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Sophia Grace

Sophia Grace

Special Counsel
Melbourne
About

Sophia Grace focuses on competition and access law, as well as economic regulation. She has broad experience advising businesses and regulators in those areas.

Sophia advises on the economic regulation of industries, in particular under national regimes administered by the Australian Energy Regulator.  Sophia also advises on restrictive trade practices/antitrust under Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act. In addition, Sophia has significant experience advising on access to essential infrastructure, including under Parts IIIA and XIC of the Competition and Consumer Act. Sophia's experience includes representing clients in the Australian Competition Tribunal and Federal Court.

Areas of FocusPropiedad IntelectualAntitrust and CompetitionLitigios, arbitraje e investigaciones
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the High Court of AustraliaSolicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising clients on an ongoing basis on compliance with Part IV of the Competition and Consumer Act, including advice on price fixing and other anti-competitive arrangements, reviewing the client's business conduct, responding to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) enquiries and making applications for immunity under the ACCC's cartel immunity policy
  • Advising various electricity and gas network service providers on reset processes before the Australian Energy Regulator under the National Electricity Law and National Electricity Rules, and National Gas Law and National Gas Rules. This includes advising two electricity distributors on the Victorian electricity distribution price review by the Australian Energy Regulator for 2011-15 and 2016-20
  • Advising the ACCC Mergers Branch on its assessment of the acquisition of Patrick Corporation by Toll Holdings. Also advised the ACCC Mergers Branch on Patrick Corporation's proposed acquisition of FCL Interstate Transport Services Pty Ltd's Australian logistics business 
  • Advising an entertainment company on the ACCC's merger clearance of its acquisition of a competitor
  • Representing Fortescue in proceedings in Australia's Federal Court, the Full Federal Court and High Court concerning whether third party use of BHP Billiton's Pilbara railways is the use of a production process under Part IIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act
  • Advising the ACCC Transport Branch on its consideration of undertakings under Part IIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act offered by GrainCorp, Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited and ABB limited in respect of access to services provided by their grain export port terminals 
  • Acting for the ACCC Communications Branch in proceedings before the Australian Competition Tribunal and the Full Federal Court concerning a review under Part XIC of the Competition and Consumer Act of applications by Telstra for exemptions from standard access obligations in respect of its wholesale line rental and local carriage services

Education

    Publications

    Sophia presents seminars to clients as well as her DLA Piper colleagues on competition law issues.

    Seminars

    Sophia regularly presents seminars to clients as well as her DLA Piper colleagues on compliance with competition laws. She was also a presenter at a recent conference on access regulation.

    Prior Experience

    Prior to joining DLA Piper Australia, Sophia acquired broad experience in litigation and competition. She was Associate to Justice Goldberg in the Federal Court of Australia and the Australian Competition Tribunal during the hearing of major commercial proceedings and authorisation and access cases under the Competition and Consumer Act. During this time, Sophia gained a valuable insight into the decision making approach of courts and review bodies in competition matters.

    Memberships And Affiliations

    • Law Institute of Victoria

    My latest insights

    Publication

    Significant reforms proposed to address unfair trading practices

    27 de noviembre de 2023 .6 minute read

    Publication

    Changes to the unfair contract terms regime have now come into effect

    9 de noviembre de 2023 .4 minute read

    News

    DLA Piper advises on acquisition of Victorian battery energy storage system

    31 de octubre de 2023 .2 minute read

    View All

    Connect

    Phone

    +61 3 9274 5121
    (Work, Melbourne)
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