Nicola Boyle

Partner
London

OVERVIEW

Nicola Boyle has been instrumental in developing the firm’s competition practice in London having joined Hausfeld shortly after its launch in 2009.

Expertise

Nicola Boyle’s experience lies in large-scale and complex litigation, including in relation to competition law and commercial disputes.

She has acted for corporate and individual clients on some of the most significant cartel damages claims of the last decade, both in the UK and continental Europe, including in relation to the multiple damages claim stemming from the Air Cargo cartel and the 'Interchange fee' litigation against Mastercard and Visa in London.

Nicola has also acted for claimants in relation to abuse of dominance claims, including for Foundem in its high-profile dispute against Google. She is a driving force behind Hausfeld's market leading position in collective actions and acts for the Consumers' Association in relation to its opt-out claim on behalf of some 30 million consumers against Qualcomm.

A keen proponent of alternative dispute resolution, she is a skilled negotiator and has successfully resolved a number of complex multi-party disputes outside of the courts. Nicola has widespread expertise in litigation funding, after the event insurance and advising clients how to manage risk via alternative fee arrangements.

Clients

Nicola has represented multi-nationals, private businesses and individual claimants in a wide range of disputes, in particular in the energy and financial services sectors.

She was previously at McGrigors.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Chambers

'Nicola Boyle is very solid and she knows a good case when she sees it... She is very pragmatic and knows which points to push forwards.' Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK and Chambers Global 2023

Nicola Boyle advises clients on claims for damages arising from price fixing and abuse of dominance matters. She is particularly active for multinational clients on domestic and international proceedings. "She is good at managing complex cases and helping clients to negotiate in difficult multiparty situations." - Competition Law Private Enforcement Claimant, Chambers UK 2022

Nicola Boyle advises clients on claims for damages arising from price fixing and abuse of dominance matters. She is particularly active for multinational clients on domestic and international proceedings. - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe, 2021

Chambers UK continues to rank Nicola as a leading lawyer and has done so for a number of consecutive years: "Nicola Boyle handles UK follow-on damages cases for large claimant groups. She has a wider practice that extends to the defence of complainants' interests in CJEU appeals against EC decisions." - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2020

Nicola Boyle acts for a number of international companies on claims for damages arising from cartel and abuse of dominance decisions. She has represented clients before the competition authorities in several European countries. Interviewees say: ‘Nicola is excellent at getting everything done and making sure things work smoothly’. - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global 2019

Nicola is an excellent lawyer and a real fighter for her clients. She spots problems in advance and shows how to deal with them. - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK 2018

Nicola is regarded an expert in damages claims with experience in the financial services and industrial sectors. Clients describe her as ‘very hands-on, knows the cases well and has a good eye for detail’. – Competition Litigation: Competition Law Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK 2017

Nicola Boyle has been highlighted as a notable practitioner in the field. Nicola has that rare quality of being able to grasp every detail of a case whilst still maintaining a clear strategic overview. she is an experienced top-quality litigator who combines expert competition knowledge with a sound, pragmatic approach. - Competition Litigation: Competition Law Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK 2016

Legal 500

"An exceptional partner..." Ranked as a "leading individual, Nicola Boyle is one of the most impressive solicitors I have ever worked with. She is commercially and legally astute, and is a fantastic team manager. The complete solicitor..." "[She] is a class act. Consistently spearheads the most significant competition disputes." - Competition Litigation 2023

Ranked as a 'Leading Individual'. - Competition Litigation, 2022

Ranked as a 'Leading Individual': ‘Nicola Boyle is a very effective litigator and a diligent case manager, with a very good overall strategic vision.’ - Competition Litigation, 2021

Legal 500 mentions Nicola Boyle as ‘highly recommended’. - Competition Litigation, 2020

‘Nicola Boyle is amazing and great at leading a team’. - Competition Litigation, 2020

‘An excellent legal mind’ - Competition Litigation, 2019

Nicola is acknowledged for acting as co-counsel for numerous entities in the interchange fee litigation. – Competition Litigation 2018

‘Enthusiastic and highly competent litigator.’ – Competition Litigation, 2015

Who’s Who Legal

Nicola Boyle is "a well-renowned competition specialist who garners praise for her work on follow-on cartel damages claims." - Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs 2022

Nicola Boyle is “held in high esteem by sources who highly recommend her first-rate practice in follow-on cartel damages claims”. - Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs, 2021

Nicola Boyle secures notable recommendations for her skill with large follow-on competition damages matters in the EU. - Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs, 2020

Nicola Boyle is an acclaimed competition plaintiff expert in the European market. She wins recommendations from her peers and clients for her practice, which focuses on representing groups in follow-on cartel damage matters. – Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs, 2019

Nicola was mentioned among ‘Thought Leaders Global Elite’ in the 2019 edition of Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders – Competition 2019’.

Nicola was mentioned for her ‘exceptional performance’ in the ‘Who’s Who Legal 2018 Plantiffs Chapter’, calling the European offices “stand out…leading firm in the European market”.

Lawdragon 2021

Nicola was recognised by Lawdragon in their 500 Global Litigation Lawyers for International Litigation & Disputes.

Nicola has acted on a number of significant follow-on cartel damages claims on behalf of claimants from across Europe and a number of which have helped develop the law in this area. Most notably:
- Claims against Mastercard in relation to interchange fees on both cross‐border and domestic transactions in 18 European countries on behalf of over 1000 operating entities in 8 corporate groups. Nicola led the Hausfeld legal team in proceedings which spanned claims in both the High Court and Competition Tribunal including a preliminary issue trial and interlocutory appeals to the Court of Appeal on issues of applicable law and relation back.
- Representing vertical search engine Foundem in its claim against Google for abuse of dominance in relation to comparison shopping services.
- Acting for a UK retailer in claims in the High Court against manufacturers of Copper Tubes and Copper Fittings
- Acting for a cross-European group of candle manufacturers and other wax purchasers in follow-on claims against paraffin wax producers
- Acting for a group of poultry producers in claims brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to price-fixing of feed phosphates and methionine
- Assisting clients in settlement dialogues in portfolio cartel claims arising from decisions of the European Commission and number of domestic competition authorities.
In addition, she led the Hausfeld team which:
- Filed a representative collective action with the CAT on behalf of the Consumers’ Association (known as Which?) against Qualcomm on behalf of a class of around 29 million UK consumers alleging that Qualcomm abuses its dominance in the markets for smartphone chipsets and standard essential patents, the result of which is that Qualcomm is able to overcharge smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung for its technology. Damages are estimated to be over £480 million.

'Nicola Boyle is very solid and she knows a good case when she sees it... She is very pragmatic and knows which points to push forwards.'

Chambers UK, 2023

Nicola Boyle is one of the most impressive solicitors I have ever worked with. She is commercially and legally astute, and is a fantastic team manager. The complete solicitor.

Legal 500, 2023

She is good at managing complex cases and helping clients to negotiate in difficult multiparty situations.

Chambers UK, 2022

A very effective litigator and a diligent case manager, with a very good overall strategic vision.

Legal 500 UK, 2021

Handles UK follow-on damages cases for large claimant groups. She has a wider practice that extends to the defence of complainants' interests in CJEU appeals against EC decisions.

Chambers UK, 2020

Nicola Boyle is amazing and great at leading a team.

Legal 500 UK, 2020

Nicola is excellent at getting everything done and making sure things work smoothly.

Chambers UK, 2019

‘An excellent legal mind’.

Legal 500 UK, 2019

An excellent lawyer and a real fighter for her clients. She spots problems in advance and shows how to deal with them.

Chambers UK, 2018

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Nicola Boyle

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