Leading EU Competition Lawyer Joins Paul, Weiss as Firm Opens Office in Brussels

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced today that Henrik Morch will be joining the firm as a partner in its Antitrust Practice, based in the new office the firm is opening in Brussels. Morch will join European antitrust partners Nicole Kar, Annie Herdman, Richard Pepper and Ross Ferguson.

“Henrik is among the most senior, experienced antitrust lawyers in Brussels, and we are thrilled he is joining our partnership,” said Paul, Weiss Chairman Brad S. Karp. “Henrik’s vast knowledge and understanding of all aspects of EU competition law will be of great benefit to our clients, who are facing increasingly complex and challenging antitrust and regulatory issues across borders.”

Morch has been with the European Commission for more than three decades, most recently serving as the Director for Transport, Post and Other Services at the European Commission’s Directorate-General, known as DG Comp, a position he held for over eight years. In this role, Morch led the Commission’s division responsible for antitrust policy and enforcement in the transport, post and other services sectors, overseeing merger control investigations, antitrust and market sector inquiries, state aid cases and legislative proposals.

Prior to assuming this position, Morch served in various legal positions in the European Commission. He spent 10 years in the Directorate-General for Competition’s office, before joining the cabinets of Commissioners Poul Nielson and Marian Fischer Boel. He subsequently was appointed head of the legal affairs unit and head of the unit for single market policy in the Directorate-General for Internal Market and Services. In 2015, he moved to the Directorate-General for Competition, serving as head of the unit and Acting Director for Transport, Post and Other Services. Morch began his career in private practice.

“Henrik is a brilliant addition to our growing European competition team,” said Roger Johnson, global co-chair of the M&A practice and co-head of the London office. “He brings unparalleled insight from his extensive experience in EU competition law, where, among other things, he has been involved in many significant and complex merger matters and policy initiatives. He will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”

Morch earned his M.A. in Law from the University of Copenhagen before pursuing the advanced studies in European Law at the College of Europe in Bruges.

“Brussels is the epicenter of EU competition law and policy and a key jurisdiction for many of our clients that face complex and high-stakes antitrust matters across multiple regions,” Karp said. “Having a strong and experienced team on the ground in Brussels will enable us to provide seamless and strategic advice to our clients on the full range of antitrust issues, from merger control and cartel investigations to foreign direct investment reviews.”

The Paul, Weiss Antitrust Practice advises clients on a full range of global antitrust matters, including antitrust regulatory clearance, government investigations, private litigation, and counseling and compliance. The firm represents clients before antitrust and competition authorities in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions around the world.