Becket is a Co-Chair of the firm's Antitrust practice group. He advises clients on all aspects of EU and UK competition law, with an emphasis on behavioural issues, compliance, competition litigation and merger control. Although he advises clients in a broad range of sectors, he has a particular interest in the media, technology and communications sectors, as well as the interface between intellectual property and competition law. He also advises on broadcasting, rail and utility regulation. He has experience of enforcing UK and EU competition law at a senior level in the Office of Fair Trading and retains good links with enforcement agencies and regulators in the UK and across the EU. Becket is a frequent commentator on competition law developments, having appeared on the BBC's Today Programme, BBC News, Channel 4 News, Radio 5 Live and CNBC.
Becket was identified by Global Competition Review in May 2008 as one of the top 40 competition lawyers under the age of 40 worldwide. He is listed in the current editions of the Legal 500 and Chambers and is included as a recognized specialist in PLC's publication "Which Lawyer?". Becket is also listed in the 2011 edition of the Who's Who Legal Directory of Competition Lawyers and Economists.
Becket has "Solid experience in all aspects of EC and UK competition law (PLC Which Lawyer?, 2009)." Sources are quick to praise his "solid legal knowledge and good judgment (Chambers, 2010)."
Notable Experience
· Advised United Technologies Corporation on the UK merger control aspects of the sale of its manned guarding business to Securitas.
· Advising on an ongoing European Commission investigation in the software sector.
· Advising on ongoing OFT and European Commission competition investigations.
· Advised a major UK media group on the News Corp/Sky merger review.
· Advising a sports joint venture on the competition law aspects of its rights licensing strategy.
· Advised a global conglomerate on the merger control aspects of its exit from a major joint venture.
· Advising a global games software company on the competition law aspects of its distribution arrangements.
· Advising Assa Abloy on the non-US merger control aspects of its acquisition of LaserCard Corporation.
· Advised a major UK utility on a substantial competition law damages action in the High Court.
· Acted for Dell on the merger control aspects of a number of global acquisitions.
· Advised Genus plc on the OFT's investigation of its acquisition of rival bovine AI company, Local Breeders, raising important questions regarding the jurisdiction of the OFT to investigate public transactions.
· Advised surgical instruments company SurgRx Inc on the merger control aspects of its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson.
· Advised numerous companies on the implementation of compliance programmes and training, and dawn raid preparedness procedures.
· Advised a dental products company on issues relating to commercial agreements.
· Advised a financial investor on the merger control and media regulatory aspects of the acquisition of a minority stake by BSkyB in ITV plc.
· Advised a third party in relation to the Competition Commission's inquiry into Project Kangaroo - a broadband TV joint venture between ITV, the BBC and Channel Four.
· Successfully defended an online retailer against a European Commission Article 101 investigation.
· Advised a substantial institutional property investor on the OFT's market study of BAA's UK airports, as well as on the subsequent Competition Commission market investigation.
· Acted for gaming company Cyberview Technology Inc. on its acquisition by IGT.
· Advised the motion picture equipment manufacturer Panavision on its acquisition of lighting and camera retail company AFM Group.
Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications
· "European Court of Justice Adopts Effects-Based Approach in Assessment of Selective Price Reductions Under Article 102," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, April 2012.
· "UK Government Confirms Changes to UK Competition Regime," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, March 2012.
· "Satellite Decoder Case Runs into Extra Time," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, February 2012.
· "New UK Financial Regulator's Competition Powers Confirmed but Uncertainties Remain," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, February 2012.
· "European Commission Kicks Off Technology Transfer Block Exemption Consultation Process," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, December 2011.
· "UK Competition Authority Targets Insurance Sector," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, December 2011.
· "UK Appeal Tribunal Overturns Landmark Competition Decision," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, December 2011.
· "OFT clears IDEXX Laboratories of Abuse of Dominance," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, December 2011.
· "European Court of Justice Ruling Weakens Rights Holders' Ability to Prevent Pan-European Exploitation of Works," author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, October 2011.
