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Düsseldorf
Dr. Ole Schley
Principal Associate
ole.schley@freshfields.com
Düsseldorf: +49 211 4979 328
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About

Ole advises clients on the full spectrum of EU and German competition law. His practice encompasses the antitrust and regulatory aspects of global M&A, high-stakes antitrust litigation, cartel and dominance proceedings, and compliance with the EU's digital strategy.

He is a core member of the firm's Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) group and has significant sector experience in advising tech and digital platform clients, particularly with a view to the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as the German GWB10 “gatekeeper” amendments. He is also a seasoned trial lawyer who frequently litigates antitrust cases against the European Commission, the Federal Cartel Office and private plaintiffs. He has appeared more than 50 times before courts, including the EU’s highest court, the European Court of Justice, and German regional and higher regional courts. His contentious practice also encompasses international arbitration proceedings.

Ole regularly guides clients through complex cross-border transactions, coordinating global filings under merger control, foreign direct investment (FDI), and the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). His practice also includes advising on sustainability collaborations, and he is a frequent author on emerging legal topics.

His international perspective is informed by experience working in the firm's New York, Brussels and London offices.

Capabilities
Antitrust investigations
Antitrust litigation
Merger control
Antitrust and competition
Artificial intelligence
Data privacy and cyber security
Foreign direct investment and national security
Private capital
Automotive
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Ole’s leading litigation and investigatory matters include representing:

  • Meta on the newly enacted EU Digital Markets Act, including Meta’s “gatekeeper” designation, the specification of its “core platform services” and its ongoing global compliance preparation.
  • Meta on its ongoing appeal before the European General Court against the European Commission’s designation of certain of its “core platform services” under the DMA – one of three first-ever challenges to be brought before the Court. 
  • OTTO FUCHS on its successful appeal before the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf against a fine imposed by the German Federal Cartel Office, securing a fine reduction of more than 80% for the client following a 10-month trial under criminal procedure rules.
  • Thyssenkrupp on its appeal before the European Court of Justice against the European Commission’s decision to block its merger with Tata Steel.
  • A leading automotive company on its defence in the landmark “Car Emissions” antitrust proceeding by the European Commission, which for the first time applied a “sustainability” theory of harm.
  • Various industrial clients in follow-on damages claims concerning steel and forged aluminum products.
  • A tech company on its defence in an abuse of dominance investigation by the Federal Cartel Office.

Ole’s leading transactional and advisory matters include representing:

  • Subsea7 on its proposed combination with Saipem (offshore energy construction and maintenance sector).
  • A private equity fund on its acquisition of genome editing company focused on developing curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
  • A private equity fund on its acquisition of a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of next-generation immunotherapies.
  • Catalent on its acquisition of RheinCell Therapeutics, a developer of human induced pluripotent stem cells.
  • Altor and SMS on the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in KAEFER Isoliertechnik, a provider of technical industrial services.
  • Etex on its acquisition of URSA, a European provider of insulation solutions.
  • Beiersdorf on its acquisition of Chantecaille, a producer of skincare and cosmetics.
  • A leading automotive company on its global data strategy.

Dr. Ole Schley
Principal Associate
ole.schley@freshfields.com

T +49 211 4979 328

Düsseldorf Office

Feldmühleplatz 1

40545 Düsseldorf
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