Agenda*

08:30

Registration

09:00

Chairman’s opening remarks

  • Ioannis Lianos Professor in Competition Law & Public Policy and Director, UCL Centre for Law, Economics and Society, University College London

09:10

The future of competition enforcement in the UK

  • An update on the CMA’s Competition Act portfolio
  • Achievements four years in
  • Challenges
  • Looking ahead to Brexit

09:50

Litigation update

• Selected litigation highlights of the past year

• Tactics and the choice of law and jurisdiction

• Damages recovery – how much and from whom?

• Public bodies as parties

10:30

Morning Refreshments

11:00

Breakout A: Class action litigation and the Consumer Rights Act 2015

• What are the advantages of class actions? Are they necessary?

• Post Gibson and Merricks, are competition class actions still viable?

• How is economic modelling for class actions undertaken?

• What does the future hold?

  • Emily Cox Head of Strategic Litigation, Which?
  • Kenny Henderson Partner, co-head of competition litigation, Stewarts
  • Tom Robinson Director and Economist, Forensic Services, BDO UK

Breakout B: Big data and considerations for competition law

  •  Using big data
  •  Data abuse and the impact of the Facebook scandal
  •  Blockchain

11:45

Breakout C: Merger control in the UK and EU

  • Innovation and new theories of harm
  • Is foreign investment intervention more about politics than antitrust concerns?
  • Procedural violations and clarity on gun-jumping

Breakout D: Compliance and managing dawn raids

  • Managing audits and robustness testing for competition compliance programmes
  • Dealing with competitor information and contact with competitors
  • Practical aspects of dawn raids

12:30

Lunch

13:30

Afternoon Chairman’s opening remarks

13:35

Sector-specific regulation and enforcement

This panel will feature perspectives from regulators of various different industries, pooling their experiences and understanding of their role with regard to upholding competition. Your opportunity to engage with regulators and hear practical tips on the best way to work with them

14:10

Brexit and the future of competition law in the UK

This panel will attempt to navigate the ramifications for competition law of the various possible end-state Brexit scenarios and consider how to plan for an uncertain future. Consideration will also be given to the more general impact of Brexit on the UK as a jurisdiction of choice.

  • The implementation period and the transition to independence
  • The ‘Chequers compromise’ White Paper proposal
  • The Canada+ Brexit
  • The WTO Brexit
  • What does the next twelve months hold in store?

15:00

Afternoon Tea

15:30

Breakout E: From crisis to resolution: a practical guide to dealing with a cartel investigation

• What constitutes cartel conduct?

• How to handle initial contact with the authorities

• Practical tips on what to consider as the investigation develops

• Dealing with an individual suspected of committing the cartel offence

• Leniency, settlement, litigation considerations and achieving closure

  • Susanna Rogers of Counsel, Head of Antitrust & Competition Knowledge, Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Mark Simpson Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Breakout F: Competition law and the digisphere

  • Competition issues in digital markets
  • Distribution agreements
  • Challenges of enforcement of the digital economy
  • Virtual competition and collusion

16:15

Damages and infringements of competition law

16:55

Chairman’s closing remarks

17:00

Close of conference