September 12, 2016, Covington Alert

The General Court (the “GC” or the “Court”) delivered its judgment in the Lundbeck ‘pay-for-delay’ case last Thursday (Case T-472/13 Lundbeck v Commission). In its judgment, the GC confirms the European Commission (the “Commission”)’s decision (the “Decision”), namely that the agreements between Lundbeck and the generic producers (Merck KGaA/Generics UK (“GUK”), ...

July 13, 2016, Covington Alert

On July 1, 2016, the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy published a proposed draft amendment to the German Act against Restraints of Competition, which would introduce a new merger control notification threshold based on transaction value. The draft (i) introduces a new merger control notification threshold based on transaction value, (ii) ...

July 11, 2016, Pharmaceutical companies – Inside EU Life Sciences

In its 7 July 2016 Genentech judgment (Case C-567/14), the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) ruled that Genentech had to pay royalties to Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland under its licence agreement. The Paris Court of Appeal requested a preliminary ruling on whether the provisions of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union … Continue Reading

June 17, 2016

LONDON—Euromoney Legal Media Group has selected four Covington lawyers for its annual “Europe Women in Business Law Awards.” The awards honor women in the legal sector across Europe. The Covington lawyers recognized are: Louise Nash, Best in Mergers & Acquisitions. Ms. Nash focuses on M&A and other transactional matters for clients in the consumer brands, ...

April 29, 2016, CovBrands

On 25 April, the German Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt filed a request for a preliminary ruling with the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) in a case that turns on the ability of branded goods manufacturers to protect the reputation of their brands by controlling online trade. Coty is suing one of its authorised distributors, … Continue Reading

March 15, 2016, Competition Law Insight

February 16, 2016, Competition Law Insight

Miranda Cole is showcased by Competition Law Insight in this feature. 

February 12, 2016, Pharmaceutical companies – Inside EU Life Sciences

The CMA issued an infringement decision today fining GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”) and two other pharmaceutical companies a total of £45 million for delaying market entry of generic versions of GSK’s blockbuster anti-depressant Seroxat (paroxetine) in the UK. The paroxetine patent was due to expire in 2001, and several companies including Generics UK Limited (“GUK”) ...

December 17, 2015

LONDON, 17 December, 2015 — Covington advised AstraZeneca on its acquisition of Takeda’s respiratory business. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will make a payment of $575 million, and approximately 200 staff will transfer to AstraZeneca upon completion. The deal will include the expansion of rights to roflumilast (marketed as Daliresp in the ...

December 8, 2015, CovBrands

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) has opened an investigation into suspected anticompetitive arrangements relating to online sales of licensed sport and entertainment merchandise and other consumer products. The opening of the investigation follows raids on December 1, 2015 at the headquarters of Trod Limited, a UK retailer of toys and sports ...

December 4, 2015, Anne Robert – Inside EU Life Sciences

Since its in-depth inquiry into the pharmaceutical industry in 2008-2009, the European Commission (the “Commission”) has monitored patent settlement agreements. In its 2014 report published on 2 December 2015, the Commission revealed the results of its analysis of 76 patent settlement agreements between originators and generics  (a number “far below” the figures ...

November 23, 2015, CovBrands

On 18 November 2015, the French competition authority announced that it had closed its investigation into Adidas’ online sales terms, after the company changed the terms. The French competition authority carried out this investigation in cooperation with the German Federal Cartel Office (the Bundeskartellamt). Adidas operates a selective distribution system ...

October 12, 2015, Pharmaceutical companies – Inside EU Life Sciences

On Thursday the General Court (the “GC”) held the first two hearings  in the Lundbeck case. Generics UK, now part of the Mylan group, and its former parent Merck KGaA (“Merck”) challenged the European Commission’s (the “Commission”) analysis, arguing that the Commission had wrongfully concluded that Generics UK’s settlement agreement with Danish originator ...

