Deminor Wiki – Lear Competition Festival (LCF)

History

Lear, whose name stands for 'Laboratory of economics, antitrust and regulation', was founded in Rome in 1999 by Paolo Buccirossi. The consultancy established itself as Italy's first competition economics firm and has since grown to be recognised by the Global Competition Review as one of the world's top twenty competition economics consultancies. Building on the success of its biennial Lear Conference, which began in 2005, the organisation launched the Lear Competition Festival in 2021 to create a more comprehensive annual gathering for the antitrust community.

The inaugural LCF in 2021 was held as a virtual edition due to pandemic restrictions. Since 2022, the festival has returned to an in-person format in Rome, typically spanning three to four days in late September. The 2025 edition marks a significant milestone as it celebrates twenty years of the Lear Conference tradition. The festival has established partnerships with leading institutions, including the George Washington University Competition & Innovation Lab, and attracts participants from competition authorities, law firms, economic consultancies, international organisations, and academia worldwide.

Structure and Programme

The festival's programme comprises several key components. Plenary sessions feature contributions from renowned academics, policymakers, and representatives of international institutions, addressing cutting-edge topics in competition law and economics. Parallel sessions, organised by festival partners, explore advanced economic and legal analysis, policy evaluation techniques, and significant international cases. Competition Authority Roundtables provide a forum where chairs and board members from national competition authorities discuss enforcement priorities and challenges in their respective jurisdictions.

The LCF places particular emphasis on nurturing the next generation of antitrust professionals. The Young Talent Competition Award (YTCA) invites young economists and lawyers to submit research proposals on topics related to competition, with submissions evaluated by a distinguished scientific committee. The winning proposal receives a cash prize and opportunities for further professional development. Additionally, the Poster Session provides students and researchers with a platform to present their findings to the broader LCF community. Networking opportunities throughout the festival include social events such as aperitifs, gala dinners, and walking tours of Rome.

Litigation Funding Context

The Lear Competition Festival has become an important venue for discussions on private antitrust enforcement and the role of third-party litigation funding in competition damages claims. Since the implementation of the EU Antitrust Damages Directive in 2014, private enforcement has gained significant momentum across European jurisdictions, creating increased opportunities for litigation funders to support claimants pursuing compensation for competition law infringements.

Deminor has served as a Gold Partner of the Lear Competition Festival for multiple consecutive years, demonstrating its commitment to advancing discourse on private antitrust litigation. Deminor representatives, including Chief Investment Officer Charles Demoulin and Senior Legal Counsel Giacomo Lorenzo, have actively participated in the event, chairing and contributing to panel discussions. Notable sessions have examined topics such as 'Private antitrust litigation: practical and financial solutions to improve effectiveness' and 'Funding and Litigating Private Damages Claims: What Have We Learned so Far?', bringing together legal counsels, attorneys, economics experts, and litigation funders to share insights on the opportunities and challenges in European private enforcement.

The festival's focus on economics-driven analysis aligns naturally with the needs of litigation funders in evaluating antitrust damages claims. Sessions addressing damages quantification methodologies, evidentiary challenges, and cross-border enforcement provide valuable practical knowledge for stakeholders involved in funding competition law disputes. As collective redress mechanisms continue to develop across EU Member States, events such as the LCF facilitate essential dialogue between the legal, economic, and funding communities that support effective private enforcement.

Conclusion

The Lear Competition Festival has established itself as a premier gathering for the international antitrust community, combining academic rigour with practical insights into competition law enforcement. Through its comprehensive programme of plenary and parallel sessions, engagement with competition authorities, and initiatives supporting emerging talent, the festival contributes meaningfully to the advancement of competition policy. For third-party litigation funders and practitioners engaged in private antitrust enforcement, the LCF provides an invaluable forum for understanding economic methodologies, building professional networks, and staying abreast of developments shaping the landscape of competition damages claims across Europe and beyond.