David Cardwell

David Cardwell is Partner in the Antitrust and Competition Practice of Baker Botts’ Brussels office. His practice focuses on UK and EU competition law, including a particular concentration on EU and international merger control laws, and UK competition law (both mergers and behavioural). Mr. Cardwell has represented clients in significant mergers and acquisitions across many industry areas, including the technology, pharmaceutical, media, automotive and heavy industry sectors. He has counseled clients in merger reviews before both the European Commission and national competition authorities, including cases involving advice on media plurality, regulated water industries and defense-related mergers.

Mr. Cardwell has also advised clients in respect of cartel investigations by the European Commission, and he provides advice on various other EU and international antitrust matters including cooperation arrangements amongst competitors and abuse of dominance proceedings. Mr. Cardwell has also spent time on secondment working as senior antitrust counsel with a global oil & gas major, gaining first-hand insight into the priorities and needs of clients in the O&G sector and more generally.

Who's Who Legal 2017 recommends Mr. Cardwell for his "fantastic understanding of legal concepts" and his "ability to take on very complex issues."

Prior to joining Baker Botts, Mr. Cardwell was a Senior Associate at another International law firm.

• McDermott International in securing merger control clearances and related antitrust matters in respect of its $6 billion combination with CB&I
• Liberty Media Corporation in its acquisition of Formula One, the iconic global motorsports business, securing merger clearances from competition authorities in the EU and the rest of the world
• Halliburton on numerous matters, including its proposed acquisition of Baker Hughes
• Four-month secondment acting as senior antitrust counsel with a global oil and gas major in London and The Hague, focused on upstream antitrust but also advising on downstream, midstream and "new energy" matters
• Global independent power producer in securing EU merger approval of its Fluence joint venture with Siemens AG
• EN+ Group in Glencore's proposed RUSAL-EN+ share swap
• Liberty Interactive and Liberty Media in various merger control-related matters
• Dresser-Rand in EU and other merger control approvals of its $7.8 billion merger with Siemens
• American Industrial Partners in merger control approvals for numerous transactions
• SI Group, Inc. in securing antitrust approval for the acquisition from Albemarle of its antioxidants, ibuprofen and related businesses
• Colfax Corporation in merger filings in respect of its US$1 billion acquisition of Victor Technologies Holdings, Inc., a global manufacturer of cutting, gas control and specialty welding solutions
• Caterpillar, Inc. on various transactions, including Caterpillar's acquisition of Johan Walter Berg AB, including the core brand Berg Propulsion, which involved antitrust approval in several EU Member States
• Cameron International Corp. / Schlumberger joint venture. Secured Phase I approval from the European Commission and other antitrust agencies for the establishment of OneSubsea, a 60/40 joint venture between Cameron and Schlumberger intended to develop and manufacture products for the subsea oil & gas market.
• Contran Corporation in obtaining EU antitrust approval for the $2.9 billion sale of its subsidiary, Titanium Metals Corporation (TIMET), to Precision Castparts Corporation
• Ford Motor Company/Zheijiang Geely. Represented Ford in the $1.3 billion sale of Volvo Cars to Zheijiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited, including multiple merger reviews before the European Commission and various national authorities.*
• Northumbrian Water Group plc/UK Water. Represented Northumbrian Water Group in EU and other merger control approvals for one of the largest UK public takeovers of 2011 – the £4.7 billion sale of Northumbrian Water to a Cheung Kong Infrastructure-led consortium.*
• Ariba in connection with acquisition by SAP AG's $4.3 billion acquisition of Ariba, including advising on UK and international merger control filings and related antitrust counseling.*
• A major transportation company on defending a price discrimination/abuse of dominance complaint.*
• One of the world's major liner shipping companies in the preparation and implementation of a global antitrust compliance program across multiple EU and other international offices.*
• A global client in respect of a cartel investigation begun in 2011 by the European Commission.*

*Prior to joining Baker Botts

Recommended by The Legal 500 EMEA, 2019 & 2020

Listed in Who's Who Legal: Competition "Future Leaders," 2017 & 2018