Philip Aitken

Philip is a specialist competition law and consumer law adviser. Having practiced in Australia, the UK and the European Union and advises national and global corporates and private equity clients on Australian and global merger clearance filings. Philip also advises on complex competition, consumer and regulatory investigations, inquiries and enforcement proceedings.

Expertise

Philip advises on all aspects of competition law, including significant ACCC merger clearance matters as well as authorisations, infrastructure developments, privatisations, access issues, joint venture arrangements, distribution arrangements.

Philip also advises on competition, consumer and regulatory investigations and enforcement matters. Philip has acted for clients in relation to ACCC and Australian Energy Regulator investigations and proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia and the Australian Competition Tribunal and has assisted clients in responding to dawn raids in multiple jurisdictions.

Philip acts for clients across a range of sectors including financial services, energy and resources, consumer products, infrastructure, aviation, and health.

Philip’s areas of expertise include:

• ACCC merger clearance
• Competition and consumer law advice
• Competition and consumer law investigations and enforcement matters
• Investigation and enforcement matters relating to the National Gas Law.

Career highlights

Philip’s career highlights include:

• advising NAB on obtaining phase 1 ACCC merger clearance in relation to its proposed acquisition of Citigroup’s Australian consumer business
• advising Olex Australia in relation to successfully defending proceedings brought by the ACCC in the Federal Court alleging that Olex had been involved in cartel conduct
• advising Pace Farm on obtaining phase 1 ACCC clearance in relation to its acquisition of Kinross Farms
• advising Murray Goulburn Cooperative Co in relation to ACCC inquiries and proceedings relating to Murray Goulburn Cooperative Co reducing its farm gate milk price in 2016
• advising PFD Food Services in relation to obtaining Phase 2 ACCC clearance for the sale of a 65% interest to Woolworths Limited
• advising Virgin Atlantic in relation to the worldwide merger and competition filings related to the expanded Transatlantic Joint Venture between Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines and Air France KLM and the proposed acquisition by Air France KLM of a 31% interest in Virgin Atlantic
• advising Jemena in relation to AER enforcement proceedings under the National Gas Law
• acting for Tabcorp Limited on obtaining Australian Competition Tribunal authorisation in relation to its merger with Tatts Group Limited.