Michael Coutts

I am an Australian qualified lawyer with a passion for competition law and regulating the digital economy! I am currently based in Sydney, working full-time as an in-house counsel for Uber. I am admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales, Australia, and have spent time working in private practice in London as well as in-house whilst on secondment from HSF. In my legal practice, I usually advise on antitrust/competition law, consumer law, and a range of other regulatory matters. I pride myself on giving thoughtful, practical, and commercially-friendly advice, and building genuine relationships with my colleagues. I have a keen interest in the technology, retail and fast moving consumer goods sectors due to their rapid pace and tendency to throw up complex, novel issues. I also like thinking about the future of competition law and digital regulations, and contributing to developing knowledge in these areas. I have a Master of Philosophy from the University of East Anglia, with my thesis focusing on the implications of pricing algorithms for competition law, specifically merger control practices and the coordinated effects doctrine. An article based on my thesis was published in the Oxford Journal of Competition Law & Economics. Before that, I completed an LLM at the University of Melbourne, where my dissertation analysed the competition law issues associated with applying anti-fragmentation conditions to open source software licensing agreements. I also hold a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of International Studies from the University of Sydney. I am a keen advocate of diversity and wellness in the workplace. In 2019, I was a finalist at the Australian Lawyers Weekly Awards in the 'Wellness Advocate of the Year' category. Outside of the office, I enjoy playing and watching tennis, football, and cricket, as well as playing the guitar.