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Miranda Cole is a partner based in Covington's Brussels and London offices. She specialises in competition law (merger control, abuse of dominance, vertical and collaborative arrangements and technology licences and other agreements). Chambers Global notes that she "takes a proactive, holistic approach" (2014).
Her practice has a particular focus on advising companies active in the technology, communications and media, software and ecommerce, aviation and life sciences sectors. She advises clients on the competition issues raised by IP, data and technology interfaces, including access issues, standardisation, remuneration and interoperability.
In addition, she has extensive experience in the media and communications, technology and online sectors more broadly, encompassing competition law, regulation and policy issues.
Ms Cole has more than 18 years of experience before the European Commission, national competition authorities and the European Courts. She regularly speaks at conferences and events and publishes widely. She is recognised as a leading competition lawyer by Chambers & Partners, the Legal 500 and other leading industry guides.
- European competition counsel to:
- Facebook in its acquisition of WhatsApp;
- Facebook in its acquisition of Instagram;
- Microsoft in connection with the ex-US filings for its acquisition of Nokia’s Devices & Services division;
- Microsoft in relation to its acquisition of Skype;
- AstraZeneca in its acquisition of Almirall’s respiratory portfolio, and in various collaborations;
- Sanofi in connection with its diabetes collaboration with Google;
- Verizon in its acquisition of AOL; and
- AstraZeneca in relation to the creation of a diabetes joint venture with BMS and the subsequent acquisition of control of that venture.
- Counsel to Microsoft in its intervention before the General Court in relation to Cisco’s challenge of the Commission’s decision approving Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype.
- Advising technology sector complainants and defendants in relation to complaints pursuant to Articles 101 and 102 TFEU before the European Commission and Chapters 1 and 2 before the Office of Fair Trading, including:
- Microsoft in its complaint to the European Commission regarding MMI’s actions to injunct the use of standards essential patents;
- Microsoft in its defence against a complaint to the Spanish CNC regarding its software licensing and distribution structure;
- National Instruments in its complaint to the European Commission regarding MathWorks’ refusal to license software;
- Expedia, Trip Advisor, Trivago and Microsoft in connection with their complaints to the European Commission regarding Google’s conduct in search and related markets; and
- Verizon in connection with its collaborations with SwissCom, TDC and Fastweb.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Board of Editors of The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law
April 5, 2019
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., in its definitive agreement with Harris Corporation for the acquisition of Harris' Night Vision business for a purchase price of $350 million. The closing of the transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals. Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high ...
January 2019, GCR Insight - E-Commerce Competition Enforcement Guide
August 9, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Emergent BioSolutions in its $270 million acquisition of PaxVax. PaxVax is majority owned by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management. Emergent is a global life sciences company focusing on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address public health threats. PaxVax is a company focused on ...
July 30, 2018
SILICON VALLEY—Covington advised GlaxoSmithKline on its multi-year collaboration with and $300 million equity investment in 23andMe. GSK will become 23andMe’s exclusive collaborator for drug target discovery programs. The collaboration will focus on research and development of innovative new medicines and potential cures using human genetics as the basis for ...
May 3, 2018, Global Policy Watch
Reflecting evidence from 280 witnesses from the government, academia and industry, and nine months of investigation, the UK House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence published its report “AI in the UK: ready, willing and able?” on April 16, 2018 (the Report). The Report considers the future of AI in the UK, from perceived...… Continue Reading
January 22, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington advised Bacardi Limited in its definitive agreement to acquire Patrón Spirits International AG and its PATRÓN® brand, the world’s top-selling ultra-premium tequila, from John Paul DeJoria, a founder of Patrón. The transaction reflects an enterprise value for Patrón of $5.1 billion. The transaction follows the successful relationship the ...
Covington Represents Autifony Therapeutics in Collaboration and Option Deal with Boehringer Ingelheim
December 21, 2017
LONDON—Covington represented Autifony Therapeutics Limited in connection with an option and asset purchase agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), with respect to Autifony's Kv3.1/3.2 positive modulator platform. This agreement provides BI with an exclusive option to acquire Autifony’s Kv3.1/3.2 positive modulator platform, including Autifony's lead compound ...
December 7, 2017, Covington Alert
On 6 December 2017, the Court of Justice of European Union (CJEU) issued its long-awaited Judgment in Coty Germany GmbH v Parfümerie Akzente GmbH. Taking an approach similar to that adopted by Advocate General (AG) Wahl in his Opinion in July, the CJEU found that a supplier of luxury goods may prevent its authorised retailers from using third-party platforms in ...
November 10, 2017
BRUSSELS—Politico has named Covington partner Miranda Cole to its “2017 Women Who Shape Brussels” list, a group of “20 powerhouses driving debates and influencing policy in 2017.” In its profile of Ms. Cole, the publication highlights her defense of leading technology clients, including Microsoft, Facebook, and Verizon, before the European Commission. Politico ...
