PhilippeLaconte

Philippe Laconte has in-depth experience representing major entities in antitrust and competition law as well as regulatory matters at the EU and national levels. He advises clients in a variety of industries, with a particular focus on the energy sector.

Philippe represents clients in cross-border mergers, abuse of dominant position, and State aid cases before the European Commission, European courts, and national authorities. He recently represented Luminus (a major energy producer and supplier in Belgium) in its acquisition of Essent Belgium as well as Eaton in the $3.3 billion sale of its hydraulics business to Danfoss, which was cleared after a complex Phase II investigation. He also represented NVIDIA in its $6.9 billion acquisition of Mellanox, successfully obtaining unconditional Phase I clearance, and Wabtec in its $11.1 billion merger with GE Transportation, which involved multiple antitrust reviews in numerous jurisdictions.

He regularly advises companies and governments on State aid law. He advised EDF in securing the European Commission's approval of €50 million in State aid from the French State to support R&D activities in the field of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). He also has been involved in several high-profile investigations and procedures for abuse of dominant position. He recently assisted EDF in obtaining the full dismissal of an antitrust complaint before the French Competition Authority.

Philippe worked for three years in the Firm's Washington Office, where his practice focused on assisting clients in merger reviews and antitrust investigations before the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).