Our advisory work on high-profile competition cases this year has been recognised by the 2025 GCR Awards with multiple nominations, and voting is now open until this Friday 14 February.
Our work for Vodafone/Three has been nominated for Matter of the year: Merger control - worldwide competition for creative, strategic and innovative work by teams of in-house and external lawyers and economists. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated the transaction, and, accepting pro-competitive efficiencies tied to network investment, cleared it subject to non-structural remedies in a landmark decision in late 2024. Frontier advised Vodafone throughout the investigation process. You can read more about the transaction and the CMA’s decision here.
Alongside Vodafone/Three, two other transactions on which Frontier advised have been nominated for Merger control matter of the year - Europe:
- Lufthansa/ITA – which was conditionally cleared by the European Commission (EC) in June 2024. Frontier advised Lufthansa on the transaction, which saw it take joint control of ITA alongside the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.
- Swisscom/Vodafone – which has recently been conditionally cleared by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), Telecommunications Regulator (AGCOM) and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT). Frontier advised Vodafone on Swisscom’s acquisition. Frontier advised Vodafone on the transaction, which saw Fastweb (part of Swisscom Group) acquire Vodafone Italy.
Two litigation matters on which Frontier has advised have been nominated for awards for creative, strategic and innovative litigation on behalf of a defendant:
- Merricks v Mastercard has been nominated in the Litigation of the year - Non-cartel defence private action of the year award category. Frontier advised Mastercard, the defendant, regarding a class action claim for damages in relation to credit card interchange fees in the UK. The case was settled in late 2024.
- Granville Technology Group, VMT and OT Computers v LG Display has been nominated in the Litigation of the year - Cartel defence category, for private action on cartel damages. Frontier advised LG in relation to damages litigation brought by Granville following the EC’s finding that there had been a cartel in the LCDs market from 2001-2006. You can read more about the case here.
Alongside this, the Competition Commission of India’s WhatsApp investigation has been nominated as Behavioural matter of the year - Asia-Pacific, the Middle East or Africa for creative, strategic and innovative work carried out in a non-merger matter before an enforcer. Frontier advised Meta in relation to the Competition Commission’s investigation, which focused on updates to WhatsApp’s privacy policy in 2021.
Voting closes this Friday 14 February, and is open to members of law firms, corporate legal departments, economic consultancies, government agencies, universities and competition advocacy organisations.