Hot 100: Claire Jeffs, Slaughter and May

A resident of the firm’s Brussels office, Jeffs had been involved in some of the highest profile merger cases before the UK and EU competition authorities this year.

Highlights include advising Google on the European Commission’s ongoing antitrust investigation into allegations that certain of their business practices in the search and advertising sectors violate European competition rules.

Connected to her Google work she also advised Motorola Mobility on the European Commission’s review of its acquisition by Google - the transaction received unconditional Phase I clearance from the Commission in February 2012.

But Google’s rivals Apple and Microsoft were not to be denied. Further to antitrust complaints lodged in February the European Commission opened two investigations into allegations that the Google subsidiary is abusing its market position.

The dispute centres on Motorola’s use of Frand-type patents. These involve technologies that are deemed to be part of an industry standard and therefore must be offered for a reasonable fee to anyone willing to pay.

But it isn’t all just about tech - Jeffs also advised INEOS on the European competition aspects of its styrenics joint venture with BASF SE and Unilever on its settlement of the European Commission’s investigation into the consumer detergents sector.