· "Competition Law and eCommerce", speaker, IP INTERAction eCommerce: Intellectual Property and the Internet Conference, September 2011.
· "Appeal Tribunal Confirms that OFT is Able to Investigate Ryanair's Acquisition of a Minority Stake in Aer Lingus Almost Five Years after Acquisition of the Stake," Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Client Advisory, September 13, 2011.
· "Heathrow Airport Held to Have Abused its Dominant Position in Rare Standalone Competition Law Action Before the English High Court," co-author, Corporate Briefing, September 2011.
· "OFT refers three-to-two merger," quoted, Global Competition Review, June 21, 2011.
· "Heathrow Airport Held to Have Abused its Dominant Position in Rare Standalone Competition Law Action Before the English High Court," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP Client Advisory, June 2011.
· "UK Overview Chapter," co-author, an extract from the 2011 Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies - a Global Competition Review special report.
· "Competition Law in the Digital World; Are the EU and UK Authorities Getting the Enforcement Balance Right?," panel chair, Competition Section Annual Conference 2011 presented by The Law Society, London, UK, May 25, 2011.
· "The Future of On-Line Gambling in Europe," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP Client Advisory, April 2011.
· "Abuse of Dominance & Market Power - Regulation and Enforcement in Europe," speaker, Recent Developments of Competition Law in the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong SAR seminar organised by the UIA in co-operation with The Hong Kong Law Society, March 18, 2011.
· "Government Proposes Radical Changes to UK Competition Regime," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP Client Advisory, March 2011.
· "Games without frontiers," co-author, Intellectual Property Magazine, March 2011.
· "How Does 'The Public Interest Consideration' Work Best?," speaker, City University's Media Plurality Event, London, UK, February 4, 2011.
· "EU Advocate General Opinion: Cases C-403/08 and C-429/08 - Football Association Premier League Ltd. & Others v. QC Leisure & Others; and Karen Murphy v. Media Protection Services Ltd.," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP Client Advisory, February 2011.
· Second Annual Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge IP Update, speaker, London, February 1, 2011.
· "British Airways Cartel Case May Trigger U.K. Class-Action Suits," quoted, Bloomberg, November 16, 2010.
· "ECJ Confirms No Change to European Rules on Legal Professional Privilege for In-House Lawyers,"author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Client Advisory, September 2010.
· "'BA four' trial underlines risks for company directors," author, Legal Week, June 22, 2010.
· "Antitrust and Banking in the EU - UK Update," author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Client Advisory, June 2010.
· "Banking and Antitrust: The View from the UK," author, The Banking Law Journal, June 2010.
· "Online Distribution and Sales - A Special Problem?," panelist, The New Vertical Restraints Regime - The new rules and how they will apply, June 2010.
· "The New Insurance Block Exemption Regulation," co-author, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Insurance and Reinsurance Review, June 2010.
· "Case Comment: Setback to competition damages actions?," author, European Competition Law Review Issue 6, 2010.
· Global Competition Review - The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies 2010 - UK Overview Chapter.
· "Banking in the Antitrust Crosshairs - the EU Situation," Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Client Advisory, April 2010.
