Disputes specialist Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan will offer an antitrust practice in London following the hire of competition litigation partner Boris Bronfentrinker from the City of office claimant firm Hausfeld & Co.
Antitrust is a key plank of Quinn’s US practice, and the hire of Bronfentrinker marks a move by the firm to extend the capabilities of the City office it launched in 2008 and is the latest stage of its strategy to develop a European competition practice following the recent opening of its Brussels office.
Bronfentrinker joins Quinn from specialist claimant competition litigation firm Hausfeld, where he had been a partner for over a year. Prior to this, he was a senior associate in Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s highly prized competition practice for seven years, where he spent a large amount of time representing defendants.
His practice is unusual in that he has experience of representing both claimants and defendants in competition litigation. He has represented clients before both the English High Court and the Competition Appeal Tribunal, and also has experience with general commercial disputes and managing internal investigations. Clients have included Continental, Deutsche Bahn, Samsung, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Visa Europe.
While Bronfentrinker will be based in London, he will also work across the firm’s Hamburg and recently-launched Brussels office, alongside managing partner of both offices and chair of the firm’s EU and German competition practice, Nadine Herrmann. The Brussels practice was set up earlier this year to focus on EU and member state competition litigation and investigations.
‘Because the firm does not have a corporate practice, we need to appeal to general counsel and say “hire us for your litigation because we have got the right guys”,’ said Richard East, co-managing partner of the firm’s London office. ‘I am particularly excited about Boris’ claimant-side experience. There are very few firms in London which combine our litigation expertise, global reach and relatively conflict-free position which will instantly make us unique in the competition space in London.’
Managing partner John Quinn (pictured) added: ‘Antitrust litigation has always been a significant part of our practice in the US. More recently it has become a growing part of our practice internationally. This is particularly true in the EU where the regulators are increasingly active. ‘
‘When I decided to leave Hausfeld, I knew there was only one firm that could provide me with the platform I need to develop my practice,’ said Bronfentrinker. ‘Competition disputes are increasingly a global issue, and Quinn Emanuel has a truly global footprint that will enable me to represent my clients in recovering damages or defending claims. From my very first meeting with a few of the partners in the London office, I knew this was the right place for me and my practice. The obvious quality, energy and “can do” attitude was apparent right from the get-go. ‘
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk