Sharon is based in our Antitrust, Competition and Trade practice in London. Having also spent time working in Brussels, she has experience in advising clients on all aspects of EU/UK competition law including antitrust investigations, sector-wide market inquiries, competition litigation and global M&A.
As a leading member of the firm's global TMT practice, Sharon has particular experience in advising tech, digital platform, life sciences and financial services infrastructure clients, including on the intersection of competition, intellectual property, data privacy and consumer protection law, on matters before the UK Competition and Markets Authority, the European Commission and the English and European courts.
Sharon has served as a visiting lecturer at Kings College London on its LLM Advanced Competition and Patent Law programme focusing on the FRAND licensing of standard essential patents. She is also the co-author of the Article 102 chapter in the fourth edition of Garzaniti et al, Electronic Communications, Audiovisual Services and the Internet - EU Competition Law and Regulation.
More broadly, Sharon has served as a Non-Exectutive Director and Trustee of Rosa - the UK Fund for Women and Girls. She has also co-chaired the Fresfields London Women's Network of which she is a founding member. Sharon has been recognised as a Future Female Leader by the Financial Times.
back to tab navigation
Highlights of Sharon's experience include advising:
- Facebook on the UK Competition and Market's Authority's Online Platforms and Digital Advertising Market Study; and the defence and co-ordination of ongoing proceedings and inquiries before the European General Court, the European Commission and other global competition authorities.
- Hellman & Friedman on successfully obtaining merger control approval from the European Commission in relation to its $5.3bn and $6bn acquisitions of payments platforms Nets and Concardis.
- London Stock Exchange Group on the European Commission's in-depth investigation into its proposed £21bn merger with Deutsche Börse; and on previously obtaining merger control approval from the UK Office of Fair Trading for its acqusition of a majority stake in LCH.Clearnet.
- A global pharma company on successfully obtaining merger control approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority for its acquisition of an innovative biotech company amdist an aggressive enforcement climate for deals in innovation-heavy sectors.
- A global tech company on its successful defence and resolution of proceedings in the landmark Unwired Planet v Huawei litigation before the English High Court concerning the transfer and FRAND licensing of standard essential patents.
- A global tech company in relation to a successful antitrust complaint made to the European Commission concerning the licensing of standard essential patents.
- Visa on its successful resolution of the European Commission's investigation into its international interchange fees in relation to online and face-to-face card payments made by non-EEA cardholders in the EEA; and on successfully dismissing an urgent application for interim measures made to the UK Competition and Markets Authority - the first application made under revised UK antitrust legislation for interim measures.
back to tab navigation
University education
- University of Bristol, Law (LL.B)
Professional qualifications
- BPP Law School, Legal Practice Course
- Solicitor, England and Wales
back to tab navigation
