Keith R. Jones

Keith advises on all aspects of competition law and economic regulation, including merger control, abuse of dominance, restrictive agreements and competition litigation. He advises clients in a variety of sectors, including technology, information technology, communications/broadcasting, defence, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, water and electricity and has advised on issues relevant to other industries, including ports and ferries. Keith also has extensive experience before the UK competition authorities (including the CMA, OFCOM, Ofgem and the Competition Appeal Tribunal [CAT]), as well as the European Commission and the European Courts. He advises on strategic global competition issues and strategies for a number of clients.

• Assisting BAT on dealing with competition issues arising globally.

• Assisting Platinum Equity with merger control work worldwide, including the acquisition of acquisition of Imerys HTS and Solenis. 

• Advising on various UK defence sector issues and the special provisions of the UK's Enterprise Act.

• Assisted L'Oréal in various merger control and antitrust issues outside the US.

• Advised Nike before the Competition Commission regarding the JJB/Sports Direct merger case.

• Advised Freeserve in its successful appeal to the CAT against an adverse decision taken by OFTEL (Freeserve.com plc v The Director General of Telecommunications). This was the first appeal launched against a decision of a sectoral regulator under the Competition Act 1998.

• Advised Hutchison 3G on its CAT appeal against a decision of OFCOM under the Communications Act 2003 regarding mobile number portability and CAT/Competition Commission appeals/Court of Appeal case regarding the finding of SMP (dominance) and the imposition of price controls regarding mobile call termination rates.

• Advised ALROSA, the Russian diamond mining company, on its appeal to the General Court and Court of Justice regarding the European Commission's commitments decision connected with its agreements with De Beers.

• Appeared in numerous investigations and merger inquiries before the European Commission and the UK’s Phase 2 process, including Mid Kent Holdings plc and General Utilities PLC and SAUR Water Services plc, Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers, Interbrew/Bass, Mobile phones, JJB/Sports Direct, the Energy market investigation and the Investment Consultancy market investigation.

• Advising on various competition law related cases in the High Court, including Beauty Bay v L’Oréal UK.