Each of the founding members of the Circle is a specialised lawyer or other leading professional who has a proven track record and a very high level of knowledge and experience in the enforcement of the rules and techniques of compensation for damages resulting from the infringement of competition law. The Circle intends to expand to each European Member State. Membership is by invitation only.
Members

Teemu specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration. Teemu has vast experience from a variety of business disputes, including cartel damages cases. In addition to having acted as counsel in such cases, Teemu has assisted in resolving such disputes amicably, advised clients in questions related to competition damages and provided legal expert opinions on the relevant contents of Finnish law. Teemu has been involved in cases related to the hydrogen peroxide cartel, Finnish asphalt cartel, truck cartel, paraffin wax cartel, sodium chlorate cartel and airfreight cartel, to mention a few.

Recognised as a 'future major player' (Legal 500, 2015), Ben is a partner in the Innovation Department at Mishcon de Reya. He specialises in competition litigation, commercial litigation, arbitration and other dispute resolution procedures and has a wealth of experience acting for major multinational businesses across a broad range of sectors. He is particularly experienced in advising clients on third party funding arrangements and how to manage the financial risks of litigation. Notable experience includes advising on damages actions regarding the Trucks cartel, and regarding interchange fees imposed by Visa and MasterCard.

Joost is a litigation lawyer at the Dutch law firm Van Benthem & Keulen. He was admitted to the bar in 2006. His expertise covers the full spectrum of corporate and commercial litigation. Joost is a specialist in cartel damage actions and European private law. He has acted as (co-) lead plaintiff counsel in many of the largest cartel damages actions in the Netherland. Joost has litigated complex damage cases arising from the air cargo cartel, paraffin wax, sodium chlorate and trucks.

Peter provides his services exclusively on the claimant side. As a former official of the German Federal Cartel Office, he is familiar with the procedures and specifics of cartel prosecution. Peter has successfully litigated complex cartel damage cases arising from the German rail cartel, the fire-fighting trucks cartel, the cartels on gas-insulated switchgear, power transformers, high-voltage cables, and sugar. In the truck cartel, Peter and his firm assisted hundreds of companies and obtained the first landmark judgment from Germany's highest civil court, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH).

Moritz practices in competition, regulatory and tax law. He has a special focus on abuse-of-dominance cases and successfully litigated against state-conferred monopolies. He has extensive experience with the setting up of “bundled” actions before German courts and has advised initiators of “claims vehicles” and collective actions, as well as litigation funders, on the complex legal environment. Moritz obtained his law degree from the University of Cologne and was admitted to the German National Merit Foundation. He advises clients in German and English and is a member of the Berlin bar association.

Till is managing director of CDC Cartel Damage Claims (CDC). He is responsible for the analysis, preparation, management, funding and settlement of some of the largest antitrust damage actions in Europe. CDC offers victims of illegal cartels an effective method of obtaining compensation and, with a total case volume of more than € 1 bn, is the frontrunner of private antitrust enforcement in Europe. Till has spoken at numerous conferences and has published widely on the innovative approach of CDC as well as general developments in the field of private antitrust enforcement. Till studied law at the universities of Bonn, Cologne, Barcelona and London (University College) and published a doctoral thesis on international competition law. Prior to joining CDC, he worked as competition lawyer in a leading international law firm in Brussels, Cologne and Madrid.

Martin is director at CDC Cartel Damage Claims (CDC). He manages the overall legal work of the firm in some of the largest antitrust damage actions in Europe. This includes the legal strategy, analysis and conduct of cases and the coordination with external counsels in court proceedings. CDC offers notably victims of cartels an effective method of obtaining compensation and, with a total case volume of more than € 1 bn, is the frontrunner of private antitrust enforcement in Europe. Martin frequently speaks on private enforcement of competition law and the innovative approach of CDC. He has widely published on antitrust claims, litigation and settlements, including a doctoral thesis on European and international claims. Prior to joining CDC he worked for an international law firm and the Competition Directorate of the European Commission, Brussels.

