Deirdre Taylor is an English law partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the antitrust and competition practice.
Deirdre’s practice encompasses the full range of antitrust issues, including market studies and investigations, cartel investigations, merger control, and abuse of dominance. Deirdre has provided antitrust advice to clients across a number of industries, including: telecommunications, aviation, financial services, oil and gas, engineering, retail, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing. Since joining Gibson Dunn, she has counselled clients such as UBS, Asda, Gala Coral, Energizer, Marriott Hotels, William Hill, Debenhams and a number of leading technology companies.
Deirdre’s recent experience includes market studies and a market investigation in the digital sector. In relation to cartel investigations, Deirdre's experience includes defending a multi-national corporation in connection with worldwide antitrust and regulatory investigations in the financial sector and advising a client in the consumer goods sector in relation to a national, and potentially EU-wide, cartel investigation. Recent merger experience includes obtaining UK clearance in the engineering sector, UK clearance for a high-profile retail merger, and EC clearance for a merger in the electronics distribution sector.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Deirdre spent 5 years at the UK competition authority, most recently as Assistant Director of the Cartels and Criminal Enforcement Group. In this role, she was the project director responsible for a number of civil cartel investigations in the aviation, basic manufacturing and agricultural sectors. Deirdre was responsible for the authority’s investigation into collusion between British Airways and Virgin in relation to air passenger fuel surcharges on long-haul flights. She was also heavily involved in policy developments relating to the UK’s criminal cartel regime. Deirdre also previously practiced with WilmerHale on a wide-ranging competition law, telecommunications and aviation. She also served in the European Commission as Stagiaire with the Information Technology and Consumer Electronics Unit of DG Competition.
Deirdre is ranked for Competition Law in Chambers UK 2025, Chambers Global 2022 and Chambers Europe 2022, clients describe her as "tak[ing] the very complex and makes it beautifully simple", having “a truly impressive command of everything, from the big picture and substantive law to the tiniest little details. She is really a full-service partner and extremely dependable", “a super lawyer who is clever, hard-working and responsive", “a joy to work with. She is pragmatic, practical and considered in all she delivers" and “a great partner for our business". In previous years, clients noted her as “very smart, on top of her subject and exceptionally user-friendly" and "unbelievably clever, always on top of the detail, and has very good judgement". She is also recognised for EU and Competition Law as well as Competition Litigation in The Legal 500 UK 2025.
Deirdre is a member of the IBA Cartels Working Group. She is assistant editor of “Faull & Nikpay: The EC Law of Competition,” one of the leading practitioner texts in the antitrust and competition law field. She was also part of the team who won the ‘Innovation in legal expertise: enabling business growth’ category at the 2017 FT European Innovative Lawyer Awards.
Recent publications
- GCR Know-How - Immunity, Sanctions & Settlements 2016 - European Union Ali Nikpay, Deirdre Taylor and Attila Borsos
- The EU Damages Directive: Of Promontories and Whirlpools Patrick Doris and Deirdre Taylor, Cartel & Joint Conduct Review Spring 2015
- The New UK Competition Regime: Radically Different or More of the Same? Ali Nikpay and Deirdre Taylor, Journal of European Competition Law & Practice 2014 5 (5): 278-286
Representative Experience
- Civil cartel investigations, from initial leniency applications and ‘dawn raids’, through the investigative stages to final decision, including settlement. In particular, responsibility for the investigation into collusion between BA and VAA in relation to air passenger fuel surcharges and settlement with BA. Representation of a multi-national corporation in connection with worldwide antitrust and regulatory investigations in the financial sector.
- Wide-ranging conduct-related practice, covering Articles 101 and 102 TFEU and CA98, in sectors such as fast moving consumer goods, hospitality, utilities, aviation and telecommunications/media.
- Wide-ranging merger practice, including before the European Commission, UK CMA and national authorities worldwide, first and second phase merger proceedings. High profile merger deals worked on include Ladbrokes/Coral, Asda/Sainsbury’s, Alcatel/Lucent* and Tetra Laval/Sidel*.
*Includes experience gained prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- University College Dublin - 1996 Master of Laws (LL.M.)
- University College, Cork (NUI Cork) - 1995 Bachelor of Civil Law
Admissions:
- England & Wales - Solicitor