Our firm has been named as a finalist as part of the Financial Times' 2021 Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe. Frances Murphy, managing partner of the firm's London office, is one of nine individuals shortlisted as an Innovative Practitioner and, we are one of seven firms shortlisted in the Practice of Law: Disputes category, which honors a team of practitioners who can show how their practice of law has changed. Earning us this recognition was last year's victory in the UK Supreme Court on behalf of Sainsbury's in an interchange fee litigation case against Visa.
The Supreme Court's upholding of the UK Court of Appeal's previous judgment served as a landmark victory for all merchants that may have incurred unlawful multilateral interchange fees, or swipe fees (MIFs). Prior to the Court of Appeal's judgment, there had been no English or European judgment against Visa that its MIFs were anti-competitive. Antitrust partner Frances Murphy led the team with partner Joanna Christoforou and associates Leonidas Theodosiou and Emma Walsh. Winners are set to be announced at a virtual awards ceremony October 14.