Linklaters is delighted to share that Sarina Williams, Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations Partner and Co-Head of Linklaters’ Global Competition Litigation practice, and Derek Tong, Corporate Partner and Global Co-Head of Linklaters’ Technology Sector, have been featured in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2024.
Sarina had an outstanding 2023 in the booming UK competition litigation market. Her work included advising Visa in its successful defeat of certification of parallel opt-in and opt-out class actions brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to interchange fees and representing Sony in the first case to consider new funding models following the Supreme Court’s decision in PACCAR. Sarina and her team also supported Visa in its successful defence of arguments by the claimants in the Tribunal’s first ever “umbrella proceedings” that they could rely on a decision by the CJEU to extend their claims back to the 1970s: the first time that the UK’s Brexit legislation was considered in the context of a competition law claim and the CAT found in Visa’s favour on all grounds.
In her role as Chair of the ICC Global Competition Commission’s Task Force on Antitrust Damages Actions, Sarina also oversaw development of the ICC’s Second Compendium of Antirust Damages Actions in 2023. The Compendium provides a comprehensive overview of the complexities and intricacies associated with antitrust litigation and the key judgments across 21 key antitrust enforcement centres around the world.
Derek advised on some of the largest global deals that took place in 2023, acting for HSBC on the US$10bn disposal of its Canadian banking operations to RBC, being the largest ever merger between two Canadian banks; and the EUR12bn acquisition of Viessmann’s Climate Solutions business to enhance Carrier’s strategy on the rapid energy transition in Europe, which was the largest M&A transaction in Germany in 2023. With a strong track record in advising high growth tech companies across the globe and acted for funds on numerous minority equity investments in high growth tech businesses. His passion and expertise in tech stems from the time of his dual degree in software engineering and law, which he uses to advise across the tech ecosystem from major tech players and investors to multinationals pursuing digital strategies. Derek’s insights are invaluable to clients at a time when technology is critical to corporates achieving innovation and growth, improving efficiencies and transitioning to net zero. Derek is also a member of techUK and is active in engaging across the tech ecosystem.
Throughout his career, Derek has been passionate about promoting DEI within his firm. In recent years, he has been involved with the General Counsel for Diversity and Inclusion (GCD&I) initiative founded in 2019, both in connection with its Ethnicity Community and LGBT+ Community, and was recently a panelist on its Out@work Launch event. He is also a partner sponsor under the firm’s new Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme, which launched this year.
See the full list on The Lawyer’s website here: The Lawyer Hot 100 2024 – The Lawyer
