Charles Clarke

Charles Clarke, LL.M., is the firm’s Expert Counsel on all aspects of EU Competition Law, with a particular emphasis on abuse of dominance, private damage claims, complex merger control proceedings, cartel matters, state aid and vertical restraints.  Within the field of Competition Law, Charles has worked on many high profile and complex cases before the European Commission and competition authorities across the globe.  Including AT&T’s US$85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner, receiving approvals from 19 regulatory authorities across the globe, including unconditional approval by the European Commission.

Charles’ expertise further extends to EU Law and regulatory matters, primarily within the areas of Public Procurement and Telecommunications, as well as issues relating to the control of foreign direct investment (FDI). He has experience across a broad range of sectors, including transport, telecommunications, online platforms, media, oil & gas, financial markets, hospitality, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.

Charles is a PhD student at King’s College London.  His thesis focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects within the EU, specifically whether the existing EU legal framework is fueling cross-border collaboration. Charles has also authored and co-authored numerous articles and book chapters in his areas of expertise.

Prior to joining VILGERTS, Charles worked at a leading international law firm in London and as an antitrust associate at a leading international law firm in Brussels. Prior to joining VILGERTS, Charles worked on the following notable cases:

• AT&T on the merger control aspects of its US$85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner.
• Cisco on the merger control aspects of its US$1.9 billion acquisition of BroadSoft.
• Monsanto on the merger control aspects of its US$63 billion acquisition by Bayer.
• An Investment fund in the merger control aspects of a potential transaction.
• A company regarding the purchase of cartel participant and the potential implications as a result.
• A leading pharmaceutical company concerning competition issues arising in its pricing practices.
• Schlumberger on the merger control aspects of its US$14.8 billion purchase of Cameron.
• Marriot on the merger control aspects of its US$13.6 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels.
• St. Jude Medical on the merger control aspects of its US$25 billion acquisition by Abbott.
• Avnet on the merger control aspects of its £691 million purchase of Premier Farnell.
• The appeal of European Commission State aid Decisions before the General Court.
• Formal complaints against Google concerning the EU investigations of Android and Google Shopping.
• Facebook in litigation concerning data privacy issues.
• A global cosmetic company in relation to it vertical restraints practices.
• A leniency applicant for its participation in a cartel within the financial services sector.

Charles is recommended lawyer by WWL-a reputable international legal directory that identifies leading lawyers and law firms across various fields of legal practice.

Legal 500: "Charles Clarke is a great addition to the team, he stands out in the market because of his excellent communication skills and state aid expertise."

“Charles Clarke is experienced in guiding complex transactions through merger control reviews and in defending companies before the national competition authorities in behavioural matters.”

“We work with Charles Clarke and we appreciate not only his expertise but also his ability to attract the right persons in other jurisdictions, where needed. Work with Charles is always swift and falls within deadlines. He is result-orientated and a good negotiator, where needed."