Jenine Hulsmann

Jenine has advised on some of the most high-profile and complex M&A transactions of the past decade, securing Phase 2 clearances from both the European Commission and CMA.  With a particular focus on the technology, pharmaceutical and energy sectors, she has represented corporations on a wide range of behavioural antitrust matters and investigations, as well as on competition appeals and litigation. A former secondee to the UK telecommunications regulator, she is a trusted adviser on regulation, foreign investment and national security issues.

Jenine is recognised as a “Leading Individual” in competition by Chambers Global, Europe and UK, included in the “Hall of Fame” in competition in Legal 500 UK, was included in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 for 2024 and one listed as one of the leading “Women in Antitrust 2021” by Global Competition Review.  Described by clients in Legal 500 as “a star performer”, “with a stellar market reputation” and a “lawyer of extraordinary versatility – equally at home in a complex Phase 2 merger case as she is in heavy competition litigation”, Jenine is noted for combining “deep technical expertise with wonderful strategic and tactical sense”. In Chambers, clients state that Jenine is “our go-to lawyer for complex merger control filings" with another adding, "she always has the bigger picture in mind but can zoom in to the detail when required. There is a reassuring sense that she has considered all the angles in her advice."  She is a member of the City of London Law Society Competition Law Committee.

Representative experience at Weil and from her previous firm includes:

• Microsoft on the merger control aspects of its investment in OpenAI and the CMA study into AI Foundation Models
• Microsoft on the merger control aspects of its investment in Mistral AI
• A third party on the Vodafone / CK Hutchison JV CMA Phase 2 merger inquiry
• Microsoft on its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. This landmark merger control matter won Global Competition Review “Matter of the Year,” “Merger Control Matter of the Year: Americas” and “Merger Control Matter of the Year: Europe” in 2024.
• Advent International and NielsenIQ before the European Commission on NielsenIQ’s combination with GfK, winning a rare conditional Phase 1 approval
• Eutelsat on its $3.4 billion combination with OneWeb creating a leading satellite service provider
• Liberty Global and Telefonica on a joint venture with InfraVia to create nexfibre
• Telefónica SA on the £31 billion merger of O2 and Virgin Media with Liberty Global plc, including a reference from the European Commission and CMA Phase 2 unconditional clearance
• A number of CMA investigations under the Competition Act 1998 in relation to alleged excessive and unfair pricing and anti-competitive agreements in the pharmaceutical sector
• An intervenor, in the ground breaking CK Telecoms UK Investments v Commission appeal against the European Commission’s Phase 2 decision prohibiting the 3/O2 merger
• The CMA market investigation under the Enterprise Act 2002 into funeral markets
• Inmarsat on its acquisition by Triton Bidco for £2.6 billion, including the public interest intervention investigation under the Enterprise Act 2002
• Tele 2 on the unconditional EU Phase 2 clearance of the merger between Tele2 Netherlands with T-Mobile Netherlands
• A European Commission investigation into cross-border access to pay TV
• EE in obtaining unconditional Phase 2 clearance of the GBP£12.5 billion acquisition by BT Group plc
• EDF on obtaining State aid clearance for Hinkley Point C, including the subsequent appeals
• Imagination Technologies Group PLC on its takeover offer by Canyon Bridge