Tom Bolster

Partner

London, Paris

+44 20 7665 5000

tbolster@hausfeld.com Email

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Tom Bolster

Tom Bolster is a competition disputes specialist.

Expertise

Tom represents clients in several competition law claims and was one of the lead associates and primary client contact in the air cargo claims in the High Court, and now in the trucks litigation in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), two of the largest competition damages action brought in Europe to date.

Clients

Tom has acted for several leading automotive manufacturers in pursuing damages claims relating to the car glass, bearings, maritime car carrier and other auto-part cartels. He also represented several of the major European railway companies in their claim relating to the carbon graphite cartel and acted for claimants in connection with the methionine, feed phosphates and industrial bags cartels.

Having lived and worked in different countries around the world, he has an ease and confidence in communicating with clients from all corners of the globe. Combined with his language skills – he is fluent in French and German - this ensures a smooth working relationship with clients across a variety of countries and sectors.

Prior to joining Hausfeld, Tom worked at the London and Hong Kong offices of Baker & McKenzie LLP.

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Practice Areas

Competition Disputes

Tom plays an integral part of Hausfeld’s antitrust automotive practice - the strongest in Europe - representing 7 car manufacturers, 4 of which are in Europe’s top 10. He has been part of the legal team working with his automotive clients on recovering follow-on damages as the result of the following cartels:

During his time at Hausfeld, Tom has helped broker dozens of settlements (the majority for seven or eight figure sums) on behalf of cartel victims. Settlements achieved for his automotive clients alone amount to several hundred million Euros.

Tom has litigated several cartel damage claims in England’s High Court and the UK CAT, and has experience taking such cases all the way up to trial. In addition, he is coordinating a large cartel claim in France and has previously assisted on similar claims in the Dutch, German, Italian and Polish courts.

What Others Say

Legal 500

Tom is recognised as a 'key contact' for for multijurisdictional claims.- Competition Litigation, 2021

Super Lawyers

In 2015, Super Lawyers recognised Tom as a Rising Star in the field of Commercial Litigation in London.

Legal Business Awards 2019

Hausfeld was nominated as 'Competition Team of the Year' for its innovative work with Peugeot (PSA Group) against two European and four Japanese manufacturers of automotive bearings, found guilty of price fixing in 2014.

The Lawyer

In 2019, The Lawyer nominated the Trucks cartel case as one of their Top 20 Cases for 2019. In the UK, Hausfeld represents 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”, said The Lawyer, “Lining up to defend the manufacturers from further damages are some of biggest names in litigation.”

In 2018 the aforementioned bearings cartel was pinpointed by The Lawyer as one of their Top 20 Cases to watch. The case ultimately settled before trial.

Education

Legal Practice Course, The College of Law
Panthéon-Sorbonne (Maitrise en Droit), Univerisité Paris 1
LLB English & French Law (First class honours), King's College London

Bar Admissions

Rolls of Solicitors, March 2011

Affiliations & Memberships

Member - The Law Society of England & Wales

Tom has a real heart for justice and enjoys using his skills to make a difference in society. He is on the managing committee of a grass-roots charity providing legal aid and education to poor and marginalised peoples across East-Africa.

Tom is also on the board of the charity “Bread of Hope” which, among other activities, provides supplies to food banks in the London area.

News & Press

The most recent news and press releases can be found in the respective sections below.

Publications

The most recent publications and articles Tom has contributed to can be found in the respective sections below. Other publications include:

"Competition Damages Actions in the EU, Law and Practice, Second Edition" - co-authored with Andrew Bullion

"The structure and funding of competition claims post-Jackson – ‘all change’ or ‘status quo’?" - Competition Law Journal, Issue 2, 2014

"Out of time: the Supreme Court rules on the limitation period for bringing follow-on damages actions" – Global Competition Litigation Review, co-authored with Lianne Craig and Tatiana Siakka

"High Court Procedure" - LexisNexis, 1 September 2013, co-authored with Nicola Boyle and Katie Fitzgerald Frazer

"Deutsche Bahn AG & Others v Morgan Crucible Company plc & Others, Judgment of the Court of Appeal dated 31 July 2012" - Global Competition Litigation Review, 1 August 2012

"Access to EC Materials in the light of Pfleiderer, CDC and EnBW" - Global Competition Litigation Review, 1 July 2012, co-authored with Lianne Craig

Presentations & Speeches

Data - a force for good or ill?, Hausfeld and Oxera Junior Competition Conference, 1 April 2019
Follow on damages: Air Cargo saga continues, Competition Law Challenges in the Aviation Sector Conference in Brussels, 6 March 2018