Matthew is very strong and has a great knowledge across different sectors. He is a very pleasant person to work with and handled the work efficiently.”

The Legal 500 2024, Competition Law

Matthew, a former Solicitor, is a specialist competition and regulatory lawyer. He was Called to the Bar and joined St John’s Chambers in 2015, having previously been a Partner in the Competition Group of Burges Salmon LLP. He has a strong international perspective, having practised for over a decade in the Brussels office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.

Matthew has a broad-based practice, with extensive experience in all aspects of competition law, EU law, State aid and subsidy control, public procurement and economic regulation, including competition disputes, regulatory investigations, transactional matters and advisory work. He combines his technical expertise and experience to provide pragmatic, commercially-focused and solution-oriented strategic advice and representation.

Matthew acts as an advocate in competition-related proceedings (including disputes, appeals and judicial reviews) in the UK courts. He also represents and advises clients in all types of competition and regulatory investigations including in cartel, dominance and other investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority, other UK regulatory authorities and the European Commission. He advises clients on UK, EU and international merger control proceedings, the application of the State aid, subsidy control and procurement rules, and the application of competition law to a wide range of transactions, commercial agreements and business practices.

He has broad sector experience, advising clients from numerous sectors, including: oil and gas, energy, nuclear, transport, airports and aviation, aerospace and defence, chemicals, telecommunications and media, financial services, consumer and sports goods, food and drink, aluminium, mining and natural resources, packaging, sport, private equity and retail and wholesale distribution.

Matthew accepts instructions from solicitors, overseas lawyers and in-house legal departments on all types of matters. He also assists solicitors firms, whether by providing an additional resource to those with established competition practices, including during dawn raids, or by assisting those firms without their own competition law capability.

Matthew is an editor of Chitty on Contracts, published by Sweet and Maxwell. Chitty is the leading reference work on contract law in the Common law world. Now in its 35th edition (published in late 2023), its two volumes contain full coverage of the law of contract as practiced in the United Kingdom. Matthew has responsibility for Chapter 46 of the 35th edition, which has been completely revised to reflect the UK’s departure from the EU and examines in detail the application of UK competition law to contracts. Read more here.

He is also an Editor of the Competition Law Journal (published by Edward Elgar Publishing).

Matthew is included in the Who’s Who Legal UK Bar Guide in Competition Juniors 2023 as a national leader.  He is one of only 22 recommended juniors ranked in the guide, and one of only two barristers outside of London.

Directory Quotes

Matthew is a highly experienced competition lawyer. As well as being highly knowledgeable, he produces detailed and well-researched written submissions. He also has particularly good commercial awareness. He is a go-to junior barrister and the leading competition barrister not based in London.”

The Legal 500 2024, Commercial Litigation

Matthew is a competition-specialised barrister, he advises on state aid and grant funding issues as well as UK merger control. ‘He understood the particular sector and was very responsive and proactive.’ ‘Matthew is very versatile and has good technical knowledge. He tries to find solutions and work around timescales.’ “

The Legal 500 2023, Competition Law

Matthew has a strong understanding of competition law. He communicates very clearly and easily for commercial clients in such a way that they quickly understand the complex issues at hand.”

Legal 500 2023, Commercial Litigation

He is very knowledgeable, approachable, flexible and cost-efficient.”

Legal 500 2022, Commercial Litigation

Matthew provided an invaluable and impeccable service; his knowledge of state aid is second to none, and he provided a personal service by calling to discuss our needs shortly after our initial enquiry with the clerks. Nothing was too much trouble and his involvement was instrumental to our success.”

CHAMBERS UK 2022, COMPETITION LAW

Combines an in-depth understanding of competition law with a hugely pragmatic and commercial approach to cases.”

LEGAL 500 2021, COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Seminars & Events

  • Qualifications & awards:

    • LLB (Hons.) (Nottingham) first class
    • LLM (Amsterdam)
    • Diploma in Legal Practice (Nottingham Trent)
    • Admitted as a Solicitor 1997
    • Solicitor-Advocate Higher Courts Civil Proceedings 2014
    • University of Nottingham Exhibition 1991
    • Reuben C Lipman Scholarship 1992
  • Professional memberships:

    • The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
    • Member of the Brussels Bar (E-list) 2001 – 2011
    • UK State Aid Law Association
    • Competition Law Association
    • Bar European Group
    • Procurement Law Association
  • Additional information:

    Matthew is qualified to undertake public access work in appropriate cases, for further information, please visit our Public Access page.

    In 2017, Matthew was appointed to the Welsh National Procurement Services Panel for Legal Services, for Administrative Law, International & European Law and Procurement Law.

  • Matthew O'Regan is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.