Experience
He has been ranked by the legal directory Chambers Europe 2020 as a prominent specialist in competition law in Spain: “Manuel Contreras has a great relationship with clients and is always available and willing to clarify everything".
He is included by the National Markets and Competition Commission in the list of Non-Governmental Advisors to the International Competition Network. In addition, Manuel is ranked in the latest edition of " Best Lawyers" for his work in competition law in Spain.
He previously served as a legal intern at the DG Competition of European Commission in Brussels, where he worked on several merger control investigations in the basic industry sector.
Manuel is a teacher of postgraduate students at the Carlos III University in Madrid, a frequent presenter at both business and legal conferences, and has authored several articles relevant to his practice area.
A member of the Madrid Bar, he is a case contributor for the publication specialized in competition law of Oxford University.
Manuel's experience includes advising and/or representing:
- Europac on a cartel investigation and on the ensuing antitrust appeal that resulted in the annulment by the National Court of antitrust fines worth c. 50 million euros
- Chevron on the disposal of its downstream business to Cepsa and successfully obtained conditional merger control clearance in Phase II subject to behavioral commitments and conditions
- a listed company involved in an antitrust investigation where the European Commission decided, exceptionally, to close the investigation without imposing any fines
- a confidential client on the acquisition of a competing business active in the Spanish telecom sector and successfully obtained conditional merger control clearance in Phase I subject to behavioral commitments
- a listed corporation 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
- a multinational company active in rolling stock and signaling in relation to the planned merger of Siemens and Alstom which was blocked by the European Commission
