Daniel is recognised as an outstanding competition and regulatory lawyer and has appeared in and advised upon many of the leading cases over recent years. He appears regularly in the Competition Appeal Tribunal both for private clients and regulators in damages actions, judicial review challenges and infringement appeals.

Damages litigation: Daniel has a vast amount of competition damages litigation experience since the start of the competition regime going back to generic drugs cartel claims (NHS v Norton) the air cargo litigation (Emerald v BA) and the gas insulated switchgear cartel claims (National Grid v ABB).  He has acted in some of the leading damages trials including the trucks cartel claims (Royal Mail/BT v DAF) and the first completed class action trial (le Patourel v BT). He is currently retained in numerous class action claims including: foreign exchange; trucks; water/sewage; and Sony Playstation.

As a result of his very extensive involvement in damages claims (both for defendants and claimants), Daniel has a great deal of experience with multi- national and domestic proceedings from pre-litigation preparation through to full trial including dealing with jurisdictional (conflicts of laws) issues.

Mergers and market investigations: Daniel has a great deal of experience of merger and market investigation and advisory work over many years. He has acted in many of the UK merger and market investigation cases litigated over the past two decades going back to IBA v OFT (Isoft/Torex). His work includes Sky v Competition Commission (Sky/ITV), SCOP/Eurotunnel v Competition Commission (MyFerryLink) and more recently leading for Microsoft in the Microsoft/Activision litigation against the CMA.

CAT Appeals: Daniel has very extensive experience in CAT litigation and has acted in numerous CAT appeal cases.  Notable recent appeals include  successfully overturning the  decision of the CMA in the Compare the Market case (BGL v CMA).

Utilities regulation: Daniel has a broad knowledge of utilities regulation particularly in the energy and telecommunications and media fields.

Commercial and intellectual property litigation: he has also been involved in a wide range of other commercial and intellectual property litigation involving competition and EU law issues and advises and acts in urgent injunctive relief cases.

Cases

Daniel has very wide experience of EU law. He regularly appears in the EU courts in Luxembourg (and is EU qualified).

The issues arising in Daniel’s EU litigation have covered the full range of competition issues including State Aid. He is a first choice advocate for major clients in the technology sector.

Cases

Recent cases include:

• C-413/14P and C-240/22P Intel v Commission (acting for Intel in leading case on abuse of dominance – successful appeal to the CJEU against €1bn penalty)
• T-227/21 and C-611/22P Illumina and GRAIL v Commission (acting for Illumina challenging Commission extension of jurisdiction to catch “killer acquisition” mergers)
• T-892/16 and C-465/20P Apple v Commission  (acting for Apple challenging €13bn State aid ruling)
• T-334/19 Google v Commission – Adsense (acting for Google challenging €1.4bn penalty)
• T-260/24  Apple v Commission –  spotify (challenging €1.8bn penalty  re anti-steering rules)
• T-1080/23 Apple v Commission – DMA designation (challenge to gatekeeper designation under Digital Markets Act)

He has also been involved in a large number of non-competition EU cases covering constitutional issues, data protection and fundamental rights including Opinion 2/13 EU/ECHR (acting for the UK in relation to EU accession to the ECHR) and T-85/09 and C-595/10P Kadi v Council and United Kingdom v Kadi (sanctions on suspected terrorist concerning fundamental rights and the interaction between EU law and international law, in particular in relation to UN Security Council Resolutions).

By reason of his knowledge and experience, Daniel is listed as a potential arbitration panel member under Article 171 of the EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Daniel has advised and appeared for a broad range of clients in relation to public and administrative law and human rights matters.

He has acted in relation to judicial review and public law challenges in relation to a range of regulatory matters including: telecommunications; energy; media plurality; mergers and competition procedure.

He has also acted in a large number of general domestic public law and human rights matters from library closures to war pensions and tourist VAT exemptions to Brexit ferry companies with no ferries.

Daniel has worked on a range of security related matters. He has also acted as a Special Advocate in relation to SIAC and Control Order cases (including the quashing of a Control Order in the Bullivant case).

Competition Law (ranked as a Star Individual): “Daniel Beard KC is obviously outstanding.”, “He is really a superstar, but also very user-friendly.” “He is truly exceptional and world-class.” “Daniel is a top advocate and loved by clients.”  – Chambers UK and Chambers Global, 2025

European Law: “Daniel Beard KC is a hands-on barrister with superb client-handling skills.” “Daniel Beard KC is one of the sharpest and best advocates I have worked with over the years.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Administrative & Public Law: “Daniel is a wonderful advocate as he is very measured.”  – Chambers UK, 2025

Telecommunications: “Daniel Beard is a clear heavy hitter in the competition and telecoms space. He is incredibly astute, bright, very strategic and focused, and he is very effective.” “He is a commanding figure. He has a great brain, masses of common sense and a brilliant way with judges.” – Chambers UK, 2025

Leading silk in Competition – Legal 500, 2025

Leading silk in European Union relations – Legal 500, 2025

Leading silk in Group Litigation: “A fantastic mind and an encyclopaedic knowledge of competition law. He has an ability to distil the most complex issues into clear and effective submissions.  He is also great on his feet and able to convey very complicated material in a succinct and persuasive manner.” – Legal 500, 2025

Recommended in Competition, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2025

Recommended in Telecoms, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2025

Recommended in Media & Entertainment, Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2025

MA (Hons) Cambridge (First Class) Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), Oxford