Elvira Aliende Rodríguez
Partner, Antitrust & Competition
Elvira Aliende Rodríguez is a partner in Willkie’s Antitrust & Competition Department. She is based in the Firm’s Brussels office.
Elvira’s practice is focused on EU competition law. She advises clients on competition litigation, cartel investigations and merger reviews across a broad range of sectors, including air transport, chemicals, telecommunications, energy, pharmaceuticals, steel, hotel accommodation, textiles and financial services. She has extensive experience advising on Article 101 restrictive agreements and related provisions under Spanish law, and has participated in State aid procedures and in Article 102 abuse of dominance cases before EU competition authorities. Elvira has substantial experience in handling matters before the European Commission and national competition authorities of several member states. She also regularly appears in proceedings before the European Courts in Luxembourg.
Elvira has been recognized by leading legal and antitrust media and directories for her antitrust practice, and in particular her work involving cartel investigations.
She is fluent in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Portuguese.
Experience
- Recognized by Who’s Who Legal as a “Future Leader” in competition law, 2020 – 2024.
- Lecturer, College of Europe (Bruges), summer school competition law courses
Behavioral experience:
- Spanish Competition Authority publishing sector cartel investigation. Representing a major international publishing company before the Spanish Competition Authority and the Spanish Courts.
- European Commission JPY LIBOR, CHF LIBOR , FOREX and SSA Bonds cartel investigations. Representing major international banks before the European Commission.
- European Commission air cargo cartel investigation. Representing a large international airline before the European Commission and secured the abandonment of all allegations. Representation of an international airline before the European General Court and secured the annulment of the Commission decision in its entirety. Representation of an international airline before the European General Court and the European Court of Justice against a Commission decision.
- European General Court interest damages following the air cargo cartel decision annulment. Representation of an international airline before the General Court against the European Commission, claiming repayment of default and compound interest which the EU Commission failed to repay following annulment of the 2010 Airfreight decision.
- European Commission Capacitors cartel investigation. Representing a major Asian manufacturing company before the European Commission.
- European Commission air freight forwarders cartel investigation. Representing a large international air freight forwarder before the European Commission.
- European Commission heat stabilisers cartel investigation. Representing a large chemical company before the European Commission. Assisted in the representation before the European General Court.
- European Commission marine hoses cartel investigation. Representing a large international company before the European Commission. Assisted in the representation before the European General Court.
- European Commission acrylics cartel investigation. Representing a large international chemicals company before the European Commission and secured the abandonment of a substantial part of the allegations. Assisted in the representation before the European General Court.
- European Commission complaints against Qualcomm Inc. Assisted in the representation of Qualcomm Inc. in connection with six coordinated complaints brought by Nokia, Ericsson, Broadcom, NEC, Panasonic and TI before the European Commission.
- European Commission State aid investigation in the steel sector. Assisted in the representation of a client in the steel industry before the European Commission.
Merger experience:
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group. Representing Mitsubishi in various international acquisitions.
- Orienta Capital Partners. Representing Orienta in various international acquisitions.
- Montefiore Investments. Representing Montefiore in the acquisition of Exa.
- Oerlikon. Representing Oerlikon in its bids to acquire OBI S.r.l. and Metalworks S.pr.Al.
- Mubadala. Representing Mubadala in various international acquisitions.
- ADNOC. Representing ADNOC in various strategic partnerships.
- Global financial services company. Represented company in various acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
- Sany. Representing Sany in the acquisition of Putzmeister.
- Schering-Plough/OrganonBS, EU Notification. Assisted in the representation of Schering-Plough concerning its merger with OrganonBS in the pharmaceuticals sector. Helped secure a clearance in Phase I with commitments.
- Ingersoll Rand. Assisted in the representation of Ingersoll Rand before the European Commission regarding the acquisition of Trane.
- Schering-Plough. Assisted in the representation of Schering-Plough before the European Commission regarding the divestment of animal health assets to a global pharmaceutical company.
- Quantum/ADIC, European merger notifications. Assisting in securing European merger clearances for Quantum’s acquisition of ADIC.
Credentials
Education
College of Europe, Bruges, LL.M., 2005 Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao, LL.B., 2002 Catholic University of Leuven, LL.B., 2000