October 1, 2015, Covington Alert

September 24, 2015, Covington Alert

September 9, 2015, Competition Law Forum

August 2015, An Extract from The European Antitrust Review 2016

July 20, 2015, Covington Alert

July 17, 2015, Pharmaceutical companies – Inside EU Life Sciences

On 14 July 2015, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published the preliminary non-confidential version of its decision in the Servier case, one year after the decision was issued.  This is the second key Commission decision, after Lundbeck, on reverse payment patent settlement agreements. In Servier, the Commission went further than in Lundbeck and in ...

July 6, 2015, Cándido García Molyneux – Global Policy Watch

1.  Digital Single Market Policy Almost two years after the European Commission presented its proposal on a telecoms single market (Connected Continent), on 30 June, the three EU institutions finalized negotiations on two important issues: roaming charges and net neutrality. All other elements of the package will be discussed as part of the new Digital … ...

July 6, 2015

LONDON, July 6, 2015 — Euromoney Legal Media Group selected four Covington partners Louise Nash, Lucinda Osborne, Lisa Peets and Hilary Prescott for its annual European Women in Business Law Awards. The awards honor women who are leading the field in the legal sector across Europe. Louise Nash won the award for Mergers & Acquisitions. Ms. Nash is a member of ...

July 2015, E-Commerce Law and Policy

June 2015, Intellectual Property & Technology Journal

June 11, 2015

BRUSSELS, June 11, 2015 — Covington has received 20 leading practice group rankings in the 2015 editions of Chambers Europe and Legal 500 EMEA. The legal guides have recognised the firm’s expertise in the following areas: CHAMBERS EUROPE  Europe-wide - Regulatory - Agro/Food Europe-wide - Regulatory - Environment Europe-wide - Regulatory - ...

June 4, 2015

NEW YORK, June 4, 2015 — Covington acted as U.S. M&A and antitrust counsel to Joy Global, Inc., a leader in high-productivity mining solutions, on its French-law governed acquisition of Montabert S.A.S. from Doosan Holding France S.A.S., an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate Doosan Global, for EUR 110 million.   Montabert specializes in the production and ...

May 28, 2015, Pharmaceutical companies – Inside EU Life Sciences

On 27 May 2015, the Italian Competition Authority (ICA) issued a decision launching a sector inquiry into the supply of vaccines for human use. The ICA has stated that it has launched the sector inquiry because of: the importance of vaccines in terms of health care costs borne by the Italian National Health Service (over … Continue Reading

May 15, 2015, Law360

May 6, 2015, Covington E-Alert

May 6, 2015, Covington E-Alert

April 29, 2015, Nicoleta Tuominen – CovBrands

Early this month, the German Federal Supreme Court (BGH) published its judgment in the appeal filed by Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. (Melitta Europa) against the 2014 judgment of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court (OLG). The OLG confirmed a 55 million euro fine imposed in 2009 by the German Federal Cartel Office on Melitta Kaffee, … Continue Reading

March 26, 2015, Louise Nash – CovBrands

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an investigation into suspected anti-competitive arrangements in UK fashion markets.  Little information has been released, but the case was opened on 24 March 2015 into anticompetitive agreements and concerted practices under Chapter I of the UK Competition Act 1998 and/or Article 101 of the Treaty on … ...

March 4, 2015, Nicoleta Tuominen – CovBrands

On 3 March 2015, the FCO issued a decision against the operator of the factory outlet centre Wertheim Village, VR Franconia GmbH. The operator of the outlet centre included a non-compete radius clause in its lease agreements, prohibiting most of the 100 tenants (branded goods manufacturers) from opening shops in other factory outlet centres or … Continue Reading

February 9, 2015, Nicoleta Tuominen – CovBrands

On 22 January 2015, the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) fined SodaStream € 225,000 for foreclosing its competitors’ access to the market for refilling of gas cylinders for carbonated drinks machines. In 2006 the FCO found that SodaStream (formely Soda Club), as a dominant company, could not foreclose its competitors from refilling the CO2 cartridges for … ...

February 2, 2015, Private Equity News

December 15, 2014, Miranda Cole – CovBrands

On 28 November 2014, the French Competition Authority (“FCA”) dismissed an action against Vente-privee.com (“Vente-Privee”), a French “online sales” (or “online private sales”) site, opened following a complaint from competing e-commerce company, BrandAlley, regarding the alleged imposition of abusive exclusivity clauses in its contracts with its suppliers. ...

