Secondment opportunities for competition and consumer lawyers

We are launching a new round of secondment opportunities for lawyers, to start on?20 March 2023.

Since its launch in June 2018, approaching 50 secondees from over 20 law firms have taken part in the programme and we are now accepting applications for the next round, which is anticipated to start on 20 March 2023.

We invite you to consider whether your firm and any of your associates wish to participate.

The deadline for applications is Friday, 13 January 2023.

We believe our programme offers an exciting opportunity for competition and consumer lawyers:

• The 6-month programme encompasses work across all our competition, consumer law and litigation functions, and is designed to offer a structured insight into the workings of the CMA
• Secondees have the opportunity to work within 1 or more of the CMA’s Legal Service, Policy, Mergers, Competition Act, Consumer, Digital Markets, Internal Market, Subsidy Control and Litigation functions, under the supervision of senior CMA lawyers
• Secondees form an integral part of our multi-disciplinary teams and have the opportunity to play a key role in delivering the CMA’s aims and strategic goals through casework or wider legal and policy work
• We hope that this opportunity to work with us at the CMA will prove particularly valuable to both the secondee and their firm on their return to private practice

Comments from previous secondees:

"I thoroughly enjoyed my secondment to the CMA’s Consumer team. My colleagues were very welcoming and friendly, and got me involved from day one. I helped scope for new consumer law enforcement cases and this taught me a lot about strategy, prioritisation and working within a team to make decisions. I also helped launch and run enforcement cases over my secondment. Overall, this experience was incredibly valuable as I was able to develop my understanding of consumer laws and CMA enforcement powers.?The project I was on very much sat at the forefront of law and technology. Further, the CMA clearly value knowledge sharing as there is no shortage of talks and seminars to attend.”

Additionally:

• We aim to offer secondees a range of work suitable for their level of experience and to provide training as part of the role, Our secondments last for 6 months with 2 intakes annually on a rolling basis. The CMA will contribute a flat rate to the cost of secondees, with further details available on request.

Firms that would like to put candidates forward should email a CV and covering letter for each candidate by?Friday, 13 January 2023?to Simon Harms, Richard Flanagan, John Bardsley and Victoria Oates.

As part of their covering letter, candidates should confirm that they are able to start their secondment on 20 March 2023 for a 6-month period.

Candidates should also express any preference for particular types of work within the CMA which we will do our best to accommodate, including with a view to maximising a firm’s exposure to different CMA tools among their associates seconded over time.

Candidates should be available to have a meeting or call with the CMA during the weeks of either 16 January 2023 or?23 January 2023 to discuss the secondment.

Please note we will not consider applications via agencies.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the benefits of the programme, please contact any of Simon Harms, Richard Flanagan, John Bardsley and Victoria Oates.

Contact details for secondment programme queries:

Simon Harms

Legal Director?[email protected]?

Richard Flanagan

Legal Director [email protected]

John Bardsley

Legal Adviser [email protected]

Victoria Oates

Legal Adviser?[email protected]