Suzanne Rab – a solicitor-advocate whose practice covers EU, competition law and sector regulation – has joined leading chancery/commercial chambers Serle Court.

Suzanne qualified as a solicitor in 1999 after attaining her MA and BCL from the University of Oxford. She has held competition law positions in Magic Circle competition practices for the last 15 years, most recently as a partner at a leading international firm where she led the EU competition practice. Previously in 2008, she served as a director with the economics and forensics teams of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Suzanne’s transfer to the Bar as a senior practitioner is unusual but reflects the growing importance of specialist advisory and advocacy expertise in EU and competition matters and at a time where the UK is a destination for antitrust claims.

Suzanne has worked on some of the most high profile antitrust matters of the last decade. Her cartel experience includes the Marine Hose investigation, the UK’s first home grown criminal cartel case. Her merger control experience includes acting on News Corporation’s proposed acquisition of the shares in BSkyB that it did not already own.

Suzanne has wide experience of UK and EU market investigations, including the European Commission’s pharmaceutical sector inquiry. She also has particular expertise advising at the intersection between competition law and sector regulation spanning the communications, energy, financial services, media, transportation and water industries. She is representing Noble Energy on the competition and regulatory issues relating to its investment in the EU’s first ever LNG export terminal onshore Cyprus.

Suzanne has advised in relation to new competition laws and their reform worldwide including in Jersey, India, Malaysia, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. She is a senior research associate at the Regulatory Policy Institute in Oxford and a Visiting Fellow at Imperial College, London.

“We are delighted that Suzanne is joining us” said Nicola Sawford, Chief Executive of Serle Court. “Suzanne’s extensive experience in EU and Competition Law combined with that of Conor Quigley QC’s will further strengthen our international and commercial practices and enhance our reputation as a set which can handle any business dispute that may arise.”

Conor Quigley QC added: “Suzanne is an excellent addition to the team at Serle Court. Her EU, competition law and sector regulation experience complements our existing practice in this dynamic and growing area.”

Commenting on her move Suzanne said: “I am looking forward to fulfilling what had always been a long standing aspiration to practise as a barrister. Now is the right time, as competition law and regulatory matters are buoyant and with the renewed impetus for private enforcement in Europe. Serle Court is a dynamic, forward-looking set that has a proven track record. I am honoured to be joining such an accomplished set of barristers. This is the kind of opportunity which does not come along very often. My work complements the work undertaken by other members in the area of interface between competition and EU law. I am proud to be part of a team which is already a leader in commercial disputes, committed to development and integrating its offering to provide top rate service in the UK and internationally.”