Robert Vidal – Partner

Robert Vidal

5 New Street Square
London EC4A 3TW
United Kingdom
DX 41 London

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7300 4680
Fax. +44 (0) 20 7300 7100
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UK Head of Competition, EU & Trade

Robert is a highly regarded competition law specialist who advises companies on the application of EU and UK competition law.  

Clients have described Robert as "dynamic, creative and efficient - not your average competition lawyer" while The Legal 500 2011 describes him as “one of the most talented competition lawyers of his generation. He has drive, energy, and a fanatical devotion to his clients”.

He has built up significant behavioural experience successfully defending companies during investigations run by the OFT and European Commission in sectors as diverse as luxury brands, fast moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, chemicals, sports, construction, recruitment services, education and transport.  He submitted the first successful appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal. 

Robert has extensive experience of M&A work and has submitted a wide variety of merger notifications to numerous competition authorities.  He has carried out advocacy before the Competition Appeals Tribunal and been involved in many high profile and innovative cases in the High Court.  Notable cases include:

  • Adidas Salomon AG v International Tennis Federation and others (operators of the "Grand Slam" tennis tournaments).  Joined High Court actions relating to alleged discrimination in dress code in Grand Slam rules and breaches of EU and UK competition law.
  • Days Healthcare UK Ltd v Pihsiang Machinery Manufacturing Co Ltd and Others.  High Court action relating to parallel trade and confirming the conformity principle - the supremacy of EU competition law over national restraint of trade doctrine.
  • Jones v Ricoh UK Ltd.  High Court action relating to a claim for £49 million confirming the application of competition law to a confidentiality agreement both in terms of effect and anti-competitive object.

He has also submitted various complaints to both the OFT and the European Commission.  Robert has provided advice on commercial contracts and helps companies develop compliance programs and establish "dawn raid" response procedures.

Robert is regularly interviewed by the media on competition law and has been quoted in the Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The Times and The Independent. He is often invited to speak at practitioner conferences and industry events.

He has an LLB (European Legal Studies) from Durham University and studied European Law and Commercial Law at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.  Robert speaks fluent Spanish.

Taylor Wessing Compétence

Taylor Wessing Industries

Domaines d'expertise