Dr Florian Huerkamp, MJur (Oxford)

Florian specialises in all aspects of EU and German competition law, with a focus on cartels (including follow-on litigation), merger control and abuse of dominance cases. He takes a particular interest in competition and regulatory issues and has advised on a broad range of energy related matters. Florian has represented clients in proceedings before the EU Commission, the Federal Cartel Office, the Federal Network Agency and in national courts. His sector focus covers regulated industries (such as energy), automotive, consumer products, agribusiness as well as general industries. 

As a former in-house counsel with Bayer AG Florian is very familiar with the specific demands and challenges companies face in complex transactions and proceedings. He was part of the in-house team that advised Bayer on the worldwide merger control process for its successful acquisition of Monsanto. He frequently holds lectures at the Institute for Antitrust Law in Düsseldorf and the University of Regensburg on a broad range of antitrust and other regulatory topics. His work has been published in the fields of competition, procurement, energy and constitutional law. 

Florian's experience includes advising:

• General Mills on the sale of its European dough business to Cérélia
• ANEX Tour on the acquisition of Neckermann Reisen, core brand of tour operator Thomas Cook Germany, from the insolvent Thomas Cook Group
• Deutsche Lufthansa on merger control issues in the sale of the European Business of LSG Group to airline caterer gategroup
• ANEX Group on the acquisition of Bucher Reisen and ÖGER Tours from the insolvent Thomas Cook Group
• a truck manufacturer with a view to cartel follow-on damage claims being brought in Germany
• Event Hospitality & Entertainment Limited (EVT) on Phase II proceedings in the sale of its German cinema exhibition division, CineStar, to UK-based Vue International Bidco Plc.
• a sugar manufacturer on its settlement procedure with the Federal Cartel Office and (subsequently) defending the client against follow-on actions in court* 
• REWE in its successful litigation against a ministerial approval of the merger between EDEKA and Kaiser’s Tengelmann*
• a manufacturer of asphalt mixes on its leniency application in a cartel case*
• a transmission grid operator on regulatory risks involved when connecting offshore windfarms to its grid*
• a transmission grid operator in relation to capacity restrictions on an electricity interconnector and related proceedings by the Federal Network Agency*

*experience prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills

Accolades

• Florian is recognised as a "Rising Star" for Competition and Antitrust in Germany by Legal Media Group's Expert Guides The World's Leading Lawyers 2022
• Florian is listed as a leading lawyer for Competition in Germany (“Top-Anwalt für Kartellrecht”) by WirtschaftsWoche 2022
• The German CRT team is constantly ranked as recommended competition practice in Germany by Global Competition Review (GCR 100, 21th edition 2021).

Background

Florian graduated from the University of Bonn. He holds a Doctorate from the University of Regensburg and a Magister Juris from the University of Oxford. Before joining Herbert Smith Freehills he served as a judge at the Administrative Court of Düsseldorf, worked at a leading international law firm as senior associate and acted as in-house counsel for Bayer’s M&A unit.