Microsoft hires experienced lawyer to appeal CMA. He previously won similar cases against the EU. Microsoft is reportedly hiring Daniel Beard KC as a lawyer for the appeal against the British watchdog CMA. He previously defeated the European Commission in similar cases.

Beard has experience with this type of business. Earlier, he won a case with Apple against the European Commission after the company had to pay 13 million taxes. Ireland, according to the commission, had offered the company illegal state aid.

Daniel Beard is widely regarded as one of the Bar’s leading specialists in competition, EU, regulatory and public law. He is noted as a “first rate” advocate.

He has appeared in courts from Haverfordwest to the Falkland Islands. He regularly appears in High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in the UK as well as in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

In EU law matters, Daniel has appeared in a large number of cases in the Court of Justice and General Court in Luxembourg.

He acts in arbitrations and his work has developed in various international jurisdictions including in the Middle East, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Daniel has won various awards for his work including Chambers and Partners EU and Competition Silk of the year and Legal 500 EU/Competition Silk of the Year.

Prior to taking silk, Daniel was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel and standing Counsel to the Office of Fair Trading.

Last year he stood by Intel and ensured that a fine of 1.1 billion euros was reversed. The EU wrongly claimed that the company would dominate the chip market, the judge ruled after the high appeal. That Beard is actually Microsoft’s lawyer has not yet been officially confirmed.

Microsoft announced last year that it wants to acquire the Call of Duty creator for $ 68.7 billion, but the British CMA put a stop to that. The watchdog believes that the acquisition could have negative consequences for competition in the growing cloud gaming market and is blocking the deal.

According to The Telegraph article, Microsoft will file the appeal against the decision within a few days.