Existing clients

Log in to your client extranet for free matter information, know-how and documents.

Client extranet portal

Staff

Mills & Reeve system for employees.

Staff Login

Sam Baines

Associate

What can I do for you

Sam has experience acting on a range of competition law matters, including advising clients on complex merger control processes, the UK investment screening process, and on structuring commercial strategies and agreements to comply with competition law. 

Sam has also advised in connection with the CMA’s ‘greenwashing’ investigation and prospective consumer protection legislation under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Supporting your ambitions

Competition law can be complex and the consequences of getting it wrong are severe. Sam grasps clients’ needs and works collaboratively to achieve their commercial objectives whilst navigating the challenges of competition law. Sam’s communication and advice is responsive, straightforward, and commercially sensible. 

Sam has assisted clients on the full UK merger control process, achieving unconditional clearance, and has advised on a number of investment screening applications, securing positive outcomes in each case to date. Sam has worked with clients in the UK, USA and EU structuring their commercial arrangements to be compliant with UK and EU competition law.

What do others say

Clients have commented that Sam, "is astute, responsive, and eminently commercially sensible," is "quick to grasp the facts," that he "efficiently offers sound, pragmatic legal advice," and that "he is a pleasure to work with."

What else should you know

Before turning to law, Sam worked as a Maths and Economics teacher in Grimsby (his hometown) and Seville, Spain. From his time in Spain, Sam is a confident Spanish speaker (he has also picked up a strong Andalusian accent) and enjoys returning there to visit friends, as well as travelling more widely to experience new cultures whenever possible.

What our clients say about us

  • I think Mills & Reeve are a wonderful firm. The support they have provided to us in a really difficult area has been brilliant, collaborative and commercially minded. The team were absolutely wonderful and a joy to work with. Amazing advice and support and a real collaborative effort with us. I can't thank them enough for getting us through some really tough times and doing so with an amazing can-do attitude.
  • They are friendly, fast, always available and always on top of the game. I tend to judge my legal team against the other side's legal team and never doubt Mills & Reeve is the better of the two.
  • All interactions have been very clear. Responses to questions have always been very swift and unambiguous. Our company, and my family, have used various services in Mills & Reeve with the same level of satisfaction.
  • I value the fact that Mills & Reeve are recognised as a good place to work in the UK Best Companies survey. This aligns with the values of our business and means that Mills & Reeve can share what is required to achieve this status with our business.

As many clients will testify, too many lawyers deliver the required legal expertise but fail to deliver an outstanding client experience. Which is why we always listen to our clients and constantly ask ourselves what we can do to deliver the results you expect.

You expect a close and attentive working relationship, with a lawyer that is responsive and available when you need them. You also want clear, pragmatic and commercial advice tailored to your needs, and transparency and certainty on costs. We completely agree. That’s why every day, through our culture and approach we are committed to delivering the exceptional results and service our clients expect of us.

Related sectors and services

  • Competition, investment screening and subsidy control

Contact Sam