Wesley Lepla

About
Representative Matters
Credentials

About
Lepla advises on all aspects of European competition law, including merger control, cartels, anticompetitive agreements, abuse of a dominant position, and state aid law.

He has worked on a range of merger control cases before the European Commission and numerous national authorities and has gained extensive experience in coordinating multijurisdictional merger control notifications and proceedings. Wes has represented clients in antitrust proceedings and regularly counsels on vertical agreements and the licensing of intellectual property rights.
Areas of Expertise

Regulatory and Public Policy

Antitrust/Competition

Antitrust Transactions

Antitrust Litigation

Cartel Defense and Investigations

Corporate

Mergers and Acquisitions

Technology and IP Transactions

Consumer Brands

Financial Services

Life Sciences

Technology
Practices and Industries
Representative Matters
Transactions
- Illumina in its $1.2 billion acquisition of Pacific Biosciences.
- Northrop Grumman in its $9.2 billion acquisition of Orbital ATK.
- Verizon in its $4.5 billion acquisition of Yahoo.
- Mexichem in its $1.8 billion acquisition of Netafim.
- Emergent BioSolutions in its $270 million acquisition of PaxVax.
- Central European Media Enterprises in the sale of its broadcast operations in Croatia and Slovenia to Slovenia Broadband for $262 million.
- A global manufacturer of consumable dental products regarding a multi-billion acquisition (cleared by the European Commission in Phase I with remedies).
A global pharmaceutical company on the largest pharmaceutical merger ever (eventually abandoned).

One of the world’s largest FMCG companies regarding numerous of its global transactions, including in connection with the divestment of its personal power business, pet care business, bleach business, and several fragrance and soap businesses.

Other

Advising a pharmaceutical company on an investigation by the CMA under Chapters I and II of the Competition Act and Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.

Represented a major financial institution in relation to the European Commission’s antitrust investigation into credit default swaps.

Advised a financial institution on a potential investigation under Article 101 TFEU.

Advised pharmaceutical companies on Article 101 and 102 TFEU issues.

Counseled on the licensing of IP and the legality of vertical agreements.
Areas of Expertise

Regulatory and Public Policy

Antitrust/Competition

Antitrust Transactions

Antitrust Litigation

Cartel Defense and Investigations

Corporate

Mergers and Acquisitions

Technology and IP Transactions

Consumer Brands

Financial Services

Life Sciences

Technology

Credentials

Education	University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 2013 B.A.E.F. Fellow Fulbright Scholar Free University of Brussels, Master of Laws, 2012 summa cum laude René Marcq Award
Bar Admissions	Brussels
Languages	Dutch English French
Accolades	Fellowship for Graduate Study, Belgian American Educational Foundation (B.A.E.F) (2012-2013) Fulbright Scholar, Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States of America, Belgium and Luxembourg, The Fulbright Program (2012-2013) René Marcq Award, Free University of Brussels (VUB) (2012)
Previous Experience	Research and Teaching Assistant, Free University of Brussels (VUB) (2014-2019)

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Wesley Lepla

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