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Marie-Laure Combet

Partner

+33 6 88 88 30 01

Biography

Marie-Laure Combet is a member of the Paris Bar and has recognized expertise in Competition law, State Aid, Economic Regulation and Foreign Investment Control in France. She practiced for nearly 20 years with Anglo-Saxon law firms, appearing before the European Commission and the French Competition Authority (ADLC) in a number of high-stakes cartel and abuse of dominant position cases.  

She has also worked on emblematic State Aid cases in the air transport, energy and banking sectors.  

In the field of Economic Regulation, Marie-Laure has assisted economic players faced with the emergence of new European rules, both in their interactions with the institutions (or the sectoral enforcer) and in the implementation of these rules. 

In the field of Antitrust M&A, Marie-Laure has assisted clients from a wide range of sectors in obtaining the regulatory approvals required for merger control and/or foreign investment in France.  

Marie-Laure regularly writes articles on Competition law for legal reviews and is a member of the teaching staff of the Master 2 in European Business and Competition Law at Paris Panthéon Assas University. Marie-Laure has been recommended for several years in the “Competition” section of a number of legal rankings, including Legal 500 (France – Next Generation Partner), GCR et Who’s Who legal (France – Partner). 

Experience

  • Assisting and representing a client in an ongoing antitrust investigation before the French Competition Authority (undisclosed sector) 
  • Assisting and representing a client in antitrust investigations in the temporary staffing sector in France 
  • Assisting and representing a client in an antitrust investigation in the thermal insulation sector in France 
  • Assisting a client in relation to the State aid aspects of renewable energy projects 
  • Assisting an airline company in relation to contemplated strategic partnerships in the French airline sector  
  • Assisting Eurofiber on its acquisition of Netiwan (antitrust M&A/FDI) 
  • Assisting Sqreen on its acquisition by Datadog (antitrust M&A/FDI) 
  • Assisting clients in the Tech and Digital sectors in relation to fund raising (antitrust M&A/FDI) 
  • Assisting Naturex on its sale to Givaudan (antitrust M&A) 
  • Assisting DRT on its sale to Ardian (antitrust M&A) 
  • Assisting Plastic Omnium on its acquisition of Faurecia’s Exterior Automotive business (antitrust M&A) 
  • Providing legal assistance in relation to Malta’s support in favour of Delimara Gas and Power Energy Project 
  • Providing legal assistance in relation to UK support measures in favour of Hinkley Point C power plant (EPR in the UK) 
  • Providing legal assistance to a client facing a complaint accompanied by a request for interim measures before the French Competition Authority as part of a global litigation initiated by one of their customers in several jurisdictions worldwide   
  • Assisting and representing a client in relation to a SEP related antitrust investigation before the European Commission 
  • Assisting and representing a client in the context of dozens of follow-on actions before French commercial courts 
  • Assisting the French State in relation to the orderly resolution of Crédit Foncier Immobilier 
  • Assisting and representing a consortium of banks in relation to the French support in favour of financial institutions in the context of the financial crisis 
  • Assisting and representing a consortium of banks in relation to the exclusive and special distribution rights of French banking products (Livret A, Livret Bleu) 

Education

  • Paris Bar Exam (2007) 
  • D.E.S.S., Droit et Globalisation économique, Université Paris I – Panthéon –  Sorbonne (2005) 
  • DEA, Droit de l’Union Européenne, Université Paris II – Panthéon – Assas (2003)  

Admission

Paris

Languages

French, English

Publications

  • La Commission européenne facilite l’accès des entreprises frappées de plein fouet par la guerre en Ukraine au soutien financier des Etats membres in Orrick Insights · Apr 4, 2022 
  • The European Antitrust Enforcers’ Response to the Russia/Ukraine Crisis in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Mar 24, 2022 
  • The French Dilemma: Preserving FDI in France While Exercising Greater Control in Competition Policy International · Jul 14, 2021 
  • Le rachat de pépites tech à l’épreuve du contrôle des petites concentrations in Option Finance n°1604 · Apr 24, 2021 
  • No more ‘flying under the radar’: capturing transactions below the jurisdictional thresholds of national and EU merger control regimes in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Mar 29, 2021 
  • The European Antitrust Enforcers’ response to the Covid-19 outbreak: Antitrust rules will bend, but will not break in Orrick Antitrust Watch Blog · Mar 26, 2020 
  • Legal Standing of Complainant, Unlimited Guarantee · Case T-135/17 Scor SE v European Commission · Annotation in European State Aid Law Quarterly Volume 19, Issue 1 (2020) pp. 52 – 57 · Jan 1, 2020 
  • After Almost Two Decades the EU Commission Finally Revived Interim Measures in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Nov 1, 2019 
  • ‘Competitors’ Challenges to the Merits of a State Aid Decision is a Tough Nut to Crack, the Scor (Court) Case Reminds Us’ in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Oct 1, 2019 
  • A new twist in the Micula case in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Jul 1, 2019 
  • Dusting the Regulatory Framework – French Competition Authority Seeks to Liberalize Distribution of Drugs and Private Medical Biology in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Apr 26, 2019 
  • EU State Aid Tax Ruling Cases: Not Yet the End of It? in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Apr 1, 2019 
  • More Affordable and Innovative Medicines and Treatments in Europe – Has the Competition Enforcement Met the 2009 Objective? in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Mar 20, 2019 
  • The EU Court of Justice that Article 101 TFEU does not apply to circumstances where two separate and competing tenders are submitted by entities controlled by the same parent company in e-competitions Bulletin du magazine Concurrences, October, 2018 
  • European Competition Authorities Crack Down on Violations of Merger Control Procedural Rules in Orrick Antitrust Watch · Aug 21, 2017 
  • Merger Control in France in Lexology · Jul 19, 2017 
  • Gun-jumping in France – A rare decision that provides clarification but poses difficult questions in Competition Law Insight · Jan 20, 2017 
  • The French Competition Authority Announces Landmark Gun-Jumping Decision in Clifford Chance Client Briefing · Nov 9, 2016 
  • Total SA and Elf Aquitaine SA: A Missed Opportunity to Shed More Light on Joint and Several LiabilityTotal SA and Elf Aquitaine SA: in Journal of European Competition Law & Practice · Jun 18, 2015 
  • Reinforcement of the French foreign investment control: Back to protectionism? in Clifford Chance · May 21, 2014 
  • The Korean Fair Trade Commission: an antitrust watchdog to watch in Clifford Chance · May 23, 2013 
  • Exploitative abuse: The end of the Paradox? in Concurrences N° 1-2011 – pp. 44-51 
  • The French Competition Council finds the incumbent rail operator guilty of implementing discriminatory practices in favor of its online travel subsidiaries and for entering into an anti-competitive partnership in Concurrences bulletin · Feb 1, 2009 
  • Les aides d’Etat in Revue trimestrielle de droit financier 2009, n°4, p.22-31 
  • State aid in times of financial crisis: Back to Art. 87-3-b EC in Concurrences N° 2-2009, art. N° 25837 · Jan 1, 2009 
  • The French Supreme Administrative Court delineates an administrative judge’s jurisdiction over governmental decisions when applying Art. 88.3 EC in Concurrences bulletin · Nov 1, 2008 
  • The Paris Court of Appeal confirms the possibility for a fragrance manufacturer to exclude pure players and to restrict internet sales within its selective distribution network in Concurrences bulletin · Apr 1, 2008 
  • The French NCA applies for the second time leniency and highlights discrepancy with EU competition law on concerted practices’ burden of proof (“removals cartel”) in Concurrences bulletin · Dec 1, 2007