October 18, 2017, Global Policy Watch
This case provides a stark lesson in competition compliance training: the infringement decision of the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) was upheld against a company that, while it refused to join a cartel, still exchanged strategic commercial information with its competitors (while being recorded by the CMA…) The circumstances represent a timely ...
September 26, 2017, The Pink Sheet
A blog post by Miranda Cole is referenced in a Pink Sheet article regarding the Advocate General's Opinion in Hoffmann-La Roche vs Autorità Garante della Concurrenza e del Mercato. Cole write, if the opinion was followed by the full court it could have "significant implications for market definition in relation to pharmaceutical products, and potentially for ...
AG’s Opinion – Licensed and Unlicensed Medicines May Fall Within the Same Relevant Product Market
September 22, 2017, Inside EU Life Sciences
Yesterday’s Opinion from Advocate General Saugmandsgaard Øe (AG) in Hoffmann-La Roche vs Autorità Garante della Concurrenza e del Mercato takes the position that licensed and unlicensed pharmaceutical products used for the same indication may fall within the same relevant product market. The Italian Council of State (ICS) referred a number of questions to the ...
Covington Advises Aristocrat in Acquisition of Plarium and Related Acquisition Financing
August 15, 2017
WASHINGTON—Covington, together with Israeli-based law firm Allens and Herzog Fox & Neeman, is representing Aristocrat Leisure Limited, a leading provider of gaming solutions, in its acquisition of Plarium Global Limited and the related acquisition financing. Aristocrat will make an upfront cash payment of $500 million plus earn-out payments based on Plarium’s ...
July 12, 2017
LONDON—Covington is advising Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME) on the sale of its broadcast operations in Croatia and Slovenia to Slovenia Broadband S.à r.l for approximately $262.2 million. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2017. CME is a NASDAQ-listed media and entertainment company operating leading businesses in six Central and ...
June 16, 2017
LONDON—Euromoney Legal Media Group has selected three 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, ...
May 11, 2017, CovBrands
On 10 May 2017 the European Commission published its Final Report on the E-commerce Sector Inquiry (the “Report”). The Commission’s E-commerce Sector Inquiry, launched on 6 May 6 2015 as part of the Digital Single Market Strategy, gathered evidence from nearly 1,900 companies connected with the online sale of consumer goods and digital content. The...… ...
April 8, 2017, CovBrands
On 5 April 2017, the Duesseldorf Higher Regional Court confirmed the August 2015 decision of the Federal Cartel Office finding that it is anti-competitive and therefore illegal to impose on distributors a general prohibition on the use of online price comparison portals. The Cartel Office had faulted Asics over imposing the following restrictions on its...… ...
EU Excessive Pricing Cases in the EU - More to Come?
January 17, 2017, Webinar
December 8, 2016, Inside EU Life Sciences
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (the “CMA”) imposed a £84.2 million (€99.7 million) fine on Pfizer yesterday. In addition, the CMA also fined distributor Flynn Pharma £5.2 million (€6.1 million). The CMA found that Pfizer and Flynn Pharma abused their dominant positions by charging excessive and unfair prices for phenytoin sodium capsules, drugs ...
Two Covington Partners on GCR’s Women in Antitrust List
December 2, 2016
LONDON—Global Competition Review has named two Covington partners to its Women in Antitrust list. Now in its fifth year, the report aims to identify and celebrate achievements of elite female antitrust professionals in private practice, as well as expert economists, in-house counsel, enforcers, and academics around the world. Miranda Cole is a partner based in ...
October 21, 2016, Inside EU Life Sciences
In its 18 October judgment the French Cour de Cassation upheld the €40.6m fine imposed on Sanofi-Aventis (“Sanofi”) by the French Competition Authority (“FCA”) in May 2013 and affirmed the judgment of the Paris Court of Appeal. The FCA found that Sanofi abused its dominant position in violation of Art. 102 of the Treaty on...… Continue Reading
October 21, 2016
WASHINGTON—Covington represented India-based Piramal Enterprises and its wholly owned Critical Care subsidiary in the UK in the acquisition of five anesthesia and pain management injectable products from Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, in an all cash deal for an upfront consideration of US$155 million, and up to an additional US$20 million. The products to be acquired ...
The European Commission's Preliminary Report and Public Conference on the E-commerce Sector Inquiry
October 19, 2016, Covington Alert
On September 15, 2016, the European Commission published its Preliminary Report on the ongoing e-commerce sector inquiry. The report is based on the input from nearly 1,800 companies operating in e-commerce of consumer goods and digital content and has analyzed around 8,000 distribution contracts. The report confirms the fast growth of e-commerce in the EU and ...
October 17, 2016, Inside EU Life Sciences
The Italian Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (“AGCM”) has fined Aspen over €5 million for having abused its dominant position – in violation of Art. 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – by increasing prices of its anti-cancer drugs Alkeran (melphalan), Leukeran (chlorambucil), Purinethol (mercaptopurine) and Tioguanine ...
