Laura joined Burges Salmon on qualification in 1988. She is Head of the Competition Team and specialises in the following practice areas:
- Competition; and
- Regulation.
Laura specialises in competition investigations (cartels and abuse of dominance cases), UK and EC merger control, market investigations and regulated sectors, particularly water, transport and energy. Laura has experience of advising on both sides of the fence, as she acts for Ofgem (the gas and electricity markets regulator) as well as private sector clients. Recent examples of work include:
- Advising The Cheese Company in relation to the OFT's Dairy Products Retail Price Initiatives Investigation involving alleged collusion against certain large supermarkets and dairy processors on the retail prices of dairy products, culminating in an early resolution agreement with the OFT in December 2007.
- Advising Cardiff Bus in relation to the OFT's investigation into an allegation of predation. In November 2008 the OFT issued a Decision making an infringement finding against Cardiff Bus. This is the only public Chapter II case pursued by the OFT and the only OFT Competition Act investigation to proceed to a decision in 2008.
- Advising Long Clawson Diary on the UK merger control aspects of its acquisition of the Stilton and speciality cheese business of Dairy Crest plc (Millway). The acquisition was cleared by the Competition Commission (CC) in January 2009, only 14 weeks after being referred by the OFT. This is the first time the CC has accepted the failing firm defence since the change in UK merger control in 2007.
- Advising the Racecourse Association, the trade body for 59 racecourses in Great Britain, on the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 which came fully into force in 2007 and the new environment for regulating on-course betting.