December 9, 2014, Competition Law Insight

December 5, 2014, Miranda Cole – Inside EU Life Sciences

The European Commission published its Fifth Monitoring Report of Patent Settlements today. Patent settlements enable patent-related disputes to be resolved without having to litigate issues such as patent validity or patent infringement.  The Commission takes the view that patent settlements can infringe competition law when they prompt generic suppliers to ...

December 1, 2014, Covington E-Alert

November 25, 2014, Covington E-Alert

November 3, 2014, Law360

Covington partners Thomas Barnett, Miranda Cole and Anne Lee provided antitrust counsel to research firm Covance in this $6 billion deal in which Covance was acquired by Laboratory Corp of America Holdings. 

October 10, 2014

LONDON, 10 October, 2014 — Covington & Burling is advising Consort Medical plc on the acquisition of Aesica Holdco Limited and its operating subsidiaries from private equity fund Silverfleet Capital and its management shareholders for a total consideration of approximately £230 million. Covington is also advising Consort Medical plc on the £98.9 million Rights ...

October 1, 2014, Nicoleta Tuominen – CovBrands

In early 2013, the German competition authority (Bundeskartellamt) opened investigations into the German online distribution systems of sporting goods manufacturers Adidas and Asics.  Both companies operate selective distribution systems, and the Bundeskartellamt took the preliminary view that both companies were imposing on their distributors restrictions ...

September 29, 2014, Luxury Legal Post

September 22, 2014, Commercial Dispute Resolution

Covington's Peter Camesasca, Johan Ysewyn, Melissa Van Schoorisse, Jennifer Boudet, Miranda Cole, Henriette Tielemans, Sebastian Vos, and Jean De Ruyt are mentioned in this article on the growth of Covington's Brussels office: "April was a busy month for Covington & Burling’s competition lawyers, marking, as it did, the welcome return of Peter Camesasca – who ...

September 19, 2014

REDWOOD SHORES, CA, September 19, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in its acquisition of Canadian cloud-printing firm PrinterOn. The acquisition is expected to enhance Samsung’s mobile cloud services to the business-to-business market. Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung purchased all outstanding stock from the current ...

September 10, 2014, Covington E-Alert

July 30, 2014

LONDON, 30 July, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised AstraZeneca on its agreement to transfer to the company the rights to Almirall’s respiratory franchise for an initial consideration of $875 million on completion, and up to $1.22 billion in development, launch, and sales-related milestones. AstraZeneca has also agreed to make various sales-related payments. ...

July 30, 2014, Legal Business

Lucinda Osborne, Gregor Frizzell, Christopher Walter and Miranda Cole are mentioned regarding their representation of AstraZeneca on its £1.2bn acquisition of Spanish healthcare group Almirall’s respiratory unit.

July 7, 2014

LONDON, 7 July, 2014 — Euromoney Legal Media Group awarded Covington partners Lisa Peets and Carmen Martinez Lopez the ‘Best in Copyright’ and ‘Rising Star - Litigation’ awards at the annual European Women in Business Law Awards ceremony in London. The awards honour firms that set “the standard in terms of female-friendly work practices, and women leading the ...

June 27, 2014, Nicoleta Tuominen – CovBrands

On 13 June 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority (the “CMA”), the Office of Fair Trading’s successor, closed its investigation into allegations of illegal pricing agreements between sports bra manufacturer DB Apparel and three UK department stores.  Having carefully reviewed the evidence in the case, including the representations of the parties concerned, ...

June 23, 2014, GCR Live 2nd Annual IP & Antitrust

May 2, 2014

LONDON, 1 May, 2014 — Euromoney Legal Media Group have shortlisted nine Covington lawyers for the annual ‘Europe Women in Business Law Awards’ 2014. Those shortlisted for “Best in” their respective practice areas are:  Competition and Antitrust - Miranda Cole Copyright - Lisa Peets Financial Regulation - Charlotte Hill Life Sciences - Lucinda Osborne ...

