OVERVIEW
Aqeel is an experienced competition litigator with a background in both public and private enforcement of competition law in the EU and UK.
Expertise
Aqeel joins Hausfeld from White & Case in London where he was a pivotal member of their competition law and dispute resolution practices. Between 2014 and 2016, he practiced from their Brussels office. His diverse case portfolio included complex investigations, judicial review, and cartel damages work, as well as a range of advisory matters.
Aqeel has advised and represented clients in relation to competition damages actions in various EU Member States, including numerous cases before the English Courts; he has litigated cases before the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Aqeel has also advised and represented a number of companies in the judicial review of decisions of the European Commission relating to cartel infringements and abuse of dominance, before the EU General Court and Court of Justice.
In addition to his experience in private practice, Aqeel has spent time on secondment to the Competition and Markets Authority as well as gaining experience working for the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, and in the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels. In 2022, Aqeel was appointed as a Recorder to sit in Crime on the South Eastern Circuit.
Clients
Aqeel has acted for and advised clients in relation to some of the most significant antitrust cases of recent years, covering areas including predatory pricing, rebates, tying, refusal to supply and excessive pricing. He has particular experience of pricing in the pharmaceutical sector. He has also acted for clients in the banking, technology and automotive sectors.
Aqeel speaks French, Gujarati and Urdu.
EDUCATION
LL.M, London School of Economics and Political Science
Bar Vocational Course, BPP Law School
B.A. Anthropology and Law, London School of Economics and Political Science
BAR ADMISSIONS
Solicitor, Ireland, 2018
Solicitor, England and Wales, 2013 (Higher Rights of Audience, 2018)
Called to the Bar of England and Wales, 2009
Appointed as a Recorder to sit in Crime on the South Eastern Circuit, 2022
AFFILIATIONS
Member - CLA
PUBLICATIONS
"EU State aid and Arbitration" - Research Handbook on European State aid Law Hancher, L. & Piernas López, J., Eds. 2nd Edition, co-author with K. Stuckmann, G. Forwood, I. Trichkovska, 2021
"CMA v Flynn Pharma and Pfizer: Intel’s Influence Evident as Court of Appeal Clarifies ‘Excessive Pricing’ Test" - Journal of European Competition law & Practice, Vol. 11, No. 7, co-author, with J. Killick and A. Komninos, 2020
Micula and Others v Romania [2017] EWHC 31 (Comm) - Case Annotation, European State Aid Law Quarterly, 2017, Volume 16, Issue 2, pp. 316 – 321, co-author, with K. Struckmann, G. Forwood, A. Wallin, 2017
"It's becoming harder for parents to escape liability" - Competition Law Insight, co-author, with M. Israel, J. MacLennan, June 2017
"Toshiba v Commission: Court of Justice Eases Burden on Commission to Fine Parent Companies for Competition Law Infringements by Joint Ventures" - Journal of European Competition law & Practice, Vol. 8, No. 4, co-author, with J. MacLennan, 2017
"Toshiba v. Commission – How (not) to Prove Awareness, and Decisively Influence People" - Competition Policy International, August co-author, with J. MacLennan, 2016
"Investor-State Arbitrations and EU State Aid Rules: Conflict or Coexistence?" - European State Aid Law Quarterly, Volume 15, Issue 2, pp. 258-269, co-author, with K. Struckmann, G. Forwood, 2016