International cartel investigations and enforcement actions are being pursued more aggressively than ever before. When faced with the risk of such action, major companies rely on King & Wood Mallesons dedicated Competition team and their deep experience of dealing with Australian and international regulators.
Australia’s introduction of criminal sanctions for cartel conduct has coincided with increasing cooperation between international regulators and a convergence of competition law and enforcement strategy globally. This convergence has enabled agencies to pursue company executives beyond their borders, evidenced by some high profile extraditions to the US in the last few years.
In an aggressive enforcement environment, clients benefit from our close working relationships with other leading law firms around the world. These relationships, combined with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, means that we are well equipped to respond to investigations by local regulators and their US and European counterparts.
Recently, investigations have been undertaken across a range of industries, including freight, oil & gas, packaging and electronic equipment. In each case, our clients benefited from our understanding of industry practice and our experience of dealing with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
In addition to responding to enforcement actions, we work closely with our clients to proactively avoid the risks associated with these actions through the development of comprehensive compliance programs. These programs are tailored for our clients’ industry and the peculiarities of the jurisdictions in which they operate.