Hogan Lovells strengthens competition class actions capabilities with London hires

Ed Coulson brings extensive experience advising on complex competition litigation, including collective proceedings, cartel damages actions, and abuse of dominance claims. He has been at the forefront of major competition litigation cases over the last 15 years, representing leading corporates in high-value multi-party actions across multiple sectors.

Andrew Leitch has an impressive track record in competition litigation, having represented both claimants and defendants in disputes arising from price-fixing cartels and advising on dominance abuse litigation. His expertise spans multiple sectors, from industrial manufacturing to financial services, and he is a leading authority on litigation funding, adding further depth to Hogan Lovells' market-leading class actions practice.

Des Hogan, Head of the firm’s Disputes practice, commented: “In recent years, we have seen a growing market in class action litigation in the competition area in the UK, with a wide range of claims now being re-formulated as competition claims to take advantage of the favorable class action regime in the CAT. Ed and Andrew’s expertise will greatly expand our competition litigation capabilities, enhance our market-leading collective actions practice, and ensure we remain at the forefront of this evolving market.”

Penny Angell, UK Managing Partner, added: "The arrival of Ed and Andrew reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening our market-leading disputes capabilities here in London, particularly with a strong regulatory focus. Their extensive experience in collective actions and high-stakes competition disputes will be invaluable to our clients in the UK and internationally and we look forward to the positive impact they will make within our team and for our clients."

Charles Brasted, Deputy Head of the Global Regulatory and IP practice, added: “Ed and Andrew’s experience will further strengthen our cross-practice competition litigation team, which combines our specialist competition expertise with deep disputes capability.  That powerful combination is critical in navigating such a complex and fast-developing area of regulatory litigation.”

Christoph Wuenschmann, Practice Area Leader, Antitrust, Competition and Economic Regulation, added: “We’re proud of our fully integrated competition litigation offering and we’re delighted to welcome Ed and Andrew to the firm.”

Ed Coulson said: "Hogan Lovells’ collaborative culture and fully integrated global platform offer an exceptional foundation to support clients in their most complex disputes. I’m thrilled to join this talented team and to contribute to the continued growth of the practice."

Andrew Leitch added: "I’m extremely excited to be joining Hogan Lovells – a fantastic firm with real depth of quality across the board.  I’m looking forward to taking the competition litigation practice to new heights alongside my new colleagues."