Anna Morfey

Partner
London

OVERVIEW

Qualified solicitor-advocate, Anna Morfey, focuses on all aspects of contentious EU and competition law. She has over 15 years’ experience advising on EU/UK Competition Law issues and litigating Competition Damages claims, both in relation to abuse of dominance and cartels.

Expertise

Anna has a wealth of experience in European and domestic antitrust investigations, follow-on and stand-alone damages claims, and merger transactions. Her expertise in follow-on damages claims arising out of the cartels which Hausfeld has led, has been indispensable. She possesses extensive litigation experience in the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and, at European level, before the General Court and Court of Justice. Her background in cartel investigations and defending cartel damages claims, and her appreciation of the procedural as well as substantive law relevant to cartel damages claims, means Anna stands out as an excellent tactician among the claimant bench.

She has been instrumental in developing Hausfeld’s most innovative claims, including collective actions, ‘fast-track’ claims and injunctions, in connection with the legal regime established by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. She has first-hand insight on abuse of dominance cases as the lead partner representing Foundem in its intervention in Google’s appeal in the European General Court against the European Commission’s Google Shopping decision, and previously worked for several years on abuse of dominance cases against Microsoft.

Before moving to London, Anna worked in Brussels for three years. She also spent time on secondment to the in-house competition team of Barclays Bank plc and the UK Office of Fair Trading (now Competition and Markets Authority). Anna trained at Clifford Chance, and was a Senior Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP prior to joining Hausfeld as a Partner.

Clients

Anna has represented clients across a variety of sectors, including financial services, defence, consumer products, manufacturing and hi-tech. Her clients appreciate her sharp intellect while remaining approachable.

Anna is proficient in French.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Chambers

Anna Morfey acts on claims in the transport, energy and technology sectors, assisting with opt-out collective claims and class actions. "She is absolutely outstanding. She is a go-to partner for complex competition cases. She manages cases efficiently and effectively." - Competition Law Private Enforcement Claimant, Chambers UK 2022

Commentators describe Anna Morfey as a "brilliant litigator who is very experienced" and add that, because of her previous experience as a defendant lawyer, she has "a keen appreciation for the tactics defendants will take." She acts on claims in the transport, energy and technology sectors, assisting with opt-out collective claims and class actions. – Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe, 2021

Interviewees say that Anna Morfey "brings to bear her experience of having worked on the other side of the table, so she knows what to expect from the other side." "She is really smart, on the ball and an aggressive litigator. She knows where the right pressure points are based on her experience on the defendant side," states another source. Morfey has considerable UK follow-on damages experience. - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global, 2020

Anna Morfey is lauded by interviewees as “a brilliant technical lawyer who is very good at economics." "She assists with cartel and abuse of dominance claims with a focus on the transport, energy and technology industries. - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, Chambers UK, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global, 2019

Anna Morfey is recognized as ‘up and coming’ and a “rising star with huge potential, an incredible litigator.” - Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant, 2018

Legal 500

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

‘Anna Morfey is very able, pleasant, diligent and commercial.‘ – Competition Litigation, 2021

Anna is listed as ‘Next Generation Partner’ – Competition Litigation, 2020 and 2021

“Anna Morfey is an excellent tactician, who really understands which points to press during litigation proceedings.” - Competition Litigation, 2020

‘First class’ - Competition Litigation, 2019

Anna Morfey and Laurent Geelhand are highly commended for their work across the ‘impressive portfolio of automotive clients.’ – Competition Litigation, 2018

Who’s Who Legal

Anna Morfey receives widespread acclaim for her "excellent class actions knowledge’ and strong background in cartel investigations”. – Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs, 2021

Anna was mentioned among ‘Thought Leaders Global Elite’ in the 2020 edition of Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders – Competition 2020’

Anna Morfey is described as ‘a fantastic litigator’ and a ‘brilliant legal mind’ by market commentators in Europe. She has extensive experience with follow-on cartel damages claims, and competition litigation in the UK and Eu courts. – Global Leader for Competition Plaintiffs, 2020

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

Anna 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”.

