Marjolein De Backer has advised on various complex cross-border cases involving representations before the EU, UK and Belgian competition agencies and courts. She has counselled several multinational companies on critical transactions and strategies in merger, cartel and state aid investigations. Marjolein’s prominent matters include advising:
• Aer Lingus on merger control and state aid, including the defence against Ryanair’s repeated hostile takeover attempts and follow-on litigation in the EU courts; the recent acquisition by IAG; the UK investigation into Ryanair’s minority stake and related litigation; and the EU air travel tax litigation.
• A Japanese domiciled multinational in a cartel investigation involving complex questions of extraterritorial jurisdiction and the international interplay between public and private enforcement.
• A large media company in relation to its complaint about Google’s abusive practices.
• Deutsche Börse on its proposed merger with NYSE Euronext.
• A Belgian bank on successfully obtaining the necessary state aid approvals for its bail-out package.
Marjolein has contributed to Cadwalader’s thought leadership in the debate on “Big Data” and antitrust law. She also received the GCR Merger Control Matter of the Year – Europe Award in March 2014 for the team’s advisory work for Aer Lingus since 2006.
Marjolein is based in Brussels but has also practiced in London and New York. She started her career at magical circle firm Linklaters and joined Cadwalader in May 2011 as one of the core founding members of its Brussels office.
Marjolein is a member of the Brussels and New York bar and, in addition to her antitrust practice, has experience in public policy advice. Marjolein is fluent in Dutch, French, English and German.
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, established in 1792, serves a diverse client base, including many of the world’s leading financial institutions and corporations in more than 50 countries. With offices in New York, London, Charlotte, Washington, Houston, Beijing, Hong Kong and Brussels, Cadwalader offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, corporate finance, corporate governance, energy, environmental, executive compensation, financial restructuring, health care, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, private wealth, real estate, regulation, securitisation, structured finance, tax and white colour defence.
