Contacts

Our competition law practice group is led by Junaid Daudpota, the Managing Partner of our firm. He can be reached at junaid@daudpota.com

Overview

Our firm has extensive experience with the complete range of issues arising under competition laws, including: Investigations and Raids, Abuse of dominance, Compliance Programs, Mergers and Acquisitions, Deceptive Marketing Issues, and Competition Litigation.

With a premier competition law expert, ours is the only firm in Pakistan experienced in all aspects of competition law.

Through a network of associates, we also arrange advice for our clients on competition law regimes of various Middle East countries, including competition laws in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, and Syria.

Our Expertise

Investigations and Raids

The Competition Commission can get search warrants and orders for production of documents and oral examinations. Even if your business is in full compliance with the competition law, you could be forced to assist the Competition Commission with its investigation through such orders. If you hear from the Competition Commission, call us.

We have experience in dealing with Competition Commission during the execution of search warrants and responding to orders for production of documents and oral examinations. We also provide guidance and in-house training on how to handle on-site inspections and raids by the Competition Commission.

We act for businesses under investigation by the Competition Commission and involved in proceedings relating to abuse of dominance and other reviewable matters. We act for businesses that want to prosecute others for anti-competitive behavior.

Abuse of Dominance

If you have large market share, you need to be concerned about the competition law’s abuse of dominance provisions.

We also advise companies, whether challenging or in defense, about the rules regarding abuse of a dominant position.

Compliance Programs

We frequently advise clients on structuring their contracts and other business relationships to avoid infringing competition law. We also conduct compliance seminars that help our clients reduce the risk of government investigations and private litigation.

We provide guidance, in-house and web-based training for individual clients on competition-related topics. We assist our clients in developing and running a compliance program to reduce chances of competition law violations. Our custom designed compliance programs include, delivering in-house seminars, educating employees, and regular internal competition audits to make sure that your competition law compliance program is working.

Mergers and Acquisitions

We regularly help clients obtain clearance of proposed mergers, acquisitions, and other business concentrations from the Competition Commission. Our clients regularly call upon us for jurisdictional analyses, merger feasibility studies, and strategic advice on potential mergers and acquisitions, including identifying possible remedies to alleviate competition concerns.

If your business is party to a merger, acquisition or divestment, you need competition law advice. We will:

• Study the anticipated transaction to ascertain the competition impact in the relevant markets,
• Determine whether your merger must be pre-notified under the Competition law,
• Prepare pre-notification filings under the competition law,
• Represent you before the Competition Commission to get your merger approved, or
• Defend your merger in the Competition Commission, if necessary.

We also file cases on behalf of clients against mergers notified which could result in a substantial lessening of competition.

Deceptive Marketing Issues

You need to be aware of the rules in the competition law that apply to almost every kind of advertising. There are special rules for promotional contests, pyramid selling, and telemarketing.

We provide advice on compliance with these provisions and defend clients accused of misleading advertising and other marketing-related offenses.

Regional Expertise

Through a network of associates, we also arrange advice for our clients on regional competition laws, including competition laws in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, and Bangladesh.

Competition Litigation

The Competition Commission is the administrative tribunal that hears competition cases. Private access to the Tribunal is now possible for refusal to deal and certain other cases.

Our team represents clients in competition law actions before the Competition Commission and Pakistan’s Courts. We bring similar legal, procedural, and tactical experience to handling private damages actions before the Courts.

Publications

You need to be aware of the rules in the competition law that apply to almost every kind of advertising. There are special rules for promotional contests, pyramid selling, and telemarketing.

Article: “Competition in Pakistan: the new regime”, Competition Law Insight, November 20, 2007.

Ebook: “Competition Law in Pakistan”, available through iBooks/iTunes book-store.

Ebook: “Competition Law in Saudi Arabia” [Kindle Edition], available on Amazon online book-store.