René Galle

Dr René Galle

Counsel

Email

rene.galle@aoshearman.com

Phone

+49 40 82221 2141

Offices

Hamburg

V-CARD
René advises on all aspects of German and EU competition law, including cartels, abuse of dominance, German and EU merger control, competition law aspects of distribution contracts and joint ventures, internal investigations and antitrust compliance.

He is widely recognised for his expertise across the entire spectrum of competition law.

One of his focus areas is competition litigation, where he regularly represents clients in disputes, e.g. in private damages actions and in the judicial review of decisions from competition authorities. He possesses a particular expertise in antitrust economics and his doctoral thesis (an economic approach to antitrust) relates to this topic. René regularly publishes articles on issues of competition law in journals and is a speaker on seminars on competition law. He co-heads the German Association of Antitrust Lawyers (Northern Chapter).

Expertise

Antitrust

Published Work

  • Private enforcement of the DMA – Where do we stand? (with F. Dressel), EuZW 2024, p. 105-115
  • Sweat dreams: Comments on the Supreme Court Ruling in the Mattress Case, NZKart 2024, p. 91-94
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2021 (with J. v. Düring), M&A Review 2023, pp. 175-182
  • Ex-post review of non-notifiable transaction under the rules of abuse of dominance (comment on ECJ, judgment from 16 March 2023, C-449/21 – Towercast), Der Betrieb 2023, p. 883
  • The DMA as a Gamechanger for Big Tech: Change, but also for the better?, Handelsblatt blog
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2021 (with K. Hillmer), M&A Review 2022, p. 194-201
  • Trends in cartel enforcement – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2021 (with F. Kolf), CCZ 6/2022, p. 178 ff.
  • The new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation: Revised Competition Rules for Distribution in the wake of digitalization (with F. Popot-Müller), Der Betrieb, 2022, p. 1561-1567
  • Clean teams for dirty business: a practitioner’s view on the use of clean teams under competition law rules (with I. Thanos), E.C.L.R. 2022, 43(7), p. 314-320
  • Recent developments of the law of vertical restraints (with S. Burdinski), EuZW 2021, p. 439 ff.
  • Comment on German Supreme Court decision Schienenkartell V, A&O homepage (https://www.aoshearman.com/en-gb/global/news-and-insights/publications/german-federal-supreme-court-allows-15-percent-lump-sum-damages-clauses-in-private-follow-on-damages-actions)
  • Trends in cartel enforcement – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2020 (with L. Rengier), CCZ 4/2021, p. 169 ff.
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2020 (with J. Labinsky), M&A Review 2021, p. 162 ff.
  • BB-Comment on the Booking.com decision of the German Supreme Court, BB 2021, p. 2062 ff.
  • Comment: The reform of the German Act on Competitive Restraints (10. GWB-Novelle) enters into force – competition law goes digital, Der Betrieb, 2021, M4-5 
  • The German Supreme Court Ruling on the beer cartel: Disillusions made in Karlsruhe (with P. Steinhaeuser), NZKart 2020, p. 30-33 
  • Joint defense against private damages claims: A legitimate cooperation or yet another cartel?, WuW 2020, S. 576-580 ff. 
  • BB-Comment on the Facebook decision of the German Supreme Court, Betriebsberater 2020, p. 2061 f. 
  • The Modernization of the rules on abuse of dominance: Some thoughts on the upcoming legislative reform (10. GWB-Novelle) and beyond, Der Betrieb, 2020, p. 1274 ff. 
  • Trends in cartel enforcement– a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2019 (with L. Rengier), CCZ 6/2020, p. 218-225 
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2019 (with S. Burdinski), M&A Review 2020, p. 144-151 
  • Reductions of fines concerning vertical restraints (with T. Göckler), EuZW 2019, p. 1010 ff. 
  • Trends in cartel enforcement – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2018 (with L. Rengier), CCZ 6/2019, p. 883-889 
  • Comment on the Report of the Commission Competition Law 4.0, Der Betrieb, 2019, No. 42, M4-6 
  • BB-Comment on the Facebook-judgement of the Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf, BB 2019, p. 2516 
  • Sanctions against non-compliance of disclosure obligations under § 33g GWB (with F. Popot-Mueller), NZKart 2019, p. 317 ff. 
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2018 (with K. Busche), M&A Review 2019, p. 154-160 
  • Restrictions of online sales in selective distribution systems, Der Betrieb, 8.2.2019, Issue 06, p. 288-292 
  • Recent developments in merger control – a global overview of competition authorities’ activities in 2017 (with T. Göckler), M&A Review 6/2018, p. 226-232 
  • Internal Investigations relating to antitrust law infringements, BB 2018, p. 564-571 
  • “Plaintiffs welcome“ – the German Supreme Court takes a plaintiff friendly approach to follow on damages claims (Comment on BGH KZR 56/16), BB 2018, p. 1620 
  • Internal investigations of competition law infringements, BB 2018, p. 564 ff. 
  • The SCCI under German antitrust law (with L. Rengier), NZKart 2017, p. 229 ff. 
  • The prima facie evidence rule in follow-on damages claims, NZKart 2016, p. 214 ff. 
  • Best price clauses remain an antitrust issue, BB 2015, p. 596 
  • Best price clauses from hotel booking sites and antitrust law (with M. Nauck), WuW 2014, p. 587 ff. 
  • Towards a more effective judicial review of fines imposed by the EC: Is there a new trend in the approach of the CFI? (with E. Braun), CCZ 3/2013, p. 108 ff. 
  • Competition Litigation in the European Union: recent developments, in: Global Trends in Antitrust, p. 41 ff., 1st ed. 2013, A&O e-publication 
  • ‘An Economic Approach to Antitrust - A Comparison Between the European Competition Law under the Influence of the 'more economic approach' and US Antitrust Law’, Dissertation: Nomos, 2010

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht
  • Competition Litigation Forum
Recognition
“He is exceptionally sound in every area of competition law”
WWL Competition: Future Leaders, 2023
“Rene is very knowledgeable. He is great to work with in complex merger control proceedings. He offers quality, speed and technical knowledge”
WWL Competition: Future Leaders, 2022

Awards

  • Rising Star - Antitrust, Legal500, 2024
  • Future Leader - Competition Future Leaders - Non-Partners, WWL, 2023
  • Best Lawyer/Handelsblatt - Recommended as leading Competition law attorney in Germany, 2023
  • Competition Lawyer of the Year 2022 (Nord), Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers
  • Rising Star, Euromoney's Expert Guide, 2022

Qualifications

Admissions

Attorney, Germany, 2009

Academic

Dr iur, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, 2009 

Second State Exam, Germany, 2008

First State Exam, Germany, 2006

LL.M., University of Minnesota, USA, 2004

Languages

English, German
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.