Tobias specialises in all aspects of European, German and international competition and antitrust law, with a particular focus on merger control, cartel work and follow-on litigation.
He has acted on a number of high-profile cartel investigations, merger control proceedings and abuse of dominance cases before the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. He also advises clients before the EU courts.
Tobias is particularly experienced in leading on and co-ordinating global investigations and leniency applications working closely with counsel, for instance, in the US, Asia or Latin America.
Likewise, Tobias has been conducting antitrust compliance audits for clients almost everywhere in the world.
Tobias speaks German, English and some Swedish.
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- Securing a landmark fine reduction by the General Court in Luxemburg for E.ON in E.ON/Gaz de France.
- Advising various clients - such as Bayer, thyssenkrupp, Continental, Pfleiderer and Takata - in cartel proceedings with the European Commission and the competition authorities in Germany, South Korea, Japan, Brazil and South Africa relating to, for example, citric acid, carbonless paper, rubber chemicals, synthetic rubber, chloroprene rubber, elevators and escalators, chipboard, sausages, water management products and car parts.
- Advising car parts supplier HELLA on its sale to Faurecia.
- Advising thyssenkrupp on the sale of its Mining Business to FLSmidth.
- Advising Aareal Bank on its proposed takeover by Advent and Centerbridge.
- Advising Continental on the spin off of its Powertrain Business, Vitesco.
- Advising Continental regarding their complaint with the European Commission against Nokia's SEP licensing practices ("automotive patent wars"); and, in referral proceedings with the European Court of Justice regarding fundamental issues of SEP licensing at the interface between IP and antitrust.
- Advising Continental on the acquisition of Trelleborg's Printing Blankets business.
- Advising car airbag producer Takata on the sale of almost all its assets to Joyson Safety Systems.
- Advising copper producer Aurubis on the later abandoned sale of its flat-rolled products business to Wieland-Werke; advising Aurubis on the sale of parts of its flat-rolled products business to KME.
- Advising Volvo/Renault on its defence against claims on the back of the EU Commission's 'Trucks' decision.
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Education
- University of Goettingen, Germany
- Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany (PhD in European competition law)
- Referendariat at the Higher Court in Düsseldorf, with a four-month stint at law firm Vinge in Stockholm
Professional
- Rechtsanwalt, Germany
- Seconded to the London office in 2001
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