Competition Economist, London

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Ashurst provides advice to organisations across the world on some of the most interesting, topical, and high-profile cases around. The firm’s Competition team is widely recognised as a long established and award winning practice and is seeking an exceptional economist to assist on a wide range of competition, litigation, regulation, and policy matters.

Ashurst’s Competition team is unique amongst city law firms in having a team of first-class industrial economists, which allows Ashurst to offer integrated legal and economic advice in a field where such a multi-disciplinary approach has become essential. The team advises on a wide range of matters including mergers and acquisitions; market investigations; cartel and abuse of dominance investigations; industry regulation; and the calculation of damages in litigation cases. The team has advised on many leading cases across a wide range of industries, each raising its own unique economic issues.

Recent cases the team have worked on include advising:

• Morrisons in relation to its acquisition of McColl’s convenience stores
• S&P Global in relation to a market study by the FCA into the supply of wholesale financial data
• Virgin Media O2 in relation to a claim for damages regarding an alleged loyalty penalty
• Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in relation to its $1.04 bn acquisition of Navig8
• A large manufacturer of smartphones and digital devices in relation to various pricing practices across Europe

Ashurst has offices across Europe, Asia, Australia, as well as in the USA, which means that our knowledge-sharing extends beyond any particular office, and London-based economists have the opportunity to become involved in projects led by other offices.

Job overview

In this role, you would enhance your skills by applying economic theories and empirical techniques across a range of sectors. The combination of law, economics, innovative thinking and practical knowledge of how markets work has proved decisive in many cases.

Candidates should have strong academic credentials and an interest in applying economic analysis to a variety of projects across multiple sectors. You should have strong numerical skills and have first rate written and communication skills so as to provide clear and concise advice that is accessible for non-economists. You should also have the ability to develop client relationships and contribute to the competition department’s goals.

There will be opportunities to develop by applying economics to real world cases, and you will gain first-hand experience by working alongside an exceptional team of competition lawyers and economists. You will also have the opportunity to engage with senior business executives as well as the competition authorities and regulators. We will support your progress through team working, exposure to clients and training when you need it.

Responsibilities include:

• Carrying out quantitative economic analysis across a range of important competition cases, including mergers, market investigations, antitrust and competition litigation cases
• Preparing and drafting written submissions to UK, EU and other global competition authorities and sector regulators
• Preparing regulatory risk assessments for clients (e.g. in relation to potential mergers and abuse of dominance queries)
• Contributing to the group’s marketing and Business Development initiatives, and to the internal training programme on topical issues in competition law/economics
• Opportunity to publish articles on topical issues in competition law/economics in leading academic and professional journals, and to be involved in pro bono projects

Essential skills and experience

This role will be ideally suited for a recently graduated university candidate or economists with less than 2 years’ experience looking to make their first move. You will have:

• A Masters degree in economics with experience of industrial and competition economics would be an advantage
• Excellent academic record. Degree in economics (minimum 2:1)
• Experience of data analysis with a good knowledge of Microsoft Excel and STATA
• The ability to draft and present complex economic concepts and arguments in a clear and concise manner
• Experience in competition and/or regulatory economics gained either in consultancy, industry, government or in a regulatory agency would be an advantage
• Language skills would be a bonus

Background checks

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.

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