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Media Releases
2006

10 March
2006

Shepherd and Wedderburn attracts new talent

Leading law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn has announced a further partner appointment, bringing the total number of partners to 56, and strengthening the Competition, Regulation and Public Law team.

Heralded in Chambers (2006) as '...one of the best merger control lawyers...', John Schmidt joins from Shearman and Sterling, where he was London-based counsel for the US firm. Returning to an Edinburgh base - where he originally studied law - John (37) will bring with him substantial experience in European competition law gained in London and Brussels. Dual-qualified in Scotland and Germany he will use this expertise to benefit Shepherd and Wedderburn's clients throughout the UK. John advises on the competition law implications of transactions, agreements, exclusivity provisions, pricing and distribution systems across a wide range of sectors such as healthcare, energy, media and financial services.

John has represented a number of the world's leading corporates before the European Commission, the UK Office of Fair Trading and Competition Commission as well as the German Bundeskartellamt. His clients to date have included Anglo American, BAT, BP, Citibank, Deutsche Börse's Eurex and Intergen. Recent work includes advising IVAX in its merger with Teva, Eurex in one of the first competition reviews under FSMA and Edison Misson Energy's sale of its international assets to International Power/Mitsui.

John's appointment further strengthens the Competition, Regulation and Public Law team which acts on behalf of a range of major UK clients, including ScottishPower, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Fisher Scientific, Talisman Energy and Scottish Enterprise, and was recently involved in acting for a leading independent school following the OFT investigations into allegations of price-fixing arising from the 'Sevenoaks Survey', the largest cartel investigation ever undertaken by the OFT.

Patrick Andrews, chief executive at Shepherd and Wedderburn, said:
"Attracting John to Shepherd and Wedderburn is a major achievement, and there is no doubt that he will make a significant contribution to the firm, working with the existing team of specialists in his field to offer new and existing clients a first class service."

Schmidt's appointment follows another two partner appointments already made in 2006. In January, Kenny Mullen's appointment as partner in the London-based Media and Technology team offered additional experience to a fast growing team; and Helen Dixon, who joins from Ledingham Chalmers as a partner with the Corporate Finance team next month, will boost the expertise available to clients from the firm's Aberdeen office.


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