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Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte is a partner resident in the Brussels office of King & Spalding, from where she heads the Antitrust & Competition practice in EMEA. She provides strategic and legal advice to companies and investors in complex competition matters, with a particular emphasis on EU and multijurisdictional merger control, antitrust investigations and State aid. She represents clients before the European Commission, national competition authorities and the European Courts. Recognized by Chambers as one of the leading antitrust lawyers in Europe, Salomé was named one of the world’s top antitrust lawyers by Global Competition Review in their latest “Women in Antitrust” report. In 2018, Politico Europe ranked her as one of the 20 “Women Who Shape Brussels” for her work as a competition lawyer.

Praised by clients for her "brilliant" and "spot-on advice on the legal issues, as well as on the required strategy to get the best results,” companies come to Salomé for solutions on their most complex antitrust issues. She advises on all aspects of EU competition law and has substantial experience in cross-border mergers and joint ventures, high-stakes investigations and complex vertical issues.

Salomé regularly advises public and private companies and private equity firms in phase I and phase II merger cases before the European Commission and national competition authorities. With increasing cooperation among antitrust agencies, she helps clients navigate complex reviews, negotiate remedies and obtain clearance, while coordinating filings and strategy all over the world. Salomé routinely counsels on competition issues relating to the digital and sustainable economy, such as distribution and e-commerce, cooperation agreements and technology licensing agreements.  

Recognized as a leading EU competition lawyer by legal directories, such as, Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Global Competition Review and Who's Who Legal, she also frequently writes and speaks about competition law issues and legal developments. Politico Europe named her one of the 20 “Women Who Shape Brussels” for her work as a competition lawyer.

Salomé graduated in Law and Economics (summa cum laude) from the University of Deusto (Spain) and received her LL.M. from Harvard Law School (USA) and her Ph.D. in law from the European University Institute (Italy). She speaks Spanish, German, English, Italian and French.

She currently serves on the Harvard Awards Committee. She is a former Elected Director on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) in Cambridge (US) and the past President of the Harvard Club of Belgium. In 2021 she was appointed Fellow of Aspen Spain.

Prior to joining King & Spalding, Salomé was a leader at other world-class law firms in the Antitrust & Competition space.

Full Bio

Credentials

Executive Education from the International Directors Program, INSEAD

Ph.D. Law, European University Institute, Florence

LL.M., Harvard Law School

B.A., University of Deusto, Spain

J.D., University of Deusto, Spain, summa cum laude

Brussels

Madrid

ABA Antitrust Section

Asociación Española para la Defensa de la Competencia (Spanish Association for Antitrust Law)

Aspen Spain, Fellow

Elected Director, Board of Directors, Harvard Alumni Association (HAA)

IDArb, IDI arbitrator for international distribution

International Bar Association (IBA), Antitrust Committee

Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Association for Antitrust Law)

English

French

German

Italian

Spanish

"Salome Cisnal de Ugarte is our lead partner, and she is an excellent lawyer. She is a very knowledgeable lawyer (..)""


Legal 500 - 2023, Client feedback

"She has a brilliant legal mind, especially in the most complex competition/antitrust matters, (...)"


Legal 500 2023, Client feedback

Ranked lawyer (Band 5) 2020-2023


Legal 500 - Competition/EU - Belgium

Appointed to the Editorial Board


Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, Oxford Academic

Ranked lawyer (Band 5)


Chambers Global & Europe 2020-2023

"She keeps an eye on the broad picture but dives into the details of a case. To get there, she asks the right questions"


Chambers Global 2023, Competition: EU client

"Her level of sophistication and understanding of the dynamics in the digital sector is impressive."


Chambers Global 2023

"She earns praise for her experience in merger control matters, incl. acting for third-party interveners on phase II"


Chambers Global 2023

"Ascends to a higher band due to impressive market support and sucessfully establishing her practice at King & Spalding"


Chambers Global 2023

Named as one of the world’s top antitrust lawyers in the “Women in Antitrust” ranking


Global Competition Review, 2021

Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust


Expert Guides 2021, Belgium

“Clients described her as providing brilliant and spot-on advice on the legal issues”


EU Competition Lawyer of the Year ILO

Named as one of the top “Women Who Shape Brussels” (#10)


POLITICO Europe, 2018

Ranked as a “Competition Thought Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Ranked as a “Competition Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2010-2023

Ranked as a “State Aid Leader”


Who’s Who Legal, 2010-2023

Recognized as one of the “Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust”


Euromoney Expert Guide, 2020-2023

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Recognition

"Salome Cisnal de Ugarte is our lead partner, and she is an excellent lawyer. She is a very knowledgeable lawyer (..)""


Legal 500 - 2023, Client feedback

"She has a brilliant legal mind, especially in the most complex competition/antitrust matters, (...)"


Legal 500 2023, Client feedback

Ranked lawyer (Band 5) 2020-2023


Legal 500 - Competition/EU - Belgium

Appointed to the Editorial Board


Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, Oxford Academic

Ranked lawyer (Band 5)


Chambers Global & Europe 2020-2023

"She keeps an eye on the broad picture but dives into the details of a case. To get there, she asks the right questions"


Chambers Global 2023, Competition: EU client

"Her level of sophistication and understanding of the dynamics in the digital sector is impressive."


