Penny Pasley

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Penny is an experienced competition lawyer who has advised numerous high profile clients across multiple jurisdictions.

Penny is a senior associate in Bell Gully's industry-leading competition team. Penny advises on a broad range of competition matters including mergers and joint ventures, collaborative activities, cartel investigations and misuse of market power.

Penny returned to Bell Gully following several years at leading London firm Linklaters where she was a managing associate. She brings with her a wealth of experience and understanding of international competition law from both advising high profile clients in the European Union and completing a Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law at King's College in London.

Recent UK work highlights include advising major UK supermarket chain J Sainsbury plc on its proposed £12 billion merger with rival, Asda, including a successful judicial review to the Competition Appeals Tribunal on a matter of process, and Amec Foster Wheeler plc on its acquisition by John Wood Group plc, which included antitrust fillings in 13 jurisdictions.

Before her time at Linklaters, Penny was part of Bell Gully's competition team that advised on Cavalier Wool's acquisition of NZ Wool Services International, Bauer Media's acquisition of APN's (now NZME.) magazine titles and Life Technologies' acquisition by Thermo Fisher.

Penny is ranked as a 'Rising Star' for competition law in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024.

Work highlights

Mylan N.V. merger with Upjohn
Advised Mylan N.V. on obtaining competition clearance for their merger with Upjohn Inc (a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer Inc), a transaction which included a payment of $12bn to Pfizer as partial consideration for Upjohn.

Investigation into alleged restrictive trade practices
Advising a (confidential) client on an ongoing investigation into alleged restrictive trade practices by the Commerce Commission.

Overseas Investment Office approval
Advised Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on obtaining Overseas Investment Office approval to acquire 50% of New Zealand pathology business, Asia Pacific Healthcare Group, alongside the NZ Super Fund, a sale valued at more than NZ$550 million.

COVID-19 related notification regime
Assisting various clients to obtain a direction order for their transaction under New Zealand’s emergency temporary COVID-19 related notification regime.

Proposed Sainsbury and Asda merger
Advised Supermarket chain, J Sainsbury plc, on its proposed £12bn merger with one its competitors, Asda, in the UK.

BOC competition matters
Advised BOC (part of the Linde Group), on competition matters relating to the UK, EU, Ireland and Africa on secondment to their UK office.

Amec Foster Wheeler plc on its acquisition by John Wood Group plc
Advised Amec Foster Wheeler plc on its acquisition by John Wood Group plc, which included anti-trust filings in the UK, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and USA.

The Royal Bank of Scotland UK Competition and Market Authority's personal and SME banking investigation
Advised The Royal Bank of Scotland, in the UK Competition and Market Authority's personal and SME banking investigation, and on its EU State aid obligations arising from the 2008 financial crisis.

Plato Partnership on the antitrust aspects of the operation of the Partnership
Advised Plato Partnership, a collaboration between asset managers and broker dealers, on the antitrust aspects of the operation of the Partnership.

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