Microsoft Hires Brussels Beating Lawyer to Appeal Activision Blizzard Purchase Denial

We’ve all received the CMA’s denial of Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard in a bit of a surprise. It is clear that there is a lot of background that as spectators we do not know, but bureaucratic and legal processes are not a game, especially if the political issue is involved. But even all of these processes have gaps, and it looks like Microsoft will seek approval by any means.

According to an article from Yahoo Finance, Microsoft has acquired the services of a famous lawyer who has already won different disputes against entities of the European Union. This is Daniel Beard KC, who, together with Microsoft, will appeal to the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal sooner rather than later. This is important, as Beard has earned a reputation for winning different important decisions to the EU.

Microsoft does not plan to abandon the purchase under any circumstances.

Several months ago rumors spread about a similar case, but this time it was against the FTC in the United States. It seems that the plan is to pull the portfolio so that regulators, with clear commercial intentions involved, are not a problem for Microsoft and its games division such as Xbox. A major purchase requires the best experts, and it seems Beard’s track record is impeccable.

Represented Apple in a legal dispute against the EU due to an issue related to taxes in Ireland. In this case, she got a payment obligation of more than $13 billion against Apple from the EU dismissed in court. But that’s not all, as he also represented Intel in another similar case in which the European Union detected something punishable by law.

It is clear that this lawyer does not work miracles, and perhaps his methods are to find important gaps to sneak in and thus avoid those potholes that such an important organization represents for Europe and the world.

As we know, the CMA has already given its verdict and caused chaos within the acquisition. Now, various regulators are still considering their approval and are waiting for their response. One of them, of course, is the EU, who will give an answer in a few weeks; but from what is seen, this will bring problems and legal lawsuits to Microsoft in which they will be involved for a few years.