4/30/2014

Brussels, 30 April, 2014 — Covington & Burling is pleased to announce that Johan Ysewyn and Peter Camesasca are joining the firm's Brussels office as partners, where they will play substantial roles in the firm’s global antitrust and competition practice. The additions of Mr. Ysewyn and Dr. Camesasca will strengthen the firm’s existing EU competition team in ...

February 20, 2014, Covington E-Alert

December 19, 2013

NEW YORK, December 19, 2013 — Covington & Burling advised AstraZeneca in its acquisition of Bristol-Myers Squibb's interests in the companies’ diabetes alliance for an initial consideration of $2.7 billion on completion and up to $1.4 billion in regulatory, launch and sales-related payments. AstraZeneca has also agreed to pay various sales-related royalty ...

November 27, 2013, IBC Legal’s 22nd Annual Advanced EU Competition Law Conference

November 21, 2013, IBC Legal’s Annual Conference

October 31, 2013, IBRAC International Antitrust Seminar

October 23, 2013, Law360

September 3, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, September 3, 2013 — Covington & Burling is advising Microsoft Corp. in its purchase of substantially all of Nokia’s devices & services business. Under the transaction, Microsoft will also license Nokia’s patents, and license and use Nokia’s mapping services. The total transaction price is EUR 5.44 billion in cash — or more than $7 billion. The ...

February 26, 2013, Covington E-Alert

February 23, 2013, Miranda Cole – Inside EU Life Sciences

Originally published as Covington E-Alert on February 26, 2013 On  20  February  2013,  the  European  Commission  published  for  consultation  its  proposal  for revisions to the EU technology transfer competition regime.  The consultation period runs until 17 May 2013.  The new regime will be adopted before April 2014.  The EU’s approach to the application of ...

February 9, 2013, GCR Live: 2nd Annual Antitrust Law Leaders Forum 2013

April 23, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2012 — Covington & Burling advised Microsoft Corp. in negotiating a definitive agreement with Facebook that assigns the social networking company the right to purchase a portion of a patent portfolio that Microsoft recently purchased from AOL Inc. Under the agreement, announced today, Facebook will pay $550 million in cash. Covington ...

4/23/2012

NEW YORK, April 23, 2012 — Covington & Burling represented Thomson Reuters in a definitive agreement to sell its Healthcare business to an affiliate of Veritas Capital for $1.25 billion in cash. The sale, expected to close in the next few months, is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of ...

4/2/2012

LONDON, 2 April, 2012 — Global Competition Review has selected Microsoft Corp.’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype Global S.à.r.l. as the winner in the “Merger Control Matter of the Year - Europe” category of the GCR Awards 2012. Covington’s Brussels competition team, led by partners Lars Kjølbye and Miranda Cole, advised Microsoft on competition-related aspects ...

March 14, 2012, Global Competition Review's Antitrust and Technology 2012

March 7, 2012

LONDON, 07 March, 2012 — Global Competition Review has selected Covington & Burling LLP to its shortlist for the “Merger Control Matter of the Year Award - Europe” for the firm’s work advising Microsoft Corp. in its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype Global S.à.r.l. The Brussels competition team, led by partners Lars Kjølbye and Miranda Cole, advised on the ...

March 5, 2012, Morag Peberdy – Inside EU Life Sciences

Article originally published in PLC Life Sciences Handbook 2012 M&A in the life sciences sector has remained robust, driven by factors such as: „„ The need to replenish shrinking product pipelines. „„ The need to maintain revenues as patents on top-selling products expire. „„ The strategic diversification of business lines. „„ Expansion into emerging markets. … ...

February 6, 2012

BRUSSELS, 6 February, 2012 — The Global Competition Review has named Covington & Burling to the Global Elite, a list of the top 20 competition practices worldwide recognised in its annual GCR 100 rankings. The 2012 edition of the publication’s GCR 100 provides extensive analysis of antitrust groups in 41 jurisdictions around the world. In honoring Covington, ...