Chambers Global 2023

"She earns praise for her experience in merger control matters, incl. acting for third-party interveners on phase II"


Chambers Global 2023

"Ascends to a higher band due to impressive market support and sucessfully establishing her practice at King & Spalding"


Chambers Global 2023

Named as one of the world’s top antitrust lawyers in the “Women in Antitrust” ranking


Global Competition Review, 2021

Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust


Expert Guides 2021, Belgium

“Clients described her as providing brilliant and spot-on advice on the legal issues”


EU Competition Lawyer of the Year ILO

Named as one of the top “Women Who Shape Brussels” (#10)


POLITICO Europe, 2018

Ranked as a “Competition Thought Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Ranked as a “Competition Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2010-2023

Ranked as a “State Aid Leader”


Who’s Who Legal, 2010-2023

Recognized as one of the “Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust”


Euromoney Expert Guide, 2020-2023

Matters

Obtained unconditional merger clearance from the European Commission for Transurban, one of the world’s largest toll-road operators, on its US$2.1 billion sale of a 50 percent interest in its Transurban Chesapeake assets to investors AustralianSuper and UniSuper, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

Advised Dana Incorporated on the merger control and competition aspects related to its planned acquisition of the thermal automotive management business of Modine and coordination of filings in Europe and Asia.

Advised One Rock Capital Partners on the merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of CastFutura, a leading provider of combustion, safety and ignition products for cooking and heating applications, by its affiliate Robertshaw, a global engineering and manufacturing company.

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Matters

Obtained unconditional merger clearance from the European Commission for Transurban, one of the world’s largest toll-road operators, on its US$2.1 billion sale of a 50 percent interest in its Transurban Chesapeake assets to investors AustralianSuper and UniSuper, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

Advised Dana Incorporated on the merger control and competition aspects related to its planned acquisition of the thermal automotive management business of Modine and coordination of filings in Europe and Asia.

Advised One Rock Capital Partners on the merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of CastFutura, a leading provider of combustion, safety and ignition products for cooking and heating applications, by its affiliate Robertshaw, a global engineering and manufacturing company.

Advised Grupo Azkoyen, a Spanish technology group specializing in vending, payment and security systems, as complainant in EU merger proceedings and during the negotiation of remedies.

Advised Longview Aviation Capital on its acquisition of the Dash 8 turboprop aircraft line from Bombardier with merger filings in five jurisdictions and obtaining unconditional clearance.

Advised a U.S. consumer robotics company on the EU competition law aspects relating to its e-commerce strategy.

Advised Aware Super (formerly First State Super), Australian’s Industry Superannuation Fund, on its consortium bid in conjunction with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) for ASX listed Vocus Group Limited.

Advised Telekom Srbija on the EU competition law aspects relating to an antitrust complaint.

Advised Liberty Global on its acquisition of a stake in De Vijver media during a Phase II EU merger control proceeding and during the negotiation and implementation of FRAND commitments to grant access to its existing and future TV channels.

Advised a global semiconductor company on technology licensing issues.

Advised a consumer goods company on the European Commission’s antitrust sector inquiry into the Internet of Things for consumer-related products and services and on competition issues relating to their AI and data strategies.

Advised a large US industrial conglomerate on the antitrust and merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of a manufacturer of metering products and terminal automation solutions.

Advised the World Federation of Advertisers  on competition compliance .

Advised a third party in the Natura Cosmeticos/Avon Products merger proceedings that led to the creation of the world’s fourth-largest pure-play beauty company.

Matters

Obtained unconditional merger clearance from the European Commission for Transurban, one of the world’s largest toll-road operators, on its US$2.1 billion sale of a 50 percent interest in its Transurban Chesapeake assets to investors AustralianSuper and UniSuper, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

Advised Dana Incorporated on the merger control and competition aspects related to its planned acquisition of the thermal automotive management business of Modine and coordination of filings in Europe and Asia.

Advised One Rock Capital Partners on the merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of CastFutura, a leading provider of combustion, safety and ignition products for cooking and heating applications, by its affiliate Robertshaw, a global engineering and manufacturing company.

See more

Close

Matters

Obtained unconditional merger clearance from the European Commission for Transurban, one of the world’s largest toll-road operators, on its US$2.1 billion sale of a 50 percent interest in its Transurban Chesapeake assets to investors AustralianSuper and UniSuper, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

Advised Dana Incorporated on the merger control and competition aspects related to its planned acquisition of the thermal automotive management business of Modine and coordination of filings in Europe and Asia.

Advised One Rock Capital Partners on the merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of CastFutura, a leading provider of combustion, safety and ignition products for cooking and heating applications, by its affiliate Robertshaw, a global engineering and manufacturing company.

Advised Grupo Azkoyen, a Spanish technology group specializing in vending, payment and security systems, as complainant in EU merger proceedings and during the negotiation of remedies.

Advised Longview Aviation Capital on its acquisition of the Dash 8 turboprop aircraft line from Bombardier with merger filings in five jurisdictions and obtaining unconditional clearance.

