Rene is a leading expert of Estonian competition law with more than 10 years of experience in the field. His specialism is in antitrust (cartel and dominance) investigations before the Estonian Competition Authority, competition compliance in both regulated or non-regulated industries and complex merger work. Over the years, Rene has been involved in a number of landmark cases, such as the ‘milk-cartel’ and ‘vodka-cartel’ cases that ended successfully for his clients. Rene has also advised both private and public sector clients on application of EU State aid rules, e.g. represented them before the European Commission. A key part of Rene’s work is in pre-transaction competition assessment, i.e. providing firms with high-level views on feasibility of specific transaction scenarios and expected regulatory obstacles in merger investigations. Rene is recognized as a leading competition expert by Chambers Europe and The Legal 500, among others.

Rene is passionate about competition law, sports and politics. He plays tennis and cycles to keep fit.

2016 – until now
Partner at Law Office FORT

2009-2016
Attorney and Head of Competition at Law Office Tark Grunte Sutkiene

2004-2009
Attorney and Competition Lawyer at Law Firm LEXTAL

2006
European Commission, Legal Service, trainee

2004-2007
Estonian Entrepreneurship College Mainor, lecturer

2012
University of Arizona, U.S., James E. Rogers College of Law (LL.M. in International Trade Law) (studies financed by the Fulbright Foreign Student Program)

2011
King’s College London, University of London, Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law (pass with Merit)

2003
University of Tartu, Faculty of Law, Estonia (LL.B. in Law; officially equivalent to MA)

2015
Competition Law Committee of the Estonian Bar Association, member

2003
Estonian Bar Association

2003
Estonian Young Lawyers’ Association (Board Member in 2007-2011, Chairman in 2008-2009)

Estonian, English, Finnish

• “Anti-competitive information exchange: Rules and Estonian jurisprudence”, Juridica, 2014, No 3
• “Pharmaceutical Antitrust – Estonia” (in English), Global Competition Review, (2008-2011)
• “Leniency programme in Estonia: an illusion or reality?” Juridica 2006, No 3
• “Leniency programme in Estonia: an illusion or reality?” (in English), Juridica International, 2005
• “Accountability for breaching antitrust rules: de lega lata & de lege ferenda” Juridica, 2004, No 9
• “Abuse of dominance: criticism of the Estonian legal approach and comparison with EU antitrust laws”, Juridica, 2004, No 5
• “Prohibited co-operation among undertakings in EC law and Estonian competition law”, Juridica, 2003, No 6

ARTICLES

• “Tobacco products and Trademarks”, article in Estonian leading daily Postimees, 21/3/2013
• “Pharmacy establishment restrictions still without a Supreme Court judgment”, article in Estonian leading daily Postimees, 10/1/2013
• Co-author of the book “Public Private Partnership”, Äripäev, 2011