Julian Maitland–Walker
Partner
What we say about Julian
Julian is a corporate and commercial lawyer and has a national and international reputation in the field of European and UK competition law, procurement and state aid/subsidy law, in addition to judicial review and planning.
Julian has acted in many leading cases before the EC and UK regulatory authorities as well as the English Courts, the European Court of First Instance and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
He has been the editor of the leading professional journal, the “European Competition Law Review” published by Sweet & Maxwell since it was established in 1980. He was also appointed as a Special Advisor on competition law to the House of Commons Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) Select Committee in 2009.
Examples of cases in which he has acted include:
Competition Law/Mergers and Acquisitions
- Successfully obtained CMA clearance on the merger of number 1 and 2 competitors in UK gaming machine sector under UK merger rules
- Successfully acted on major UK supermarket chain merger before the OFT and the Competition Commission with an appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunal on a partial divestment issue
- Obtained UK and Irish clearance on Anglo Irish merger in the ship transport sector
- Advised on concentrative joint venture in the electricity generation industry and obtained EU merger clearance
- Advised on collaborative/concentrative joint venture in the civil aircraft industry and successfully negotiated EU merger clearance
- Advised on acquisition of national wholesale catering business, preparing merger notice and obtaining clearance under UK merger law
Trade Law
- Representing retail group in anti-dumping proceedings involving the import of handbags from China
- Successfully pursuing action under Article 234 EC Treaty against the Federal Republic of Germany for defective implementation of an EU Copyright Directive on behalf of a consortium of international publishers
European Convention on Human Rights
- Acted in a case before the European Court of Human Rights against the French government in relation to a tax claim
- Advised on the application of ECHR in the context of a planning appeal
- Advised on the application of ECHR in the context of the recognition of professional qualifications and the right to take up employment
Public Procurement and State Aid/Subsidy
- Advised one of the Development and Management Partners in negotiations with English Partnerships on the tender process and the form and content of the Procurement Framework Agreement in relation to the London-Wide Initiative
- Advised South Western Development Agency on structuring a joint venture with a college of further education to meet the requirements of both Public Procurement and State Aid regulation in relation to a substantial building project
- Advised West Midlands Development Agency on the terms of a Funding Agreement for the redevelopment and restoration of a Heritage Site in the City of Birmingham
- Advised the Avon and Wiltshire Partnership NHS Trust on a key worker accommodation scheme under Public Procurement rules
- Represented a pharmaceutical company, Denfleet International Limited, in a successful application for Judicial Review against the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency in challenging the terms of a Framework Agreement
- Advised the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority on a research and development joint venture with Warwick University
- Advised the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts on the application of State Aid Rules to a variety of funding projects in relation to a training and development project in the education sector
- Advised University Hospital Birmingham on a joint venture project with the private sector
- Advised upon state aid implications of a joint venture between the Torbay Development Agency and South Devon College
- Advised Exeter Science Park on state aid issues and the application of the new UK Subsidy Rules
Recent Litigation Experience
2008 BPC v Doncaster Pharmaceuticals Group Limited
- Successfully represented Doncaster in opposing trade mark infringement proceedings in the High Court and the Court of Appeal
2007-2010 GSK Boehringer Ingelheim & Others v Swingward & Others
- Successfully represented trade association, British Association of European Pharmaceutical Distributors, in trade mark proceedings against parallel importers in High Court, Court of Appeal and Court of Justice of European Union (CJEU)
2010-2013 MSD v Sigma Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Acted for Sigma in defence of patent infringement by major pharmaceutical manufacturer. Case currently referred to CJEU.
2011-2014 SEPL v Doncaster Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Successfully represented Doncaster in trade mark infringement proceedings in the High Court and the Court of Appeal
2016-2019 Lai Kuen Wong & Others v Scott Fowler Solicitors
- Acted for over 100 Claimants in an action in professional negligence
2018-to date Lifestyle Equities & Another v Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club
- Representing RCBPC in defending trade mark infringement proceedings in the High Court
- Representing Class Representative in Collective Action involving rail ticketing rules
Judicial Review and Planning
2017-2018
- Successfully acted for Hampshire Brickworks in planning inquiry relating to the construction of a biodigester
2020-2022
- Represented Midlands property developer in two Judicial Review Applications arising out of planning applications in the North West