lawyers Launch New Boutique Firm
Oct 1, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Refusal to Deal
Sep 27, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust’s Refusal-to-Deal Doctrine: The Emperor Has No Clothes
Sep 27, 2024 by
Erik Hovenkamp
Why All Antitrust Claims are Refusal to Deal Claims and What that Means for Policy
Sep 27, 2024 by
Ramsi Woodcock
The Aspen Misadventure
Sep 27, 2024 by
Roger Blair & Holly P. Stidham
Refusal to Deal in Antitrust Law: Evolving Jurisprudence and Business Justifications in the Align Technology Case
Sep 27, 2024 by
Timothy Hsieh