Marie Laurent is a senior corporate lawyer at ADVANT Altana in Paris with 28 years of experience in cross-border M&A, corporate restructuring, and French regulatory compliance for international investors, particularly advising Chinese acquirers on French market transactions. She is admitted to the Paris Bar (Avocat à la Cour) and holds a Master II in Business Law from the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas.

Professional Background

Ms. Laurent earned her Master's degree in Business Law from the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas (Paris II), one of France's premier law faculties, and completed a postgraduate diploma in European Business Law at the College of Europe in Bruges. She trained at leading Paris law firms before joining ADVANT Altana, where she has spent the majority of her career and became a partner in 2002. She has led numerous cross-border transactions involving Chinese acquirers across multiple sectors.

She is a member of the Paris Bar Association, the French-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCIFC), and regularly speaks at conferences on French M&A and foreign investment regulation. She is recognised as a Leading Individual in M&A by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 EMEA.

Practice Focus

Ms. Laurent concentrates her practice on cross-border M&A transactions involving French and Chinese parties, corporate restructurings, and French regulatory compliance. She advises Chinese state-owned and private enterprises on the acquisition of French companies, asset purchases, and strategic investments across multiple sectors including manufacturing, technology, consumer goods, and infrastructure. Her practice covers the full transaction cycle from pre-acquisition structuring through regulatory approvals to post-closing integration.

• ⚖️ Cross-border M&A and corporate acquisitions
• 🛡️ French regulatory compliance and foreign investment review
• 📜 Joint venture and strategic alliance structuring
• 💼 Post-acquisition integration and governance
• 📋 French labour law consultation and works council procedures

Representative Experience

• Advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise on the acquisition of a French infrastructure company valued at over €300 million, including French FDI clearance and works council consultation
• Represented a Chinese consumer goods group in the acquisition of a French luxury brand, structuring the transaction to satisfy both French regulatory requirements and Chinese outbound investment approval
• Guided a Chinese technology investor through French FDI screening for the acquisition of a French software company in the data processing sector

Working Method

Ms. Laurent applies a collaborative, transaction-focused approach that bridges French legal requirements with Chinese commercial expectations. She coordinates multidisciplinary teams spanning tax, employment, and sector-specific regulatory areas to deliver integrated transaction support. She maintains close working relationships with Chinese legal counsel and has deep experience managing the cultural and procedural aspects of French-Chinese transactions.

Client Considerations for Chinese Companies

French foreign investment screening applies to acquisitions in sectors including defence, critical infrastructure, technology, data processing, and energy. The French Ministry of Economy reviews transactions and may impose conditions, require undertakings, or prohibit acquisitions that threaten national interests. Review periods of 30 to 60 working days apply, with potential extension for complex cases. Chinese investors should factor these timelines into transaction agreements.

French labour law imposes significant obligations on acquirers, including mandatory works council consultation that runs parallel to the transaction process. Understanding the socio-economic context of French employment law protections, including the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) consultation process and the application of the French Labour Code to post-acquisition restructuring, is critical for successful transactions.

French M&A transactions require careful coordination of regulatory approvals, labour consultation, and negotiation timelines. Engaging experienced local counsel at the earliest stage of transaction planning is essential to avoid costly delays and achieve successful outcomes for Chinese acquirers.

Education and Qualifications

• Master II Business Law, University of Paris Panthéon-Assas (Paris II)
• Postgraduate Diploma in European Business Law, College of Europe, Bruges
• Admitted to Paris Bar (Avocat à la Cour)
• Member, Paris Bar Association and French-Chinese Chamber of Commerce

Local Context

Paris is France's primary business and legal centre, housing the headquarters of most French multinational corporations and the Paris Commercial Court, which handles major corporate disputes. The city is also home to the French Ministry of Economy's FDI review unit. Paris's legal market offers world-class expertise in cross-border M&A and has extensive experience representing Chinese investors in the French market.

Languages

• French (native)
• English (fluent)
• Mandarin Chinese (conversational)

Professional Memberships

• Paris Bar Association (Ordre des Avocats de Paris)
• French-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCIFC)
• International Bar Association

Key Publications

• "French FDI Screening in Practice: A Guide for Chinese Acquirers" — Revue de Droit des Affaires, 2024
• "Navigating French Labour Consultation Requirements in Cross-Border M&A" — IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee, 2023