Advised a U.S. consumer robotics company on the EU competition law aspects relating to its e-commerce strategy.

Advised Aware Super (formerly First State Super), Australian’s Industry Superannuation Fund, on its consortium bid in conjunction with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) for ASX listed Vocus Group Limited.

Advised Telekom Srbija on the EU competition law aspects relating to an antitrust complaint.

Advised Liberty Global on its acquisition of a stake in De Vijver media during a Phase II EU merger control proceeding and during the negotiation and implementation of FRAND commitments to grant access to its existing and future TV channels.

Advised a global semiconductor company on technology licensing issues.

Advised a consumer goods company on the European Commission’s antitrust sector inquiry into the Internet of Things for consumer-related products and services and on competition issues relating to their AI and data strategies.

Advised a large US industrial conglomerate on the antitrust and merger control aspects relating to the acquisition of a manufacturer of metering products and terminal automation solutions.

Advised the World Federation of Advertisers  on competition compliance .

Advised a third party in the Natura Cosmeticos/Avon Products merger proceedings that led to the creation of the world’s fourth-largest pure-play beauty company.

Credentials

Executive Education from the International Directors Program, INSEAD

Ph.D. Law, European University Institute, Florence

LL.M., Harvard Law School

B.A., University of Deusto, Spain

J.D., University of Deusto, Spain, summa cum laude

Brussels

Madrid

ABA Antitrust Section

Asociación Española para la Defensa de la Competencia (Spanish Association for Antitrust Law)

Aspen Spain, Fellow

Elected Director, Board of Directors, Harvard Alumni Association (HAA)

IDArb, IDI arbitrator for international distribution

International Bar Association (IBA), Antitrust Committee

Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Association for Antitrust Law)

English

French

German

Italian

Spanish

"Salome Cisnal de Ugarte is our lead partner, and she is an excellent lawyer. She is a very knowledgeable lawyer (..)""


Legal 500 - 2023, Client feedback

"She has a brilliant legal mind, especially in the most complex competition/antitrust matters, (...)"


Legal 500 2023, Client feedback

Ranked lawyer (Band 5) 2020-2023


Legal 500 - Competition/EU - Belgium

Appointed to the Editorial Board


Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, Oxford Academic

Ranked lawyer (Band 5)


Chambers Global & Europe 2020-2023

"She keeps an eye on the broad picture but dives into the details of a case. To get there, she asks the right questions"


Chambers Global 2023, Competition: EU client

"Her level of sophistication and understanding of the dynamics in the digital sector is impressive."


Chambers Global 2023

"She earns praise for her experience in merger control matters, incl. acting for third-party interveners on phase II"


Chambers Global 2023

"Ascends to a higher band due to impressive market support and sucessfully establishing her practice at King & Spalding"


Chambers Global 2023

Named as one of the world’s top antitrust lawyers in the “Women in Antitrust” ranking


Global Competition Review, 2021

Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust


Expert Guides 2021, Belgium

“Clients described her as providing brilliant and spot-on advice on the legal issues”


EU Competition Lawyer of the Year ILO

Named as one of the top “Women Who Shape Brussels” (#10)


POLITICO Europe, 2018

Ranked as a “Competition Thought Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Ranked as a “Competition Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2010-2023

Ranked as a “State Aid Leader”


Who’s Who Legal, 2010-2023

Recognized as one of the “Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust”


Euromoney Expert Guide, 2020-2023

Close

Recognition

"Salome Cisnal de Ugarte is our lead partner, and she is an excellent lawyer. She is a very knowledgeable lawyer (..)""


Legal 500 - 2023, Client feedback

"She has a brilliant legal mind, especially in the most complex competition/antitrust matters, (...)"


Legal 500 2023, Client feedback

Ranked lawyer (Band 5) 2020-2023


Legal 500 - Competition/EU - Belgium

Appointed to the Editorial Board


Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, Oxford Academic

Ranked lawyer (Band 5)


Chambers Global & Europe 2020-2023

"She keeps an eye on the broad picture but dives into the details of a case. To get there, she asks the right questions"


Chambers Global 2023, Competition: EU client

"Her level of sophistication and understanding of the dynamics in the digital sector is impressive."


Chambers Global 2023

"She earns praise for her experience in merger control matters, incl. acting for third-party interveners on phase II"


Chambers Global 2023

"Ascends to a higher band due to impressive market support and sucessfully establishing her practice at King & Spalding"


Chambers Global 2023

Named as one of the world’s top antitrust lawyers in the “Women in Antitrust” ranking


Global Competition Review, 2021

Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust


Expert Guides 2021, Belgium

“Clients described her as providing brilliant and spot-on advice on the legal issues”


EU Competition Lawyer of the Year ILO

Named as one of the top “Women Who Shape Brussels” (#10)


POLITICO Europe, 2018

Ranked as a “Competition Thought Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Ranked as a “Competition Leader”


Who’s Who Legal 2010-2023

Ranked as a “State Aid Leader”


Who’s Who Legal, 2010-2023

Recognized as one of the “Best of the Best (Top 30) Competition and Antitrust”


Euromoney Expert Guide, 2020-2023