January 12, 2012, Covington E-Alert

January 11, 2012, Covington E-Alert

2012, PLC Life Sciences Handbook 2012

10/21/2011

LONDON, 21 October, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP is advising Axis-Shield plc on the recommended £235 million all cash public takeover offer from Alere, Inc., a US company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Axis-Shield is a Scottish-Norwegian company, listed on the London and Oslo Stock Exchanges, that develops and manufactures in vitro diagnostic tests for ...

October 3, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC, October 3, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP announced today that 10 of its lawyers have been elected to the firm’s partnership effective October 1. This group is comprised of diverse and talented individuals who have made their mark at Covington through exceptional work and the highest standards of client service. “We’re delighted to welcome these ...

September 2, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO, September 2, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP represented Microsoft Corp. in a patent monetization transaction involving the acquisition by MOSAID Technologies Incorporated of Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l., a Luxembourg company that holds a portfolio of 400 patent families, consisting of approximately 2,000 wireless patents and patent ...

July 5, 2011

NEW YORK, July 5, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP represented Microsoft Corp. in the $4.5 billion winning bid in the auction of Nortel Networks Corporation’s 6000 patents and patent applications. A consortium of Microsoft and several other technology companies will share Nortel’s 4G wireless, data networking, optical, voice, Internet, service provider, ...

5/16/2011

WASHINGTON, DC, May 16, 2011 — Joy Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYG), a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions, reported today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent ownership interest in LeTourneau Technologies, Inc. (“LeTourneau”) from Rowan Companies, Inc. (“Rowan”) (NYSE: RDC) for $1.1 billion in cash. LeTourneau designs, ...

May 10, 2011

WASHINGTON, SAN FRANCISCO, BRUSSELS, AND LONDON, May 10, 2011 —Covington & Burling LLP is advising Microsoft Corp. in its acquisition of Skype Global S.à.r.l., the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash. Microsoft’s purchase of Skype from the investor group led by Silver Lake is expected to increase the accessibility of real-time ...

February 22, 2011

NEW YORK, February 22, 2011 — Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: FRX) and Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA) announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement pursuant to which Forest will acquire Clinical Data, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of first-in-class and best-in-category therapeutics. Covington & Burling LLP ...

October 12, 2010

NEW YORK, October 12, 2010 — King Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Pfizer to acquire all of the outstanding stock and stock equivalents of King for $14.25 in cash per share, or aggregate consideration of $3.6 billion. Covington & Burling LLP advised King on the transaction. King is a vertically integrated ...

May 24, 2010, Competition Law360

April 27, 2010, Jetty Tielemans – Inside EU Life Sciences

Originally published as Covington E-Alert on April 27, 2010  On 20 April 2010, the European Commission published new rules governing so-called “vertical” agreements, such as distribution and supply agreements. The new rules are set out in the Vertical Restraints Block Exemption Regulation and the related Guidelines (see DG Competition’s website). They will ...

April 27, 2010, Covington E-Alert

February 1, 2010, Global Competition Review

November/December 2009, The European Lawyer

July 2009, Utilities Law Review

June 22, 2009, AmCham EU

3/23/2009

WASHINGTON, DC, March 23, 2009 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce that Deborah Garza, who most recently served as Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, has joined the firm. Ms. Garza will co-chair, along with Thomas O. Barnett, the firm’s global antitrust and competition law practice. Ms. Garza ...

2/9/2009

BRUSSELS, February 9, 2009 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce the arrival of Miranda Cole, who joins the firm’s EU competition practice in Brussels as special counsel. Ms. Cole practices competition and communications law and policy, and has some 15 years of experience in the field. Ms. Cole’s expertise in the competition field encompasses merger ...

May 2008, Business Law International

2007/2008, ULR

2007/2008, ULR

November 9, 2007, IBC Communications and Competition Law Conference

July 31, 2007, IT Law Summer School

May 2007, European Commission Study

March 1, 2007, BC Broadcasting and Digital Media Rights Conference

2005/2006, ULR

November 2003, European Commission Study

May 2002, European Commission Study