Deba is a partner in our EU disputes team, specialising in antitrust litigation, commercial public law (including Brexit-related work), and business and human rights.
His practice spans the full range of antitrust investigations and litigation work: he has acted for clients across the telecommunications, transportation, financial services and industrial sectors in antitrust litigation before the English High Court and UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, including follow-on damages litigation and contentious regulatory disputes; conducted domestic and EU appeals regarding competition regulatory decisions; and has also coordinated multi-jurisdictional cartel investigations and associated immunity/leniency applications.
His commercial and EU public law practice encompasses judicial review of UK and EU administrative and regulatory decisions, including Brexit-related matters in the English High Court, and appearances before the European Court of Justice on competition, trade and international law matters, including industry challenges to EU legislation, and the European Court of Human Rights on right to property cases.
He has acted pro bono for clients including the British Red Cross, JUSTICE and the AIRE Centre before the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice on matters concerning EU free movement, equalities law and rights of the child.
He has been ranked as a future leader in competition law by Who's Who Legal since 2017, and was listed in The Lawyer's UK Hot 100 in 2020 for leading Eurotunnel's high profile challenge to aspects of the UK Government's Brexit contingency planning.
Deba co-edits Freshfields business and human rights blog as part of the firm's sustainability practice.
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- Leading a cross-practice team in Eurotunnel's high-profile challenge (on state aid, public procurement and public law grounds) to the UK Government's acquisition of freight capacity as part of its Brexit contingency planning, culminating in a successful, high-value cash settlement.
- Acting for JPMorgan in its appeal to the EU General Court against the imposition of a fine imposed by the European Commission following its longrunning investigation into alleged anticompetitive behaviour in the interest-rate benchmark derivatives market.
- Acting in the first High Court case regarding the UK Competition and Market Authority's exercise of director disqualification powers, successfully securing partial exemptions for directors to enable them to continue to act for their companies, against opposition from the UK.
- Representing Asahi Glass in follow-on damages litigation in both the Competition Appeal Tribunal and High Court following the imposition of record fines following the European Commission’s car glass investigation.
- Acting for the Vita Group in its successful application for immunity to the European Commission in respect of the global polyurethane foam cartel, and coordinating its defence to subsequent follow-on damages litgation across Europe.
- Advising BT on competition and telecoms regulatory matters, including regulatory appeals and litigation concerning the UK pay-tv sector, and on BT's deal with the UK telecoms regulator regarding the enhanced functional separation of its Openreach network business.
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Education
- Girton College, Cambridge University (BA in law; LLM)
- ECS Wade Prize in Constitutional Law (Cambridge Universtiy, 2003)
- Squire Scholar (Cambridge University, 2003)
- Wrights Rogers Scholar (Cambridge University, 2005)
Professional qualifications
Admitted to the Law Society of Ireland (2016)
Other
Trustee and director of the Executive Board of JUSTICE (registered charity in England & Wales No 1058580)
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