Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP

Becket McGrath Edwards Wildman Palmer UK LLP Partner London Tel +44 (0) 20 7556 4125 Fax +44 (0) 20 7716 3725 Download VCard

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. Becket is also listed in the current 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). Clients praise his proactivity and "pragmatic ability to recognise issues relevant to his client's businesses" (Chambers, 2012).

• 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 an online retailer on ongoing OFT and European Commission competition investigations.
  
  
• Advised a major UK media group on the News Corp/Sky merger review.
  
  
• Advised Allied Healthcare International Inc. on the merger control aspects of its sale to Saga Group/Acromas.
  
  
• Acting for a third party on the European Commission's investigation of the Universal Music Group/EMI merger.
  
  
• 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 joint venture.
  
  
• Successfully defended an online retailer against a European Commission Article 101 investigation.
  
  
• Advising a global games software company on the competition law aspects of its distribution arrangements.
  
  
• Advised 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.
  
  
• 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 numerous companies on the implementation of compliance programmes and training, and dawn raid preparedness procedures.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• Acted for gaming company Cyberview Technology Inc. on its acquisition by IGT.

• 'New UK Competition Law Enacted' author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, May 2013.
  
  
• "UK Watchdog Flexes Criminal Muscle With Cartel Arrests," quoted, Law360, March 2013.
  
  
• "Broken Microsoft Vow Likely To Spur EU Settlement Scrutiny," quoted, Law360, March 2013.
  
  
• "European Commission Consults on Revised Technology Transfer Block Exemption," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, February 2013.
  
  
• "Danish Supreme Court confirms European Court of Justice's effects-based approach in assessment of selective price reductions under Article 102,"
   co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, February 2013.
  
• "'Disingenuous' EC study backs coinsurance," quoted, Reactions, February 15, 2013.
  
  
• "Online Selling and Distribution," speaker, LexisNexis' Webinar, February 2013.
  
  
• "Blocked UPS-TNT Deal Shows EU Not Afraid To Get Tough," quoted, Law360, January 14, 2013.
  
  
• "Irish Regulator to Head UK Watchdog," quoted, Financial Times, January 8, 2013.
  
  
• "A Further Twist in the 'Dishonesty' Tale: UK Government Proposes New Defences to the Criminal Cartel Offence," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, October 2012.
  
  
• "English Court of Appeal Confirms Readiness to Hear Claims Against Foreign Cartelists," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, October 2012.
  
  
• "Waking the Watchdog: Recent Competition Law cases in the Technology sector," speaker, Edwards Wildman INTERAction Technology Law Update, London, October 2012.
  
  
• "Digital Salon: Digital Business in Europe," co-speaker, Edwards Wildman Digital Salon, Los Angeles, October 10, 2012.
  
  
• "The Urge to Merge," author, The Grocer, September 2012.
  
  
• "UK Reforms: A New Era In Criminal Cartel Enforcement?," co-author, Law360, August 2012.
  
  
• "First Damages Award by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal in a 'Follow On' Case," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, July 2012.
  
  
• "Bill Setting Out New Competition Law Regime Scrutinised by UK Parliament," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, June 2012.
  
  
• "UK Overview Chapter," co-author, an extract from the 2012 Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies - a Global Competition Review special report.
  
  
• "Perfect Price Compliance - economic and legal aspects of pricing under antitrust laws," speaker, 2nd Competition Law Forum, UIA and LIDC, Ghent, Belgium, May 2012
  
  
• "OFT provisionally decides to refer private motor insurance market to Competition Commission," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, May 2012.
  
  
• "Opting in to private competition law actions:UK Government consults on reform," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, May 2012.
  
  
• "UK Private Healthcare Market Referred to Competition Commission," author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, May 2012.
  
  
• "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.
   
  
• "Competition Law and eCommerce", speaker, IP INTERAction eCommerce: Intellectual Property and the Internet Conference, September 2011.
  
  
• “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 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 2011.
  
  
• "How Does 'The Public Interest Consideration' Work Best?," speaker, City University’s Media Plurality Event, London, UK, February 2011.

• More Publications...

Becket joined the firm after four 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.

Apart from his passion for competition law (which some may find hard to share), Becket enjoys opera, art and skiing.