Image

Matthew Readings

Partner

Matthew advises on UK and EU competition law, both transactional and behavioural/contentious, and on UK and international foreign investment control.

Matthew advises clients across a broad range of sectors on strategic international merger control and foreign investment approval issues, represents clients before the CMA and European Commission, oversees multi-jurisdictional merger reviews in countries throughout the world and handles complex CMA and European Commission cases, including Phase II investigations and remedy cases, as well as sensitive foreign investment screenings.

Matthew advises on European Commission and UK cartel investigations and market studies and investigations by the CMA and sector regulators including the FCA. He is experienced in private enforcement of antitrust rights in the UK courts.

Experience

Representative matters

Highlights

Areva in the cartel damages action brought by National Grid in the English High Court against Areva and a number of other defendants.

Credit Suisse on a settlement with the European Commission in the CHF LIBOR cartel case.

Dover Corporation on its acquisition of the business of FW Murphy Production Controls.

Pro bono

  • Pro-bono advocate in The Bavarian Lager Company v European Commission C-28/08 before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice. This case was the first and seminal exploration of the relationship between data protection and transparency rights in the context of corporate lobbying of the European Commission.

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, “Global Co-operation”, GCR Live Law Leaders Asia Pacific, August 2023
  • Guest speaker, “Populist Antitrust – The Buck Stops Where?”, American Bar Association Antitrust Law Spring Meeting, April 2022
  • Panelist, “EU and Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy”, GCR Live: Foreign Investment & Protectionism, December 2021
Recognition
Matthew Readings can be trusted to provide clear and pragmatic advice. His extensive international merger control experience shines through.
Chambers UK, 2023
He is solution-oriented, extremely responsive and pays attention to important details.
Chambers UK, 2023

Awards

  • Ranked for 18 years in Chambers UK, 2006 - 2024
  • Ranked for 11 years in Chambers Europe and Chambers Global, 2013 - 2024
  • Ranked as a Leading Individual, Legal 500 UK, 2022 - 2024
  • Recognised in Who’s Who Legal, 2024
  • Shortlisted for Concurrence Antitrust Writing Awards, 2023

Qualifications

Admissions

Law Society of England & Wales, 1996

Practising Certificate (England & Wales), 2007

Academic

L.L.M, Nottingham University, 1992

Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University, 1993

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.