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Justin Balkin is an Executive at ENS in the Competition/Antitrust practice.

Justin is involved in all aspects of competition law, including merger control and behavioural issues, in South Africa and in numerous other African jurisdictions with antitrust regimes (including  COMESA, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Swaziland).

Justin’s mergers experience includes advising on the competition law aspects of transaction structuring, merger approvals (with a focus on complex local and multi-jurisdictional transactions), private equity transactions and the antitrust components of hostile takeover bids.  Justin is an expert in all competition law aspects of local and international private equity acquisitions and disposals.

From a behavioural perspective, Justin has been involved in various contested proceedings in relation to cartel conduct, prohibited practices and abuses of dominance.  He has also advised clients on the Competition Commission's corporate leniency policy and has extensive experience in performing competition law compliance reviews and competition law training.

Justin has also been actively involved in the Competition Law Sub-Committee of the Law Society. He is the author of several articles on competition law and is an editor of the Butterworth’s Competition Law Report.

Justin is recognised as a leading/recommended lawyer by:

• IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate Guide; Competition – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 – Highly Regarded (South Africa)
• Chambers Global Guide 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018,2017, 2016, 2015 – Competition/Antitrust (South Africa)
• The Legal 500 EMEA 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 – Competition (South Africa)
• Best Lawyers® 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 – Competition/Antitrust (South Africa)
• Euromoney Expert Guides – Guide to the World’s Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers 2016 – Competition (South Africa)
• Who’s Who Legal 2019 – Global Leader – Competition (South Africa), 2015 Expert  – Competition (South Africa)