Conor Quigley KC specialises in European Union, State Aid and UK Subsidy Control law. He has appeared in many EU Law cases in the UK in the High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Supreme Court, and in the European Union General Court and Court of Justice. Clients have included UK and Irish Governments, the European Commission, public and private companies, private individuals and UK public authorities.

In recent years, his practice has increasingly specialized in two areas: (i) acting as an expert witness on EU State aid law in international arbitrations, particularly ICSID arbitrations; (ii) expert specialization on the interface of corporate taxation and State aid international investment arbitrations. In 2022, he was appointed a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics.

He has been identified in WhosWhoLegal, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners Directory as a leading silk in EU, competition and public procurement law:

"A leading state aid expert with vast experience and a deep understanding of the issues." (Chambers Global, 2019)

“clearly the leading figure” in state aid cases (The Legal 500)

“There is no doubt he is a state aid guru.” (Who's Who Legal 2021)

“Unbeatable in the field of State aid” (Who’s Who Legal 2022)

Conor Quigley KC's important cases include:

• Mead Johnson Nutrition v European Commission EU:T:2022:217 – State aid – taxation of royalties in Gibraltar – rights of interested parties
• CFC State aid challenges – corporation UK tax – group finance exemption – judgments pending
• ALRO v European Commission (European Union General Court) EU:T:2014:890 – State aid – preferential tariffs – procedural challenge
• Sky Blue Sports v Coventry City Council [2014] EWHC 2089 - State aid – public authority loan on commercial terms
• Shannon LNG v Commission for Energy Regulation [2013] IEHC 561
• Air Transport Association of America v Sec of State for Energy and Climate Change (European Court of Justice) (Case C-366/10) [2011] ECR I-13755
• Churchill Insurance Co Ltd v Wilkinson (European Court of Justice) [2011] ECR I-12633
• Churchill Insurance Co Ltd v Wilkinson (Court of Appeal, - judgment of 19 May 2010 – motor insurance – RTA s.151(8) indemnity – compatibility with Second Motor Insurance to Directive – reference to ECJ)
• White v The Crown, (Court of Appeal – judgment of 5 May 2010 – excise duty – smuggling – value of personal benefit)
• Louca v A German Judicial Authority, (Supreme Court – judgment of 19 November 2009 – extradition – European Arrest Warrant – repeated issuance of warrants - fundamental rights)
• United Kingdom v Council (ECJ – judgment 18 December 2007 – Schengen Protocol – written submissions for Polish Government)
• AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd v Pfizer Ltd [2007] EWHC 565 (Chancery Division – pharmaceuticals – distributions system)
• Cooper -v- Pure Fishing (Court of Appeal – 2004 - commercial agents - termination for fundamental breach)
• International Power -v- NALOO [2003] ECR I-11421 - competition law - ECSC Treaty)
• Light -v- Ty Europe (Court of Appeal - judgment 25 July 2003 - commercial agency - sub-agents)
• Lennox -v- ILCO (ECJ – [2003] ECR I-7091 - exports - agriculture - BSE)
• RCO Support Services -v- UNISON [2002] ICR 751 (Court of Appeal - employment law - transfer of undertakings)
• White -v- White and the Motor Insurers Bureau [2001] 2 All ER 43 (House of Lords - motor insurance - effect of directives)
• IECC -v- European Commission [2001] ECR I-3947 (ECJ - competition law - abuse of dominance - postal services)
• Irish Sugar Plc -v- European Commission - [2001] ECR I-5333; [1999] ECR II-2969 (ECJ/CFI - competition law - abuse of dominance - pricing)
• R -v- Governor of Gibraltar, ex parte AS Marrache & Co (Gibraltar Court of Appeal, judgment 27 May 1999,  import restrictions - liability of Member State for breach of EC Law)
• QRS 1 Aps -v- Frandsen - [1999] 1 WLR 2169 (Court of Appeal - taxation - fraud - Brussels Convention)
• Mellett -v- European Court of Justice [1998] ECR-SC (CFI - employment law - legitimate expectation)
• R -v- MAFF, ex parte National Farmers Union [1998] ECR I-2211 (ECJ - agriculture - BSE - export restrictions)
• Publishers Association -v- Commission [1996] ECR I-121 (ECJ - competition law - net book agreement)
• FMC -v- IBAP [1996] ECR I-389 (ECJ - agriculture - clawbacks - restitution)
• R -v- MAFF, ex parte Hedley Lomas (Ireland) Limited [1996] ECR I-2553 (ECJ - liability of Member State for breach of EC Law - export restrictions)
• R -v- Cousins [1995] 3 CMLR (Court of Appeal - excise duty - criminal law)
• R -v- Lomas [1992] ECR I-1781 (ECJ - agriculture)
• R -v- Dearlove & Druker - (1988) Crim LR 323 (Court of Appeal - competition law -fraud)

Conor Quigley KC has very broad expertise from advising in the following areas:

EC, UK and Irish competition law:  airlines, air transport, banking and insurance, diamond distribution, forestry, motor vehicle distribution, oil and gas, rail transport, shipping, wine and beer, newspapers, computer software, retailing, franchising, petrol stations, intellectual property rights, racecourses and bookmakers, pharmaceuticals, waste recycling, renewable energy, electricity, payment systems.

State aid: fiscal State aid, including CFCs, Gibraltar corporate tax, tax rulings; airports, airlines and railways; urban regeneration, disposal of State assets, environmental protection, banking restructuring, rescue aid, educational and research institutions, agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, racecourses, betting industry including internet betting, off-shore finance, environment, waste management, R&D&I, employment and training, regional development, public service broadcasting, export credits, funding applications, EC practice and procedure, remedies in national courts.

Public procurement: construction, goods and services, urban regeneration, police and security services, water industry, public infrastructure, telecoms, advertising rules, remedies, public/private joint ventures.

Taxation: direct tax, tax harmonization, excise duty, VAT, special levies, international transactions, tax and State aid, WTO subsidies.

Employment law: equal treatment and equal pay, positive action, transfer of undertakings, health and safety, freedom of movement for persons, training.

Brussels Convention: arbitration, revenue, consumer contracts, jurisdiction, interim measures, enforcement, class actions.

Commercial agents: good faith requirements, termination compensation, sub-agents' rights, service providers.

Consumer protection: food safety, medicines, food additives, nutrients, consumer contracts, pricing, motor insurance, bank charges.

Agriculture: export licensing, grants and subsidies, BSE, commodities, fisheries.

Immigration, security and justice:  Schengen Agreement, free movement, citizenship, policing, extradition, European Arrest Warrant.