In an increasingly complex and sophisticated regulatory environment, the intersection of competition law and corporate strategy has never been more critical. For organisations operating within Australia's unique market structures, navigating the complexities of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) requires more than technical knowledge; it requires a deep understanding of the regulator and the economic forces shaping the national interest.
Our Antitrust, Competition and Consumer practice is defined by its commitment to excellence and its ability to provide clear, actionable guidance on the most complex business critical matters.
We are trusted advisors to major domestic and international corporations, financial institutions, investors and government clients across the full range of contentious and non-contentious antitrust, competition and consumer law matters.
Our approach is partner-led and characterised by a disciplined focus on achieving our clients' objectives whether that be securing merger clearance for a transformative acquisition or defending an organisation's reputation in high-stakes enforcement proceedings.
Areas of expertise
Regulatory scrutiny is not an anomaly, it is a business reality.
We design sophisticated clearance strategies for domestic and international mergers, joint ventures, and strategic alliances. Our team is adept at navigating the ACCC's merger review framework, including the new mandatory regime that became operative on 1 January 2026, managing complex information requests, and negotiating structural or behavioural merger remedies that preserve deal value while addressing regulatory concerns.
We help navigate the technical complexities of the authorisation and notification processes to enable pro-competitive collaborations. Our expertise ensures that strategic joint ventures, collective bargaining arrangements, and industry alliances are granted the necessary statutory protection to operate with certainty.
Our practice also has deep expertise in advising on Australia's foreign investment regime, including risk assessments, filing obligations, and coordination between ACCC and FIRB processes.
The stakes of regulatory non-compliance have never been higher. We provide a robust defence for corporations and senior executives facing ACCC investigations into cartel conduct, concerted practices, and misuse of market power. We offer experienced counsel on immunity and leniency applications and represent clients through every stage of the enforcement lifecycle, including responding to compulsory ACCC notices, dawn raids, managing internal remediation navigating ACCC behavioural conduct investigations and negotiating remedial undertakings.
Our practice has a deep understanding of the regulatory regimes governing Australia's essential infrastructure. We advise on access disputes, pricing arbitrations, and the regulatory frameworks affecting the energy, telecommunications, and transport sectors, ensuring our client's interests are protected in highly regulated markets. We also advise on industry codes (including the Franchising Code of Conduct, the Dairy Code and the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct) and sector regulatory compliance in connection with ACCC oversight.
We provide comprehensive advice on the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), with a particular focus on misleading and deceptive conduct, unfair contract terms, pricing integrity, consumer guarantees and statutory product liability. We work with clients to build resilient compliance frameworks that safeguard their institutional reputation and mitigate the risk of class actions or regulatory intervention. Our team advises on pre-publication review, ACL compliance programs, and representation in enforcement proceedings and private claims and can help organisations navigate mandatory standards, product bans, recalls and engagement with the ACCC on product safety matters.
We are distinguished by our ability to managed high-stakes competition and consumer litigation in the Federal Court of Australia (and Australian Competition Tribunal). Our experience spans the defence of regulatory prosecutions, complex private enforcement actions, and representative proceedings (class actions), where we combine forensic attention to detail with a powerful courtroom presence. Our team has acted in some of Australia's largest trade practices cases involving Part IIIA and Part IV of the CCA.
The Australian regulatory environment is increasingly defined by broad-reaching market studies and proactive policy reform. As global competition authorities, including the ACCC, move away from purely reactive enforcement, we provide the sophisticated economic and legal advocacy required to navigate this new era of market intervention and ex ante regulation.
We represent clients in high-volume, high-stakes market studies and sector inquiries—shaping the evidentiary record and managing the complex information burdens that characterise ACCC, Treasury and Parliamentary inquiries. Our expertise extends to advising on the design and impact of emerging codes of conduct and digital platform regulations.
Beyond reactive defence, we assist clients to proactively engage with policy makers to shape the future of competition and consumer regulation in Australia. By bridging the gap between current competition principles and future regulatory mandates, we ensure our clients are not only compliant but strategically positioned to lead in evolving markets.
We partner with Boards and General Counsel to design and implement sophisticated competition governance frameworks. Our proactive advisory services focus on identifying systemic regulatory risks and embedding a culture of integrity that withstands the scrutiny of regulators and global partners alike.
Our experience
Competition and consumer advice – Restrictive trade practices
Advised a range of corporate clients on restrictive trade practices under Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act and on ACL compliance and enforcement issues. This included representing clients in competition law disputes.
ASX-listed company – Cartel immunity application
Acted for an ASX-listed company in applying for ACCC immunity regarding alleged cartel conduct by a subsidiary. We guided the client through the leniency process and advised on internal remediation.
Booking Group Corp – Pricing investigation
Acted for Booking Group Corporation SIA in relation to an ACCC investigation into whether pricing mechanisms on its website breached Australia's competition and consumer laws.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp – Consumer class action
Defending Mitsubishi in a consumer class action in the Federal Court in relation to fuel consumption labelling on certain of its Triton utility vehicles where it is alleged the labels made several false and misleading representations.
Iron Mine Contracting Group – Acquisition advice
Advised the shareholders of Iron Mine Contracting Group, a mining and projects services company in Western Australia, on ACCC issues as part of the sale of their shares to North American Construction Group for C$115 million.
A global payments and financial services company known for premium card products – Trade practices litigation
Advised on one of Australia’s largest civil trade practices cases concerning alleged Part IV contraventions by a global payments and financial services company known for its premium card products.
Unfair contract terms compliance – Modifying standard form contracts
Advised multiple businesses on modifying their standard form contracts to comply with Australia’s unfair contract terms regime. Our work included contract audits and risk assessments to implement the required changes.
Merger clearance – Transaction approval strategy
Advising on transactions with potential competition issues. We develop ACCC clearance strategies and engage with the ACCC in informal merger review processes to secure timely approvals (this is part of our ongoing practice).