Inside QE’s Remarkable UK Class Action Trial Win for Qualcomm

Qualcomm successfully defended a high-stakes UK competition law class action, resulting in the claimants withdrawing their case after a five-week trial. The litigation centered on allegations of "abusive dominance" and "super-competitive" royalty pricing, with the class representative claiming Qualcomm leveraged its market power in baseband chipsets to force unfair licensing terms on manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. The defense, led by Brussels-based partners Miguel Rato and Marixenia Davilla, dismantled this theory by demonstrating that chipset supply and licensing agreements were historically independent, with instances of companies holding licenses without purchasing chips. By focusing on the factual chronology of negotiations, the defense proved that no coercive leveraging occurred. The court ultimately allowed the withdrawal, noting the claimant’s case lacked realistic prospects of success, marking a rare victory where the opposing side conceded before a final judgment.