Overview
How a business deals with regulatory compliance matters while maintaining ‘business as usual’ is key to keeping ahead of your competitors. The Hall & Wilcox Competition & Consumer Law team are determined to help clients stay ahead of the pack, and manage regulatory obligations and issues in a practical way. This includes designing and providing compliance training programs, holding informative seminars and writing timely updates on regulatory issues that have the potential to impact our clients business and profitability.
The team provides advice on the full range of competition, consumer protection and compliance issues including:
ACCC and regulator dealings acting in respect of ACCC investigations, notifications and prosecutions and immunity arrangements;
merger clearance;
price fixing & collusion;
cartel or anti-trust investigations;
franchising agreements and disclosures in relation to the Franchising Code of Conduct; and
Australian Consumer Law advice.
Consumer protection
Advising on marketing and distribution practices, unfair practices, product labelling, country and region of origin and other consumer protection issues under the new Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA).
Compliance
Developing and implementing formal compliance programs for clients.
Experience
Our team has a proven track record of providing clear and thoughtful advice on issues of competition and consumer law particularly in highly regulated industries such as oil, telecommunications, fisheries and horticulture.
Examples include:
defending ACCC action in the Federal Court for price fixing and resale price maintenance;
liaising with the ACCC in relation to proposed mergers;
preparing notifications regarding exclusive dealing (including third line forcing) arrangements;
defending abalone industry operator in Federal Court proceedings by the ACCC;
structuring intellectual property licence arrangements which are competition law compliant;
acting in defence of ACCC prosecution for misleading and deceptive conduct by a telecommunication service provider;
advising and representing clients in relation to potentially anti-competitive mergers;
advising Ampol and Caltex in connection with franchise agreements and disputes as well as trade practices advice;
advising labelling and relevant regulatory obligations in relation to agricultural chemicals; and
providing national organisations with competition and consumer law training.
Clients of the team include Caltex Australia, Boost Juice, Canon Australia, Dennis Family Corporation, Prevar Limited, the Australian Toy Association, Loscam Limited, Vitalgas Pty Ltd, as well as a number of other companies from many industries and sectors, from family businesses to large multinational corporations.