October 7, 2016
LONDON—Covington advised AstraZeneca on its agreement with Cilag GmbH International, an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson, for the divestment of the rights to Rhinocort Aqua outside the U.S. Rhinocort Aqua is a nasal spray indicated for allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the inside of the nose), and for the treatment of nasal polyps (swelling of ...
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, 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 ...
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, ...
EU Law and Life Sciences - Cosmetics: Managing Online Sales to Protect Your Brand
May 12, 2016, Webinar
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
Interview with Miranda Cole
February 16, 2016, Competition Law Insight
Miranda Cole is showcased by Competition Law Insight in this feature.
February 12, 2016, 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, 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, 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
The Role of 'Big Data' in Competition Law
September 9, 2015, Competition Law Forum
European Union: Pharmaceuticals
August 2015, An Extract from The European Antitrust Review 2016
July 20, 2015, Covington Alert
July 17, 2015, 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, 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 ...
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 - ...
Covington Advises Joy Global on Acquisition of Montabert
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 ...
The Italian Competition Authority launches a sector inquiry in relation to vaccines for human use
May 28, 2015, 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 6, 2015, Covington E-Alert
April 29, 2015, 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, 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 ...
March 4, 2015, 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 ...
February 9, 2015, 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, 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
Judgment of the General Court of the EU in case T-272/12 - EU powers of inspection get another boost
December 1, 2014, Covington E-Alert
November 25, 2014, Covington E-Alert
LabCorp Acquires Covance In $6.1B In Cash-Stock Deal
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.
Covington Advises Consort Medical on Aesica Holdco Acquisition and related £260 million financing
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 ...
Covington’s Brussels harvest
September 22, 2014, Commercial Dispute Resolution
Covington's Peter Camesasca, Johan Ysewyn, Melissa Van Schoorisse, 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 temporarily ...
Covington Advises Samsung in PrinterOn Acquisition
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 ...
Covington Advises AstraZeneca on Strategic Transaction with Almirall in Respiratory Disease
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 ...
Licensing under FRAND commitments: current practice and recent debate
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 ...
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 ...
Mergers: Trends and Challenges
November 27, 2013, IBC Legal’s 22nd Annual Advanced EU Competition Law Conference
Competition Law & Regulation in the Telecoms, Internet and Broadcasting Sectors
November 21, 2013, IBC Legal’s Annual Conference
“New Frontiers: Contracts that Reference Rivals”, “Most Favored Nation Clauses” & “Anticompetitive practices in the US, Europe and Brazil”
October 31, 2013, IBRAC International Antitrust Seminar
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
Antitrust, the Web and E-Commerce
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 ...
Covington Wins ‘Merger Control Matter of the Year’ Award
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 ...
Merger review in the IT sector: too much or too little scrutiny?
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 ...
Covington Named to GCR’s Global Elite
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 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 ...
Covington Promotes 10 Lawyers to Partnership
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 ...
Covington Advises Microsoft in Standards-Essential Wireless Patents Portfolio Transaction with MOSAID and Nokia
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, ...
Covington Advises Microsoft in $8.5 Billion Skype Deal
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 ...
February 1, 2010, Global Competition Review
July 2009, Utilities Law Review
Response to the Consultation on the Commission's Broadband Guidelines
June 22, 2009, AmCham EU
Senior DOJ Antitrust Official Joins Covington as Co-Chair of Global Competition Practice
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 ...
Digital Media and Digital Rights Management
November 9, 2007, IBC Communications and Competition Law Conference
Impact of Institutional Issues in the Review of the EU Framework for Electronic Communications
May 2007, European Commission Study
New Media and Digital Media Rights
March 1, 2007, BC Broadcasting and Digital Media Rights Conference
Barriers to Competition in the ECNS Markets of the EU
November 2003, European Commission Study
Market Definition for Regulatory Obligations in Communications Markets
May 2002, European Commission Study
- Politico, "Women Who Shape Brussels" (2017)
- Global Competition Review, "Women in Antitrust" (2016)
- IFLR1000, EU Competition (2014)
- Euromoney Legal Media Group, shortlisted for Europe Women in Business Law Awards for Competition and Antitrust (2014-2018)
- Chambers Global, Competition/European Law (Belgium) (2013-2019)
- Chambers Europe, Competition/European Law (2013-2019)
- Legal 500 EMEA
- Competition - Belgium (2016-2017, 2014)
- IT and Telecoms (2017)
- EU Regulatory - Information Technology (2017)
- EU Regulatory - Privacy & Protection (2016)
- The International Who's Who of Competition Lawyers & Economists (2014)
- IFLR Expert Guides, Competition and Antitrust (2014)
- The Practical Law Company (PLC) - Which Law Firm?, EU Telecoms, Media & Technology (2011)
Practices
Education
University of London, LL.M., 1997
- with Distinction
The University of Queensland, LL.B., 1993
- University medal
The University of Queensland, B.A., 1991
- First class