Sarah advises clients on all aspects of UK and EU competition law including: competition litigation, merger control, investigations, commercial agreements, FDI and National Security and Investment Act matters. Sarah heads the UK Competition, Antitrust and Trade team.
Sarah has over 20 years’ experience across EU and UK competition law and lends authoritative antitrust input to our cases before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Ranked as a Leading Partner by Legal 500, her competition litigation experience includes acting for Lupin in UK and Dutch follow-on litigation arising from the EU perindopril investigation, acting for Merck KGaA in paroxetine and citalopram follow-on litigation, acting for Repsol in the EU candle wax damages claim and advising Heineken UK on a statutory appeal and judicial review. Sarah is defending a large technology company in the ongoing £multi-billion Search collective actions.
Sarah has extensive contentious experience and has acted on numerous anti-trust investigations, supporting clients when dealing with a dawn raid and throughout the investigation process.
She acts for clients in follow-on and standalone competition cases in the CAT and the High Court and has also represented clients in appeals before the European Courts in Luxembourg.
On the transactional side, Sarah has acted on numerous corporate transactions, advising clients on high value and complex multi-jurisdictional deals, assisting with regulatory risk assessments, transaction negotiations and obtaining regulatory clearances.
Sarah has in-depth knowledge of UK merger control and supports clients in navigating the dynamics of the UK system.
Before joining Simmons & Simmons, Sarah spent over 20 years at a global law firm where she was a partner and UK Head of Competition.
Her Legal 500 Leading Partner rankings cover both Competition Litigation and EU and Competition, and she is also ranked in Chambers and Partners.
“Sarah Smith is very switched on, has a lovely manner with clients and knows her stuff.” – Chambers & Partners 2026, Competition
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