Partner
francesco.liberatore@squirepb.com
Languages spoken
English | Italian | French | Spanish
Francesco Liberatore is the EMEA lead of our Automotive & Transportation Industry Group.
He advises clients on all aspects of the application of competition law, in particular in technology-driven and digital economy sectors. His experience also focuses on communications law and he coordinates the firm’s EMEA Communications Practice.
He regularly represents clients in investigations before regulatory and competition authorities, as well as managing internal investigations, dawn raids and counseling on compliance issues and various commercial agreements. Francesco handles merger control due diligence and filings, as well as coordinating multijurisdictional merger control strategies. He also advises private equity investors, banks and other financial investors on arbitrage opportunities. Francesco’s litigation experience includes representing clients in matters before the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the High Court of Justice and the European Courts.
Francesco is dual qualified in England/Wales and Italy. He has authored several legal publications, including the International Telecommunications Law Handbook (Juris Publishing) and the EU Electronic Communications Code Handbook (Bloomsbury Professional), and is a contributing author to the LexisPSL TMT Practice Note on Radio Spectrum Regulation. He is also a regular speaker on topical issues affecting digital markets, including on AI.
Francesco has been named among the top 10 most influential competition lawyers in the digital markets and communications sector in the UK by an independent review (Business Review). He is also recommended as a leading practitioner in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal. Clients describe him as “thoroughly efficient and helpful throughout”, “a true master of telecoms law”, “a delight to work with”, “very good – very knowledgeable and responsive”, “provides timely advice in a practical and risk-based manner” and “really stands out as a brilliant lawyer, who is always dedicated to his client's cause”. Following outstanding client feedback, he was named as a star lawyer in the Acritas StarsTM global database: Francesco is praised by clients for “the regulatory advice that he provides to us. He appears to have good relationships with the regulators and his advice has enabled us to achieve our business outcomes”.
Automotive and Transportation
Advised a British luxury car manufacturer in connection with (a) the communications law aspects of connected cars and (b) the competition law aspects of access to technical data by independent repairers.
Advised a global provider of mobility solutions in connection with various public procurement contracts.
Obtained international foreign direct investment control approval for a global provider of mobility solutions in connection with a joint venture with a competitor.
Acted for a defendant in the EU Car Glass Cartel proceedings.
Obtained merger control clearance for the creation of the largest heavy-good vehicles fleet leasing company in the UK.
Obtained EU merger control clearance in an in-depth (Phase 2) investigation of a merger between port transportation services providers.
Construction
Defended a construction company in one of the largest UK bid rigging cases (the infringement decision was 1,945 pages long and the total fines imposed amounted to £ 129.2 million) and subsequent appeal before the Competition Appeal Tribunal resulting in the annulment of the administrative antitrust decision in connection with one of the alleged infringements and a reduction of the fine in connection with the other infringement.
Digital and Communications
Advised several digital services providers in connection with their compliance with communications and digital services laws through a one-stop shop compliance solution (more information is available here).
Advised a global provider of satellite connectivity in connection with compliance with net neutrality rules (more information is available here).
Defended a major technology company in connection with the successful closure of EU and UK investigations into an alleged price fixing practice by way of agreed commitments (Global Competition Review Award: Behavioral Matter of the Year – Europe).
Advised a technology consortium on successfully winning UK Government funding through the UK DSIT Open Networks Ecosystem competition.
Defended a top tier internet company in the first case in which the EU Court of First Instance annulled a European Commission’s prohibition merger control decision.
Obtained UK merger control clearance in an in-depth (Phase 2) investigation of a merger between providers of CRM services for the public sector.
Energy and Natural Resources
Advised a world leader in the energy sector on obtaining UK merger control clearance for various transactions.
Advised a third-party intervener in the EU and UK appeal cases under EU State Aid rules regarding the UK Capacity Market.
Food and Drink
Advised a global chain of Italian marketplaces on their market entry in the UK and competition law aspects of their franchise agreements.
Defended a British consumer goods company in connection with alleged price fixing agreements in the UK grocery sector.
Advised a third-party intervener in UK and EU appeals against the EU tobacco directives.
Retail
Advised a white good appliances manufacturer on the international merger control aspects of its attempted $3.3 billion acquisition of a competitor.
Obtained international and EU merger control approvals in in-depth (Phase 2) investigations, subject to remedies, of the merger of two market research data providers.
Life Sciences and Healthcare
Advised the third largest pharmaceutical company worldwide in connection with the competition law aspects of various commercialisation agreements and pricing strategies.
Obtained merger control clearance for the creation of the largest online pharmacy in the UK (more information is available here).
Defended AstraZeneca in the first case before the EU Court of Justice regarding a regulatory abuse of dominant position.
Acted for two global pharmaceutical companies in the EU Commission’s Pharmaceuticals Sector Inquiry.
Sport and Entertainment
Defended a world sport association in connection with the successful closure of EU and Italian investigations into an alleged abuse of dominant position for the selection of sport equipment for the Olympic Games.