Claire Forster

Partner Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
Claire Forster

Claire Forster

Biography

Claire Forster is a competition, consumer and regulatory lawyer based in Sydney.

Holding a masters degree in competition law, Claire advises on all aspects of antitrust and competition law, acting in investigations and counselling on strategic joint ventures, mergers and market dominance issues in concentrated sectors. She also has a highly sought-after skillset in monopoly regulation and access.

Claire is accustomed to dealing with regulators (including the ACCC, AER and State-based fair-trading offices and energy regulators). Described by clients as "capable and diligent", her strong advocacy and solutions-based approach led to great outcomes in adversarial and cooperative contexts across cartels, mergers, exclusive dealing, joint ventures, consumer law and energy. She has worked on many regulatory investigations and cases, advised on and obtained merger clearances for domestic and cross-border transactions, and secured authorisations from the ACCC.

Claire is recognised in The Best Lawyers Australia for Competition Law, Energy Law and Regulatory Practice. She is also a Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer, a Legal 500 Next Generation Competition & Trade Lawyer, recognised in Doyles Guide for Competition Law and Ranked in Chambers for Energy Law: Utilities.

Claire Co-Heads the Energy practice in Australia. She advises major Australian and global market players at all levels of the energy supply chain (including generators, networks, retailers, energy users and governments). She works with these clients to optimise their market participation within the complex regulatory frameworks, increasingly in the context of renewables and emerging technologies (both grid scale and retail).

Professional experience

Rankings and recognitions

Rankings and recognitions

  • LawDragon 500 - Global Antitrust & Competitions Lawyers Guide (2025)
  • Doyles Guide - Recommended: Competition Law (2025)
  • Chambers & Partners - Band 4: Energy & Resources: Utilities (2026)
  • Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner, Competition and Trade (since 2023)
  • Thomson Reuters - Stand Out Lawyer (since 2024)
  • Best Lawyers - Competition Law (since 2020)
  • Best Lawyers - Regulatory Law (since 2022)
  • Best Lawyers - Energy Law (since 2024)
  • Special Counsel of the Year, Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards (2015)

Education

Education

  • Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2025)
  • Master of Laws (Competition Law focus), University of Melbourne (2013)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing), University of New South Wales (2005)
  • Bachelor of Laws, University of New South Wales (2005)

Admissions

Admissions

  • High Court of Australia 2007
  • Supreme Court of New South Wales 2006

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