Mario is an experienced commercial litigation lawyer in domestic and international disputes with a focus on private enforcement of competition law, both advising clients and litigating before French administrative and commercial courts. He is currently involved in prominent cases on the claimant’s side. He regularly writes and speaks on competition law, private enforcement and arbitration. He is a contributor to the study on the passing-on of overcharges for the European Commission. He is also a university lecturer (Paris 2-Panthéon-Assas). Mario works in French, Spanish and English.

Julia is admitted to the German and Spanish bar. Her practice areas include competition law, M&A, international and transnational arbitration and litigation, and renewable energies. She also has extensive experience in providing legal advice abroad and to foreign companies in Spain.
Julia received degrees in law and history, including an LLM, from the University of Hannover and another LLM from the University of Leuven. She also completed PhD studies in competition law and private international law at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. She is a lecturer of private international, business and international trade law at the University of Deusto and author of numerous publications.

Pedro is the leading partner of the competition law practice at Ramón y Cajal Abogados, which includes a specialized team dedicated to cartel damage cases with a strong focus on claimants. He is well acquainted with all public and private enforcement aspects of cartel litigation at the Spanish and EU level, as a competition law practitioner with over 20 years’ experience. Pedro and his team have been pioneers in the private enforcement of competition law in Spain, having led two of the first three competition damage claims filed with the civil courts against cartels sanctioned by the Spanish competition authority: the envelope cartel and the construction insurance cartel.

Javier is specialized in competition damages actions with a strong focus on claimants. He has developed his career entirely in the field of private enforcement, thus being familiar with all substantive and procedural aspects of competition follow-on and standalone damage claims before the Spanish courts. In the past, he advised claimants in cross-jurisdictional claims in the interchange fee litigation case and against the Spanish fruit packaging cartel. At Ramón y Cajal Abogados, he has successfully litigated two landmark cases stemming from decisions of the Spanish competition authority, such as the envelope cartel and the construction insurance cartel.

Miguel Sousa Ferro is Managing Partner of Sousa Ferro & Associados, a practicing lawyer with over 15 years’ experience. Before he worked with law firms in Brussels and Lisbon and at the GCEU in Luxembourg. He represents several antitrust actions for damages in Portugal, including Cogeco in the case leading to the famous CJEU judgment in case C-637/17, and three consumer representative actions in Portugal. Miguel is a Professor at the University of Lisbon Law School, where he lectures in competition law, EU law and economics. He is co-Director of the Portuguese Competition & Regulation Journal and a member of several associations, foundations and research institutes. His recent publications include the books “The EU Antitrust Damages Directive: Transposition in the Member States” and “Market Definition in EU Competition Law”.

Simone is the leading partner of the competition law practice at Nunziante Magrone, which includes a specialized team dedicated to antitrust damage cases. He has a deep knowledge about all public and private enforcement aspects of antitrust litigation at the Italian and EU level.
As a competition law practitioner with over 20 years’ experience, Simone has pioneered the private enforcement of competition law in Italy since early 2000, in the car insurance cartel follow-on actions (defendants’ side), up to the Italian Supreme Court, and has then progressively focused on the claimant’s side. He is currently involved in the truck cartel and carton board cartel in Italy (claimants’ side).
Simone holds a Ph.D. in Law & Economics (School of Economics, Siena), an LL.M. (King’s College), and he regularly lectures competition law at Master 2 programs at LUISS University (Rome, Italy).
As a competition law practitioner with over 20 years’ experience, Simone has pioneered the private enforcement of competition law in Italy since early 2000, in the car insurance cartel follow-on actions (defendants’ side), up to the Italian Supreme Court, and has then progressively focused on the claimant’s side. He is currently involved in the truck cartel and carton board cartel in Italy (claimants’ side).
Simone holds a Ph.D. in Law & Economics (School of Economics, Siena), an LL.M. (King’s College), and he regularly lectures competition law at Master 2 programs at LUISS University (Rome, Italy).