An application (app) that assists clients in navigating the coordinated dawn raids undertaken by competition authorities has been expanded to accommodate 44 countries, including South Africa.

Multinational law firm Baker McKenzie’s Dawn Raid app delivers real-time step-by-step guidance on the rights and obligations of the company being raided, covering local administrative and criminal laws, and allows instant access to Baker McKenzie antitrust lawyers.

“Antitrust agencies often coordinate their investigations, so a company can find itself being raided in several countries on the same day. The app is a cutting-edge platform that provides practical assistance and peace of mind for individuals on the ground handling unannounced inspections,” explained Baker McKenzie London competition group head Samantha Mobley.

The app equips clients to better understand and work through the complexities of potentially simultaneous dawn raids in an “organised and systematic way”.

The Dawn Raid app was initially launched in Asia Pacific late in 2016.

“Since the implementation of the South African Competition Act 1998, the South African Competition Commission has conducted numerous dawn raids across several South African industries, including businesses in the cement, furniture removal, gas and recruitment sectors,” said Baker McKenzie Johannesburg antitrust and competition practice partner and head Vani Chetty.

Dawn raids have also been carried out in Egypt, Kenya, Namibia and Zambia in recent times, with an increase in the frequency of these raids expected in these and other African countries in the future, Chetty added.

“The advent of dawn raids in African countries, outside of South Africa, together with the regularity of raids in South Africa, makes it imperative that businesses have procedures in place in the event of a raid on their premises,” added Baker McKenzie Johannesburg antitrust and competition practice partner Nick Altini.

The expanded app boasts an automatic click-through to the correct country checklist with step-by-step practical guidance on what to do and what not to do for civil and criminal antitrust raids, and is equipped with a one-tap contact link to a local Baker McKenzie antitrust specialist.

The app also boasts camera accessibility for users to take and send photos of the dawn raid warrant and other key documents to enable Baker McKenzie to provide immediate legal support.