Competition Associate

Our client, a prominent international law firm with a leading competition practice, is seeking a talented associate to join its London team. The group advises on a wide range of UK and EU competition matters, with a strong balance of transactional, advisory and contentious work.

This opportunity offers a broad platform for a competition lawyer who enjoys working across multiple disciplines, from merger control and foreign investment reviews to investigations and litigation before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The team’s structure is lean and collaborative, giving associates exposure to major matters and client contact from an early stage.

Role Overview

The successful candidate will join a small, well-integrated competition team working across diverse industries. Around two-thirds of the workload involves merger control and foreign direct investment (FDI) matters, with the remainder focused on advisory and contentious work, including regulatory investigations and litigation. The practice combines complex transactional mandates with active competition disputes, offering the chance to develop as a well-rounded lawyer handling both contentious and non-contentious work. Associates work closely with partners and gain practical involvement in strategy, advocacy and client management.

Responsibilities

• Advise on UK and cross-border merger control filings, including drafting Phase 1 and Phase 2 submissions.
• Manage national security and foreign investment review processes.
• Assist with CMA and European Commission investigations, including dawn raids and responses to information requests.
• Act in competition litigation, including follow-on damages claims and standalone actions before the CAT and High Court.
• Review and advise on commercial agreements and competition law compliance issues.
• Coordinate with barristers and economists on litigation and regulatory matters.
• Support business development initiatives and contribute to internal know-how projects.

Requirements

• Qualified to practice law in England & Wales
• 4-8 years of post-qualification experience in a top-tier law firm
• Strong knowledge of UK merger control, including drafting Phase 1 and Phase 2 filings.
• Experience handling national security and private investment reviews.
• Familiarity with CAT procedures and experience managing barristers.
• Demonstrated ability to handle a mixed caseload — both advisory and disputes work.

The firm maintains a flexible working culture, typically three days in the office each week. Associates describe the group as collaborative, down-to-earth and genuinely supportive, a team where lawyers enjoy strong mentorship and hands-on, intellectually challenging work across the competition spectrum.