Manuel Contreras

Manuel has a particular focus on cartel investigations, with specific knowledge of dawn raid proceedings. 

He was also the lead associate in a Phase II merger control investigation involving vertical theories of harm, which included extensive discussions in relation to behavioural remedies in the oil sector.

Manuel provides strategic competition advice in antitrust litigation cases, especially in relation to follow-on damages actions. He coordinates the seminar on antitrust damages at University Carlos III in Madrid.

Manuel previously served as a legal intern at the DG Competition of European Commission in Brussels, where he worked on several antitrust investigations.

Manuel is a scholar of the Galicia-Europa Foundation and a member of the Madrid Bar Association and the Spanish Competition Association. 

He has published widely on antitrust law matters. Manuel is a contributing author to the ABA’s Perspectives on International Antitrust and the Anuario de Derecho de la Competencia and has appeared in the Spanish press on the subject of the reform of the system of private antitrust enforcement in the EU.

He is regularly invited to deliver lectures and conferences at national and international forums including the University Pontificia de Comillas in Madrid, Radboud University in The Netherlands, the Spanish gas sector association (Sedigas) and other venues.

Manuel's experience includes: 

• represented a confidential client in antitrust litigation and successfully obtained a dismissal of the claimant's request for access to confidential documents in the context of a follow-on action
• acted for Chevron on the disposal of its downstream business to Cepsa and successfully obtained conditional merger control clearance in Phase II
• represented a listed corporation successfully in an antitrust investigation brought by the European Commission in relation to price signalling and price coordination between competitors at EU level
• acted for a confidential client on an antitrust investigation on abusive practices in the form of excessive prices in multiple local markets
• represented a multinational corporation active in the basic industry sector in a cartel investigation in Spain including assisting the client during the dawn raid proceedings and further appeals in court