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, 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.

In addition to his specialist competition law practice, Matthew undertakes a range of commercial dispute resolution work, including advisory work, drafting pleadings and appearing in court. This includes in relation to breach of contract, debt recovery and related insolvency proceedings (including acting for both creditors and defendant companies in winding-up proceedings), restraint of trade and intellectual property. As a barrister, he has appeared regularly in the County Court. As a solicitor, he has experience of proceedings in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and in arbitration proceedings and has also appeared on several occasions before the EU General Court and the Court of Justice in Luxemburg.

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Directory Quotes

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.”

The Legal 500 2023, 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.’ “

Chambers UK 2023, Competition Law

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

Very client-friendly, pragmatic and commercial.” “He is brilliantly responsive and knows his stuff.”

Chambers UK 2021, Competition Law

  • 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 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 qualified to undertake public access work in appropriate cases, including from businesses and SMEs without their own legal departments, charities and private individuals. 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.