Biography: Competition

Dr Patrick Sommer is a partner in CMS von Erlach Henrici's competition & EU practice group. He graduated from the University of St Gallen in 1987 and was admitted to the bar in 1989. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the relationship of Switzerland to the European Union and completed postgraduate studies at the College of Europe in Bruges.

Before joining CMS he worked for seven years in the legal department of the Swiss multinational group Holcim where he has been promoted to the offices of general counsel and secretary of the board of directors.

Patrick Sommer represents major Swiss and international companies in all aspects of antitrust law including Swiss and multi-jurisdictional merger control filings, investigations of the Swiss competition authorities and dawn raids. He has represented a wide range of companies and trade associations in proceedings before the Swiss competition authorities. He is frequently speaking at conferences and is regularly publishing on antitrust issues.

Patrick Sommer is a member of the international advisory board of the St Gallen International Competition Law Forum and of the Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht. Other areas of practice include corporate and commercial law. Patrick Sommer is fluent in German, English and French.

CMS von Erlach Henrici is one of the leading law firms in Switzerland with a strong international practice. It is a full-service commercial law firm offering comprehensive, solution-driven legal advice to companies, institutions and individuals both on the national level and in an international environment. CMS von Erlach Henrici ensures quality and efficiency.

As part of CMS, aiming to be recognised as the best European provider of legal and tax advice, the firm has access to an international network of more than 2,800 lawyers in 55 offices throughout Europe across 30 countries.

The CMS competition and EU practice group has more than 140 competition lawyers in 24 countries.