Global Competition Review

Anna was shortlisted by GCR in their 2020 awards in the ‘Lawyer of the Year - Under 40’ category.

The Lawyer Top 20 Litigation 2019

The EC handed down a €2.9bn fine in July 2016 with six of the world’s largest trucks manufacturers. In the UK, Scott and Anna Morfey are leading the team representing Wolseley UK Ltd & Ors, Suez Groupe SAS & Ors and Veolia Environnement S.A. & Ors. “The trucks litigation is one of the most significant follow-on damages cases being heard in the English courts”, says The Lawyer who counted it in its Top 20 Cases for 2019. Lining up to defend the manufacturers from further damages are some of biggest names in litigation.

Legal Business Awards 2019

Hausfeld was nominated by Legal Business Awards 2019 as 'Competition Team of the Year' - including Anna - for its work with Peugeot (PSA Group) against two European and four Japanese manufacturers of automotive bearings which were found guilty of price fixing in 2014.

The Lawyer Top 20 Litigation 2018

Hausfeld represented PSA Group against two European and four Japanese manufacturers of automotive bearings which were found guilty of price fixing in 2014. The case, which settled before trial, was listed as of one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2018. Anna led the team working on this case.

Anna has been an integral member of the Hausfeld competition teams leading many of our highest-profile cases, including:
- Trains, Anna was the lead partner on the Trains collective action which was the first standalone opt-out collective action to be filed in the UK, and the first alleging abuse of dominance. Hausfeld filed claims on behalf of millions of rail passengers in the Competition Appeal Tribunal against the operators of the South Western and Southeastern rail franchises. The opt-out, collective action is being led by proposed class representative Justin Gutmann, an experienced campaigner on consumer issues.
- Trucks Litigation acting for several household-name companies with claims arising out of the European-wide cartel in the Trucks sector.
- SSE plc & ors v Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd and Others, representing companies with claims arising out of a global cartel in the High Voltage Power Cables manufacturing sector.
- Peugeot S.A. and others v NSK Ltd and Others, representing an automobile manufacturer with claims arising out of a cartel in the Automotive Bearings sector.
- Hilding Anders Int AB & Others v Vita Cellular Foams (UK) Ltd & Others, representing several bedding manufacturers with claims arising out of a cartel in the Polyurethane Foam sector.
- Infederation Limited v Google LLC & Others, representing a claimant pursuing damages related to the Google Shopping abuse of dominance infringement in the High Court, and as an intervener supporting the European Commission in Google’s appeal to the European General Court.
- Advising Privacy International as an interested third party in the European Commission’s merger investigation into Google’s acquisition of Fitbit.
Prior to joining Hausfeld, Anna also represented clients in investigations and damages claims in connection with the Marine Hoses, Gas Insulated Switchgear, Elevators and Escalators, Smart Card Chips, Industrial Bags and Carbon & Graphite Products cartels. She also advised companies in investigations at the intersection of competition law and financial services, in connection with the Interest Rate Derivatives, IBOR and Forex cases; and represented interveners supporting the European Commission in the European General Court against Microsoft related to various abuse of dominance findings.
Anna is part of the team:
- Representing up to 37 British gymnasts - including 4 Olympians - against British Gymnastics in relation to allegations of systemic physical and psychological abuse perpetrated by coaches, and other personnel employed by British Gymnastics, upon children as young as six.

She is absolutely outstanding. She is a go-to partner for complex competition cases. She manages cases efficiently and effectively.

Chambers UK, 2022

'A brilliant litigator who is very experienced'.

Chambers UK, 2021

Anna Morfey is very able, pleasant, diligent and commercial.

Legal 500 UK, 2021

She is really smart, on the ball and an aggressive litigator. She knows where the right pressure points are based on her experience on the defendant side.

Chambers UK, 2020