· Law Society Competition Section Annual Conference 2009 - Conference Chair
· Westminster Media Forum Seminar on IPTV - Panel speaker - July 2009
· Global Competition Review - Antitrust Review 2010 - UK Overview Chapter
· Global Competition Review - Agencies Handbook 2010 - UK Chapter
· A Tale of Two Regimes - Global Competition Review
News & Publications
April 2012, Client Advisory - European Court of Justice Adopts Effects-Based Approach in Assessment of Selective Price Reductions Under Article 102
March 2012, Client Advisory - UK Government Confirms Changes to UK Competition Regime
February 2012, Client Advisory - Satellite Decoder Case Runs into Extra Time - Football Association Premier League Ltd. & others v QC Leisure & others [2012] EWHC 108 (Ch)
February 2012, Client Advisory - New UK Financial Regulator's Competition Powers Confirmed but Uncertainties Remain
December 2011, Client Advisory - European Commission Kicks Off Technology Transfer Block Exemption Consultation Process
December 2011, Client Advisory - UK Competition Authority Targets Insurance Sector
December 13, 2011, Client Advisory - UK Appeal Tribunal Overturns Landmark Competition Decision
December 2011, Commercial Litigation Review - December 2011
December 2011, Client Advisory - OFT clears IDEXX Laboratories of Abuse of Dominance
October 2011, Client Advisory - CJEU Sends Clear Message that Luxury Brands Cannot Prevent Retailers Selling Online
October 2011, Client Advisory - European Court of Justice Ruling Weakens Rights Holders' Ability to Prevent Pan-European Exploitation of Works
September 13, 2011, Client Advisory - Appeal Tribunal Confirms that OFT is Able to Investigate Ryanair's Acquisition of a Minority Stake in Aer Lingus Almost Five Years after Acquisition of the Stake
June 2011, Commercial Litigation Review - June 2011
June 2011, Client Advisory - Heathrow Airport held to have abused its dominant position in rare standalone competition law action before the English High Court
2011, The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies
April 26, 2011, Becket McGrath, Writing in V3, Says Google's Antitrust Battles Will Last for Years
April 2011, Client Advisory - The Future of On-Line Gambling in Europe
March 2011, Client Advisory - Government Proposes Radical Changes to UK Competition Regime
March 2011, Insurers: Beware of Information Exchanges
March 2, 2011, Intellectual Property Magazine Publishes Article by Becket McGrath and Jo Love on EU Advocate General's Ruling
February 2011, Client Advisory - EU Advocate General Opinion: Cases C-403/08 and C-429/08 -Football Association Premier League Ltd. & Others v. QC Leisure & Others; and Karen Murphy v. Media Protection Services Ltd.
October 2010, Commercial Litigation Review - October 2010
October 14, 2010, Client Advisory - UK Government Confirms Plan to Merge Competition Authorities and Reform Consumer Protection Enforcement
September 14, 2010, Client Advisory - ECJ Confirms No Change to European Rules on Legal Professional Privilege for In-House Lawyers
June 2010, Litigation UK
E-newsletter
June 2010, Client Advisory - Antitrust and Banking in the EU - UK Update
June 2010, Banking and Antitrust: The View from the UK
The Banking Law Journal
June 1, 2010, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Relocates London Office to Dashwood
June 2010, The New Insurance Block Exemption Regulation
June 2010, Insurance and Reinsurance Review - June 2010
2010, The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies
April 2010, Client Advisory - Banking in the Antitrust Crosshairs - the EU Situation
March 24, 2010, EU: European Commission Adopts New Competition Block Exemption Regulation for the Insurance Sector
October 29, 2009, EAPD Launches UK Competition Practice
Events
26 January 2012 , Regulatory Risk Seminar
May 25, 2011, London, United Kingdom, Competition Section Annual Conference 2011
March 17-19, 2011, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, Recent Developments of Competition Law in the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong SAR seminar
February 4, 2011, London, United Kingdom, City University London's Media Plurality event
February 1, 2011, London, United Kingdom, Second Annual Intellectual Property Update Conference
June 8, 2010, Brussels, Belgium, The New Vertical Restraints Regime - The new rules and how they will apply
Before Edwards Wildman
Becket joined the firm after fours years as a partner at another London firm. Before that, Becket was a Branch Director in the Competition Enforcement Division at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), with responsibility for enforcing competition law in the media, sport and IT sectors. During his time at the OFT, Becket led teams on numerous high profile cases, including two cases before the Competition Appeal Tribunal, and had a key role in the preparation of the competition provisions of the Communications Act 2003.
Besides Edwards Wildman
Apart from his passion for competition law (which some may find hard to share), Becket enjoys opera, art and skiing.
Industries
· Technology
· Retail Industry & Consumer Products
· Broadcasting
Memberships
· Law Society Competition Section (Past Chair)
· American Bar Association
· International Bar Association
· British-German Jurists' Association
· Union Internationale des Avocats