CMA Director Returns to Cleary Gottlieb | Natasha Doris

The firm has expanded its antitrust offering with experience gained in the UK and EU, amid tightening competition rules across Europe.

Director in Great Britain Office for Competition and Markets (CMA) returned to Pure Gottlieb as a partner in the firm’s antitrust department. Ricardo Zimbron has joined Cleary Gottlieb’s London office after spending the last five years at CMA. His arrival was announced by the firm on Wednesday (July 3).

Zimbrón will work on competition law in the UK and EU, including anti-competitive agreements, merger control, digital regulation and abuse of dominant position. He previously joined Cleary Gottlieb in 2011 and represented clients before the CMA and the European Commission. Zimbrón has practiced on antitrust matters in international jurisdictions and has represented clients in disputes before the High Court and Court of Appeal of England and Wales and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

He started his legal career as an attorney at New square chambers in 2010, before transferring to Cleary Gottlieb.

The returning antitrust lawyer joins the firm at a time of intense activity as Cleary Gottlieb navigates recent mergers, including the tumultuous Microsoft and Activision agreement, Sony MusicAWAL purchase by Hitachi railacquisition of Thales.

Cleary Gottlieb Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang said in a statement: “Ricardo’s experience at the CMA is outstanding and will further strengthen our London competition team and broaden the breadth and depth of our (…) merger control and antitrust practice in the UK and EU.”

Co-founder and partner of the firm’s antitrust practice Nick Levy added: “His experience at the CMA is invaluable and will strengthen our ability to advise on the most difficult merger control and antitrust matters in the UK. Ricardo’s extensive experience in complex matters will further deepen our bench of former senior officials from UK, EU and US agencies and courts.”

Zimbron’s return comes on the heels of the adoption of the new EU Digital Market Act, which introduced a series of regulations for the largest social media companies and the broader technology industry.