One of the world's largest law firms uses FOI Act

One of the world's largest law firms uses FOI Act

The third largest legal services provider in the world, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), in what is one of the first examples of the Act’s use by lawyers.

DLA sent the request to the OFT on 6 January demanding access to all internal communications of an OFT investigation into abuses by Pernod’s rival Bacardi. DLA also asked to see Bacardi’s response to a rule 14 notice where the regulator set out its case against the company.

In 2002, the OFT, considered the allegation by Pernod that Bacardi-Martini had behaved anticompetitively by abusing its dominant position in relation to the supply of light rum for on-sale in the United Kingdom.

The OFT decided to terminate its investigation and accept voluntary assurances from Bacardi. Pernod appealed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal last year.

DLA invokes Freedom of Information Act for Pernod (The Lawyer.com, 10 January 2005)

Read the Competition Appeal Tribunal here in pdf format: Pernod Ricard v OFT