Kian O'Connell

Kian advises clients on a wide range of EU competition law matters, including merger control, cartel and antitrust investigations. Kian has represented clients in antitrust and cartel cases before the European Commission and has significant experience across a range of sectors, including automotive, chemicals, commodities, energy and manufacturing and industrials.

In the EU regulatory sphere, Kian has experience in advising clients across several sectors, including consumer, digital markets and energy. He also advises on international trade issues, including anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations, as well as international sanctions law.

Kian is a native English and Japanese speaker and is also fluent in French. He is active in Herbert Smith Freehills' cross-border Japan competition practice and has worked with a number of Japanese clients.

Background

Kian graduated with First Class Honours in Law (BCL) from University College Dublin and holds a Master's in Public International Law from Paris-Panthéon-Assas University (Master 1) and a Master of European Law (LL.M.) from the College of Europe in Bruges, where he specialised in competition law.

Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills, Kian worked in international affairs, serving as a member of Ireland's delegation to the United Nations in New York and as a representative to the international courts and tribunals in The Hague.

Kian was admitted to the degree of Barrister-at-Law by the Honorable Society of King's Inns and called to the Bar of Ireland in 2023. He is also registered with the Brussels Bar (E-list).