KIRKLAND & ELLIS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Partner Antitrust & Competition
- Professionals
Thomas Wilson is one of the founding partners of Kirkland's Brussels office and heads the Brussels competition team.
Thomas advises on the full spectrum of competition law, including EU, German and international merger control, cartels, state aid and antitrust compliance as well as foreign direct investment matters. He has played a lead role in a large number of high-profile and industry-transforming mergers, including in 5 EU Phase II investigations. Thomas also regularly represents clients before the German Federal Cartel Office. He is also a part-time lecturer at King's College London for the Post-Graduate Diploma in EU Competition Law.
Thomas counsels large corporates (e.g. AbbVie, Celanese) as well as some of the world's leading private equity firms such as SK Capital, KKR, H&F, GBL and Clearlake. According to recent client feedback, "Thomas takes a focused business/market approach, provides clear client advice and project manages flawlessly on complex, global regulatory processes".
Thomas regularly speaks at competition law conferences, frequently publishes on practically relevant topics and has been consistently recognized for his work by legal directories. He has been recognised as a "Thought Leader" in GCR's Who's Who Legal 2020-2023 editions and featured in ‘GCR 100' (2021). According to GCR's Who's Who Legal 2022 edition, Thomas is commended by clients for his "inside-out knowledge of competition law" and "in-depth experience of EU merger control rules". Thomas was also voted EU Competition Lawyer of the Year in Belgium by IAE Group.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner Antitrust & Competition / Kirkland & Ellis International LLP
- Professionals
Mark Gardner is a partner in the Antitrust and Competition Team based in London. He advises on a wide range of merger control, antitrust and compliance issues.
Mark has particular experience advising on EU and multi-jurisdictional merger control, representing a range of clients including corporations and financial investors.
Mark is recognised as a "Global Leader" in competition law by Who's Who Legal (2022, 2023). He is ranked as a "Key Lawyer" for EU & Competition Law by The Legal 500 (2021, 2022), noted for his "exceptional knowledge of antitrust processes across multiple jurisdictions" and his "excellent commercial understanding and communication skills". He is also listed as a recommended individual in the Global Competition Review ‘GCR 100' (2021).
In addition to his antitrust and competition work, Mark also advises on foreign investment controls, including the UK National Security and Investment Act.
Prior to joining Kirkland & Ellis, Mark worked in the London office of Arnold & Porter.
Job Titles:
- Partner Antitrust & Competition / Kirkland & Ellis International LLP
- Partner in Kirkland 's London
- Professionals
Paula Riedel is a partner in Kirkland's London office. Her practice spans the full spectrum of antitrust requirements, in particular multinational merger control, antitrust, state aid and general compliance.
Paula is recognised as a leading lawyer in Chambers Global, Europe and Chambers UK, The Legal 500 UK, and Who's Who Global Elite and was voted GCR ‘Dealmaker of the Year' (2020). She is a long-standing tutor on King's College London's Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law and is a former Chair of the Law Society Competition Section. Prior to partnership, she was seconded to the UK's Department of Trade and Industry, Competition Policy Directorate (Merger Policy).
Job Titles:
- Partner Antitrust & Competition / Kirkland & Ellis International LLP
- Professionals
Sally is a partner in the Antitrust and Competition Team based in London. Her practice covers merger control, cartel investigations and compliance advice.
Sally has extensive experience in managing multi-jurisdictional merger reviews and regularly represents private equity clients, corporates and financial institutions before the European Commission and UK Competition and Markets Authority ("CMA"). Sally is dual qualified in England & Wales and Brussels.
Sally has been named as one of Global Competition Review's "40 Under 40" in their quadrennial survey of the top young antitrust lawyers in the world (2020). Who's Who Legal recognized Sally as a Thought Leader in ‘Competition' (2022). Chambers and Partners have ranked Sally as "Up and Coming" (2023) and describe her as "dynamic, commercial and detail-oriented". The Legal 500 has recognised Sally as an "emerging talent" and "outstanding lawyer" and has listed her as a Next Generation EU and Competition Partner for five consecutive years.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Sally has practiced competition law in Brussels and Beijing and also gained experience in-house.