Christina Renner

Christina also represents diverse international clients in antitrust investigations before the European Commission and other national competition authorities, including in litigation before European courts.

Christina’s work spans a variety of industries, including transportation, energy, life sciences, as well as retail and ecommerce. She has an established practice in EU regulatory matters in these areas.

Additionally, Christina is active in the German legal community in Brussels and is currently the co-chair of the Brussels regional section of the prestigious Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (Member Association of German speaking antitrust lawyers).

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Christina was a partner in and head of the Brussels office of a French boutique law firm. She is fluent in German, English, French, Spanish, and Italian, with a working knowledge of Dutch.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Representing Apollo in merger filing proceedings for its 6 billion US$ acquisition of Tech Data Corporation 
• Representing McGraw Hill in merger filing proceedings in relation to the acquisition of its competitor business Cengage and coordinating multijurisdictional merger filings
• Representing Digital Colony in merger proceedings before the EU Commission relating to its 14.3 billion US$ acquisition (jointly with EQT partners) of fiber network owner Zayo Group Holdings Inc.
• Representing Heritour Ltd. in multijurisdictional merger filings in relation to the acquisition of Abercrombie & Kent Ltd. 
• Represented CMA-CGM in merger control proceedings before the European Commission, which was cleared at the end of a Phase I with commitments, as well as coordinating a dozen international filings for that deal
• Represented AirFrance in the sale of its catering business to a Chinese conglomerate in merger control proceedings before the European Commission and a number of other national competition authorities (Ukraine, Brazil, COMESA, Kenya)
• Represented PernodRicard in merger control proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office in its sale of two brands to a Swedish buyer. The case was cleared after a detailed Phase II investigation
• Represented BIC, a French leading consumer goods manufacturer as a third party in Phase II merger control proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office concerning the merger between two competitors in the razor business
• Represented Rexam, a leading US healthcare company as a third party in Phase II merger control proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office concerning the merger of two of its competitors in the healthcare sector

Antitrust

• Regularly advising a large pharmaceutical company on various business agreements and antitrust compliance throughout Europe
• Regularly advising a large French consumer goods manufacturer on EU competition rules
• Advised CMA-CGM, in a price signaling investigation before the European Commission, which was ultimately settled by commitments
• Represented Orange Poland in proceedings before the European Commission concerning an alleged abuse of dominance on the wholesale broadband markets in an Eastern European member state
• Submitted complaints to the European Commission on behalf of new Austrian entrant WestBahn against an Austrian incumbent ÖBB for failure to correctly implement the EU railway regulatory framework, as well as violation of state aid rules and abuse of a dominant position, resulting in the opening of European Commission infringement proceedings against Austria

EU Trade & Sanctions

• Currently advising a Franco-Belgian entity on conducting business in the Republic of Congo and the North Korea in relation to EU sanctions
• Advice to a US PE investor regarding the EU aspects of investments into assets subject to U.S. sanctions against Iran
• Advice to a French aero-space parts supplier on compliance with EU-Russia trade sanctions
• Regular advice to non-EU investors on foreign investment restrictions at EU level as well as in Germany and France

Litigation

• Represented General Cable in its appeal before the European Court of Justice against the ruling of the European Court upholding the Commission’s decision to fine the company for its alleged participation in the power cables cartel
• Assisted the European Commission’s Legal Service in several proceedings before the General Court regarding the opening of a formal state aid procedure against the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG)
• Represented a French private equity house Wendel Investissements as intervening party in support of the European Commission against the actions brought by Odile Jacob in the context of the Lagardère/Natixis/VUP merger saga
• Represented Orange Poland before the European General Court in its appeal against the European Commission's decision fining the company for an alleged abuse of dominance on the wholesale broadband markets in an Eastern European member state
• Represented major French banks before the European General Court in an action for annulment against a decision of the European Central Bank in the area of financial regulation