Helen Crossley | Lawyers

Admissions

UK (England & Wales)

Services

Antitrust & Foreign Investment Group

Testimonial

"I have over 20 years’ experience advising on UK and EU competition matters including complex mergers, market investigations, cartel investigations and associated litigation. I also regularly advise boards and senior management teams on advisory and compliance issues. I am a former recipient of the Europe Women in Business “Rising Star” award."

Overview

Helen is Of Counsel in the Antitrust & Foreign Investment Group based in London. She has over 20 years’ experience advising on a wide range of UK and EU competition matters including complex mergers, market investigations, cartel investigations, litigation (including successful appeals before the Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK) and compliance matters.

Helen advises clients across a range of sectors and has particular expertise in retail, consumer goods, energy / infrastructure and insurance industries. She regularly advises FTSE 100 corporates at board level. She is a former recipient of the Europe Women in Business “Rising Star” award, and has spent time on client secondment to BP plc and overseas secondment to our Brussels office.

Helen oversees mentoring and recruitment for the London Antitrust & Foreign Investment group with a focus on recruiting and retaining a diverse and happy team that has the tools and flexibility for every individual to maximise their potential.

Work Highlights

JD Sports: advising in relation to the CMA’s investigations into the supply of Rangers and Leicester replica football kit, in relation to which JD Sports was a successful leniency applicant
JD Sports: advising on the CMA’s phase 2 review of its acquisition of Footasylum, including a successful judicial review before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
J Sainsbury plc: advising on its proposed merger with Asda, including playing an instrumental role in Sainsbury’s successful judicial review application on procedural grounds mid-way through the merger review.
J Sainsbury plc and McKesson: advising jointly in relation to the CMA’s Phase 2 review of McKesson’s acquisition of Sainsbury’s UK pharmacy business, cleared subject to a small number of divestments.
Advising clients in relation to market studies and market investigations, including the supply of road fuel, investment and corporate banking, private healthcare, credit cards and groceries.
Markets
BP plc: advising on the CMA’s market study into the supply of road fuel
Barclays: advising on the FCA’s credit cards market study.
A major bank: advising on the FCA’s market study into investment and corporate banking.
AXA Health: advising on the CMA’s market investigation into private healthcare (and subsequent appeals before the CAT).
J Sainsbury plc: advising on all aspects of the UK groceries market investigation, and the remedies that flowed from this.
Cartels
JD Sports: advising in relation to the CMA’s investigations into the supply of Rangers and Leicester replica football kit, in relation to which JD Sports was a successful leniency applicant
Advising clients in relation to potential enforcement action by the Financial Conduct Authority.
J Sainsbury plc: advising on the OFT’s investigation into retail price initiatives in the dairy sector.
J Sainsbury plc: advising on the OFT’s investigation into suspected infringements of the Competition Act in relation to a range of grocery products, which was ultimately closed without a statement of objections.
Advisory
JD Sports, ComparetheMarket, BP plc, AXA PPP, Sainsbury’s and others: advising on a range of issues including distribution issues and joint ventures.
Litigation
JD Sports: advising on its application to overturn the CMA’s findings in relation to its acquisition of Footasylum, and its separate appeal of a fine imposed by the CMA for an alleged breach of an interim enforcement order.
AXA Health: advising on the judicial review proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal that resulted from the CMA’s private healthcare market investigation.
J Sainsbury plc: advising on Morrisons’ failed attempt before the Competition Appeal Tribunal to secure interim measures for the Competition Commission’s investigation of Tesco’s acquisition of the former Cooperative store in Slough. Sainsbury’s was ultimately successful in its bid to purchase the site. Also advising on its successful judicial review application on procedural grounds during the CMA’s review of the proposed merger with Asda.

Education and Qualifications

Helen graduated from Christ Church, Oxford with an undergradate degree in Law with Law Studies in Europe (French Law). Helen also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Competition Law from Kings College, London.

Helen speaks English and French.

Thought Leadership

Paper prepared for Competition Appeal Tribunal 20^th Anniversary Conference CAT-led law: What does the exponential growth of private enforcement mean for public enforcement? (with Nicole Kar, James Hennah and Verity Egerton-Doyle)

Competition Law Journal: Outcomes in successful competition appeals: remittal, finality and certainty (with Nicole Kar)

Plc magazine: UK Merger Control in 2019 – Emerging Themes

Overview

Work Highlights

JD Sports: advising in relation to the CMA’s investigations into the supply of Rangers and Leicester replica football kit, in relation to which JD Sports was a successful leniency applicant

JD Sports: advising on the CMA’s phase 2 review of its acquisition of Footasylum, including a successful judicial review before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

J Sainsbury plc: advising on its proposed merger with Asda, including playing an instrumental role in Sainsbury’s successful judicial review application on procedural grounds mid-way through the merger review.

J Sainsbury plc and McKesson: advising jointly in relation to the CMA’s Phase 2 review of McKesson’s acquisition of Sainsbury’s UK pharmacy business, cleared subject to a small number of divestments.

Advising clients in relation to market studies and market investigations, including the supply of road fuel, investment and corporate banking, private healthcare, credit cards and groceries.

Markets

BP plc: advising on the CMA’s market study into the supply of road fuel

Barclays: advising on the FCA’s credit cards market study.

A major bank: advising on the FCA’s market study into investment and corporate banking.

AXA Health: advising on the CMA’s market investigation into private healthcare (and subsequent appeals before the CAT).

J Sainsbury plc: advising on all aspects of the UK groceries market investigation, and the remedies that flowed from this.

Cartels

JD Sports: advising in relation to the CMA’s investigations into the supply of Rangers and Leicester replica football kit, in relation to which JD Sports was a successful leniency applicant

Advising clients in relation to potential enforcement action by the Financial Conduct Authority.

J Sainsbury plc: advising on the OFT’s investigation into retail price initiatives in the dairy sector.

J Sainsbury plc: advising on the OFT’s investigation into suspected infringements of the Competition Act in relation to a range of grocery products, which was ultimately closed without a statement of objections.

Advisory

JD Sports, ComparetheMarket, BP plc, AXA PPP, Sainsbury’s and others: advising on a range of issues including distribution issues and joint ventures.

Litigation

JD Sports: advising on its application to overturn the CMA’s findings in relation to its acquisition of Footasylum, and its separate appeal of a fine imposed by the CMA for an alleged breach of an interim enforcement order.

AXA Health: advising on the judicial review proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal that resulted from the CMA’s private healthcare market investigation.

J Sainsbury plc: advising on Morrisons’ failed attempt before the Competition Appeal Tribunal to secure interim measures for the Competition Commission’s investigation of Tesco’s acquisition of the former Cooperative store in Slough. Sainsbury’s was ultimately successful in its bid to purchase the site. Also advising on its successful judicial review application on procedural grounds during the CMA’s review of the proposed merger with Asda.

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Overview

Work Highlights

Education and Qualifications

Thought Leadership