Richard Eccles advises on competition law in all sectors and on public law in regulated industries.  Richard has vast experience of competition law gained mostly in leading City law firms and significant experience of sector regulation especially in electronic communications.  He has over 30 years’ in-depth experience of EU and UK competition law, including anti-trust, merger control and the EU State aid rules.  

From 2002 until August 2020 Richard was a partner in Bird & Bird LLP (in its Competition & EU Law Group) in London.  He also previously led the Brussels office of CMS Cameron McKenna (formerly McKenna & Co).  From September 2020 onwards he advised on competition law as an external consultant.

Richard has particular experience in the electronic communications, broadcasting, sports, life sciences and postal services sectors.  He has conducted cases before the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (and its forerunner entities), sector regulators including Ofcom, and the European Commission.  

Richard is a past Chair of the Law Society's Competition Section and was active on the committee of the Section (and its forerunner the Law Society’s European Group) for many years (until October 2020).

Richard’s recent experience includes the following:

Competition law:

● Representing parties in UK merger control processes seeking and/or obtaining merger control clearance from the CMA, including CMA phase 1 and phase 2 investigations

● Advising parties on UK and EU merger control concerning other merger transactions

● Advising on EU and UK anti-trust law on a wide range of supply, licensing, distribution, and many other commercial agreements, including in the context of the digital environment

● Advising various sports bodies on EU and UK competition law in relation to the tendering and licensing of sports media rights

● Advising on a wide range of issues concerning abuse of dominance

● Regularly monitoring and advising a grouping of professional services firms to ensure competition law compliance in their discussions

● Advising various companies and public bodies on the EU State aid rules, especially in relation to State aid for research and development.

Communications regulation:

● Advising UK and international businesses on a wide range of communications regulatory issues

● Advising the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of a Middle Eastern State in detail on a range of regulatory issues.

Richard is a member of the firm’s technology, media and telecoms group, which is a substantial practice group at the firm. He lives in Cambridge and is particularly well placed to support technology clients based in the Cambridge area.