Transactional

Jade has advised on hundreds of transactions in relation to merger and FDI filing analysis and resulting clearances. Some recent representative matters include:

• Advised CWT, a leading global business travel technology company, in relation to merger filings with respect to the proposed acquisition by Amex GBT. In a move described as almost unprecedented, Jade obtained unconditional clearance after an in-depth phase 2 CMA merger review, despite the CMA provisionally deciding to prohibit the transaction
• Advised G42 in relation to its strategic partnership with Microsoft and related antitrust and merger control issues
• Advised G42, and its majority-owned subsidiary Khazna Data Centers, in relation to the sale by e& of its stake in Khazna for $2.2 billion and minority investments in Khazna by MGX and Silver Lake, and related antitrust and merger control issues
• Advised VINCI Airports, the world’s leading private airports operator, in relation to the merger control and FDI analysis with respect to its acquisition of Edinburgh Airport for £1.27 billion
• Advised ABRY in relation to merger control and FDI analysis and filings with respect to various technology-related transactions securing both merger and FDI clearances in numerous jurisdictions
• Advised STG, a private equity partner to market-leading companies in software, data and analytics, in relation to numerous transactions. Jade has secured merger and FDI clearances for many STG technology-related transactions
• Advised Francisco Partners on numerous transactions with respect to merger clearance and FDI-related issues
• Advised one of the UK’s leading technology companies in relation to CMA and international merger clearance, ultimately resulting in an unconditional phase 2 UK clearance decision
• Advised a leading sovereign wealth fund on global merger control and foreign investment filings in relation to a number of infrastructure- and energy-related projects, including EU filings, national merger filings, national foreign investment filings and notifications to applicable energy regulators

Behavioural

Jade has extensive experience advising clients across a wide range of sectors on behavioural competition and international sanctions-related matters. Representative matters include:

• Advised a global manufacturer in relation to the European Commission’s power cables cartel investigation and a number of follow-on litigation matters
• Advised a global auto-parts manufacturer in relation to investigations by the European Commission
• Advised Russia’s largest retail bank before the European Courts with respect to its inclusion in EU sanctions
• Advised a global manufacturer in relation to simultaneous civil and criminal investigation for alleged cartel activities in multiple jurisdictions
• Advised a pharmaceutical company on abuse of dominance and product denigration proceedings before the English courts and subsequent settlement proceedings
• Advised a global leisure goods manufacturer on EU competition compliance matters and EU distribution arrangements
• Advised a luxury global clothing brand in relation to European and UK competition compliance matters
• Advised on state aid aspects of the groundbreaking Malta Delimara 4 LNG-to-Power project

Sports Regulatory

Jade routinely advises businesses in the sports sectors on competition and wider regulatory-related issues. Representative matters include:

• Advised numerous private equity and other investors in relation to the regulatory issues connected to potential investments in UK and other European sports teams
• Advised numerous governing bodies in relation to the application of EU and UK competition law to their procedural rules 
• In a pro bono capacity, Jade also advises individual athletes on various behaviour- and conduct-related issues
• Advised a leading football club in relation to EU and UK competition law compliance issues

*Some matters may have been completed prior to joining Paul Hastings

Prior to joining Paul Hastings, Jade was seconded to a leading global bank to provide strategic competition law advice. She was also seconded to a leading global insurance company to provide competition and sanctions advice. Additionally, during an in-depth CMA review, Jade was seconded to a leading technology company which resulted in an unconditional phase 2 clearance. 

Ms. Fearns is heavily involved in community and pro-bono projects providing assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation and transactional matters.