Competition Authority publishes legal representation document

The Competition Authority today published details of new guidelines which it hopes will resolve any potential conflicts of interest in relation to the legal representation of those attending before the authority.

When the authority is of the opinion that the integrity of its investigative processes may be compromised by the fact that the same lawyer represents more than one person, the authority will permit that lawyer to appear before it on behalf of only one party.

According to Terry Calvani, director of the cartels division in The Competition Authority: “The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the authority’s investigative processes.

“As we investigate potential price-fixing cartels or other possible breaches of competition law we rely heavily on the testimony and statements of persons attending before the authority.

“We don’t want the enforcement of competition law compromised by conflicts which potentially arise where the same lawyer represents more than one person in the same investigation."