Brussels, 22 January 2025: We are delighted to announce that The European Circle for Competition Damages („The Circle“) has adopted two new Members, namely Marie De Drouas (France) and Grégoire Ryelandt (Belgium), and the first Non-European Cooperation Partner, namely Willi Künzli (Brazil).
Marie de Drouas is a widely recognized expert in EU and French competition law with strong know-how and expertise in particular in complex follow-on damage litigation. Marie is partner of the law firm Niddam-Drouas, Paris, which she founded in 2017 after having spent a decade in the antitrust practice group of a large international law firm.
Grégoire Ryelandt is a competition law partner at the law firm deprevernet, Brussels, with outstanding experience in competition damage cases before Belgian courts. He is also a regular litigation counsel of the Belgian Competition Authority. Grégoire is involved in several private enforcement and collective action cases concerning both cartel behaviour and the abuse of dominance.
Willi Künzli is a lawyer specialised in the private enforcement of competition law in Brazil. He represents companies in antitrust damage cases, notably against cartels, such as in the cement, salt, GIS, AIS and power cables cases. Willi is involved in complex global cartel cases where litigation takes place in various jurisdictions. He founded Künzli Advogados, São Paulo, and is admitted to the bars in Brazil and New York.
The Circle a cooperation network of lawyers from premier boutique law firms, economists, service providers and other professionals specialised in the private enforcement of competition law in Europe. The Circle exclusively focuses on the enforcement of claims for damages resulting from cartel behaviour and/or the abuse of market dominance, as well as legal actions and/or other measures regarding such infringements. Membership is on an invitation-only basis, to ensure high quality and standards. The Circle members have acted in most prominent and high-profile cases of private enforcement of competition law across Europe. Besides this unparalleled practical experience, each member has in-depth knowledge of EU law as well as the law of one or more relevant jurisdictions and/or the quantification of competition damages.