David Went named as one of the UK’s leading competition law barristers

April 6, 2022

David Went from Exchange Chambers in Leeds has been named as one of the UK’s leading competition law barristers by Who’s Who Legal: UK Bar 2022, for the sixth year in succession.

Since 1996, Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners in business law based upon comprehensive, independent research.

David’s practice covers both the litigation and advisory aspects of competition law, including cartels, commercial practices, abuse of dominance, mergers, public procurement, and subsidy control, as well as related areas of EU, public, and regulatory law.

Regularly appearing before EU and UK competition authorities and courts, his experience spans a broad range of industries, including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, financial services, FMCG, high-tech, insurance, IT/internet, life sciences, manufacturing, media, mining, publishing, shipping, sports, telecoms, and utilities.

David is internationally renowned as a leading competition law specialist, having been recognised as one of the UK’s leading competition lawyers worldwide under 45 years old in Who’s Who Legal: Competition – Future Leaders 2017. He was previously named in in Global Competition Review’s list of leading competition lawyers under 40 years old worldwide in 2012.

David is currently acting for the Road Haulage Association (RHA) in bringing collective proceedings in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) on behalf of road transport operators to claim compensation arising from the EU Truck Cartel.  In March 2021, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal sitting as the Divisional Court of the Queen’s Bench Division upheld an October 2019 decision of the Competition Appeal Tribunal and ruled that the RHA’s funding agreement with a third-party litigation funder was not a damages-based agreement (DBA) for purposes of section 58AA of the Court and Legal Services Act 1990 (CLSA) and therefore not subject to compliance with the statutory requirements for such agreements.

In November 2021, David was part of the legal team that secured a High Court judgment that will result in a multi-billionaire Brazilian orange juice magnate and his son facing trial over their participation in an illegal cartel.

David has also been instructed in an application to commence an opt-out collective action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal against Govia Thameslink Railway Limited and its parent companies, The Go-Ahead Group Plc and Keolis (UK) Ltd.