Stephenson Harwood (SH) has hired Trudy Feaster-Gee from Walker Morris, where she was head of competition law. 

Feaster-Gee leaves the Leeds-headquartered firm after 10 years as a partner and will join SH’s London litigation practice, working alongside fellow partner Genevieve Quierin, who the firm recruited from Mishcon de Reya in 2021.

“Competition disputes are on the rise and more clients need specialist assistance in this sphere, so we are delighted that Trudy has chosen to join us,” said Ros Prince, co-head of SH’s commercial litigation practice group. 

“Working closely with Genevieve Quierin, Trudy will be a fantastic addition to our team, which is already doing top tier work in this sphere.”

Feaster-Gee has more than three decades of experience working in competition law, both in senior in-house and private practice roles. 

Previously head of external competition engagement at Lloyds Banking Group, she spent time on secondment as head of legal at Volkswagen UK, while earlier in her career she was seconded to the UK Competition Commission, a predecessor of the current Competition and Markets Authority.

Having trained and qualified as a barrister, she spent six years at Eversheds (now Eversheds Sutherland) and seven years at Addleshaw Goddard before moving to Walker Morris in 2023. 

During her time at Walker Morris, she split her practice between contentious competition law – such as cartel investigations, dawn raids, regulatory enforcement actions and behavioural remedies – and non-contentious law, including as merger control and advisory work.

She has advised clients from a wide range of industry sectors, particularly the motor industry, as well as across the various regulated sectors, including electricity, water, telecoms and financial services.

Quierin, meanwhile, has strong expertise in private enforcement and competition law cases, including in interchange fees actions, enabling her to assemble portfolios of corporate claimants in dispute with MasterCard and Visa.

Earlier this year she represented 1,900 companies in a pivotal ‘limitation issue’ case at the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal, which led to a particularly significant ruling on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and the scope of retained EU law.

SH’s recruitment of Feaster-Gee follows the arrival of technology disputes partners Michael Bywell and Peter Dalton in February from Hausfeld and Herbert Smith Freehills respectively.

The firm also added shipping partner Stuart McAlpine from legacy Ince & Co earlier this month in the wake of the demise of Axiom Ince.

In July, Rebecca Carter was appointed London managing partner, the firm having posted strong financial results with revenue at a record high of £228m and profit per equity partner up by 6%.