Will Widdess

Will advises clients across a wide range of trade and regulatory issues, including export controls, sanctions, subsidy control, WTO law, tariffs, free trade agreements and trade remedies. A former senior UK government lawyer, he has worked closely with government ministers, policy officials, arms-length bodies and regulators and he is an experienced negotiator of international agreements. Will also advises on competition law, and previously advised the UK government on competition and consumer policy, including in the context of the UK’s free trade agreements.

Before joining TLT, Will was a senior lawyer at UK Department for Business and Trade. His experience includes representing the UK government in several free trade agreement negotiations, including with the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico. He has advised UK government clients on negotiations at the Council of the European Union, and acted for clients in relation to state aid matters and matters arising from the UK’s exit from the EU. He has also acted for clients in contentious regulatory and public law matters, including in judicial review proceedings.

Will’s in-house experience gives him a first-hand insight into his clients’ needs, and he is praised for his pragmatic, client-focused legal advice and negotiation skills.

Jurisdiction: England & Wales

• Acting for a client in the aviation sector on a competition dispute relating to cargo handling.
• Advising a multinational manufacturer in the automotive sector on compliance with UK sanctions.
• Advising a multinational engineering enterprise on compliance with UK export controls and sanctions.
• Advising the UK government on the UK’s free trade agreement negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council and India.
• Advising a central government department on domestic and international subsidies law in relation to a £200 million funding facility relating to the UK’s net zero policy programme.
• Advising an arms-length body on the extent to which a proposed information-sharing agreement complies with export controls.