EU and Competition

Our progressive EU and Competition team bring together the newest opportunities and the sharpest policy insights for businesses.

Meet the team

Our team advise on all aspects of Irish and EU competition law and policy, including dawn raid response, complaints and defence, Irish and EU merger notifications, compliance training and manuals, commercial contract compliance, EU State Aid and Public Procurement so that business can move seamlessly across borders.

Our team has particular experience in relation to the application State Aid rule to research and development interactions where its acts as lead advisor to a number of Irish universities on compliance with EU State Aid rules in relation to publicly funded research programmes.

Being the only firm outside of Dublin with a dedicated Competition Law offering, the firm is uniquely placed to provide quick and comprehensive dawn raid response to clients in the South and West, where a number of multi-national organisations are based. The firm is the standing Dawn Raid Response contact for a number of leading multi-national organisations across the technology, life sciences, food and beverage and energy sectors.

Our EU and Competition team is led by Corporate and Commercial Partner Diarmaid Gavin who previously specialised in competition law at a leading Magic Circle firm in London and Brussels and brings a strong technical understanding of competition law issues to the team.

Our services include:

Irish and EU merger notifications
Dawn raid response
Complaints and defence
Compliance training and manuals
Commercial contract compliance
EU State Aid
Public Procurement

Representative experience

Selected as legal experts for a European Commission study on the Assessment of completeness and conformity of Member States’ measures to transpose Directive (EU) 2019/1 of 11 December 2018 (ECN+ Directive)
Advised Knowledge Transfer Ireland on its Practical Guide to State Aid Consideration in Research and Development and Innovation
Advised on a range of merger notifications in respect of transactions undertaken by the Firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions team.

Key Contacts

Highly experienced team who have successfully managed complex mergers notifications. They often deal with ‘cutting edge’ competition notifications and engage with the CCPC for the first time on a new sector merger notification. Excellent understanding of the approach of the CCPC so bring a depth of understanding which is really valued by clients.

– The Legal 500

Diarmaid Gavin is excellent. I trust his judgment.

– The Legal 500 (2024)

The breadth and depth of professional legal advice provided by Diarmaid Gavin and his team at RDJ enhances the ability of the University of Limerick to engage proactively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.

– Paul Dillon, Director TTO, University of Limerick”

The individual solicitors are highly competent in their field. Their particular strength is taking the time to fully understand our business and its particular needs.

– The Legal 500 (2024)