Christina Renner

Christina has an established EU regulatory practice that spans from traditional to virtual networks across a variety of industries, including energy, telecommunications, transportation, retail and ecommerce, life sciences, and digital markets. She regularly advises on EU privacy and cybersecurity matters across a broad range of sectors.

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

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 and FDI proceedings related to the sale of advanced magnetic solutions provider and producer of rare-earth permanent magnets Vacuumschmelze to ARA Partners
• Representing Apollo in multijurisdictional merger and FDI proceedings related to its majority stake acquisition in the Chapter 11 restructuring of enterprise communications provider Avaya 
• Representing EQT in multijurisdictional FDI proceedings related to its €6.8 billion acquisition of Asian private equity house BPEA, the largest-ever takeover of a private equity firm by another in the sector
• Representing ABC Technologies in the German merger filing for the acquisition of Continental Automotive GmbH’s washer business 
• Representing Apollo in merger filing proceedings for its $6 billion acquisition of global distributor of technology products and solutions Tech Data Corporation and subsequent sale to SYNNEX 
• Representing McGraw Hill in merger filing proceedings in relation to the acquisition of competitor business Cengage and coordinating multijurisdictional merger filings
• Representing Digital Colony in merger proceedings before the EU Commission relating to its $14.3 billion 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 Phase I with commitments, as well as coordinated a dozen related international filings
• Represented AirFrance in the sale of its catering business to a Chinese conglomerate in merger control proceedings before the European Commission and 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; case was cleared after a detailed Phase II investigation

Antitrust

• Representing a pharmaceutical company in relation to a dawn raid and ensuing European Commission antitrust investigation
• Regularly advising a large French consumer goods manufacturer on EU competition rules
• Advised CMA-CGM in a price-signaling investigation before the European Commission; 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 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

• Providing training on financial sanctions to a European banking institution
• Advising multinational company on the rollout of a foreign subsidies due diligence module
• Defending the European subsidiary of a non-European company against sanction violation claims that could potentially lead to its exclusion from European markets
• Advising a third-country importer of nuclear material on import/export control issues in relation to a cooperation agreement with a Belgian entity
• Obtaining guidance from German authorities providing legal certainty on the import of certain controlled materials into the European Union
• Advising a Franco-Belgian entity on conducting business in the Republic of Congo and North Korea in relation to EU sanctions
• Advised a US private equity investor regarding the EU aspects of investments in assets subject to US sanctions against Iran
• Advised a French aerospace parts supplier on compliance with EU-Russia trade sanctions

EU Regulatory

• Launching various procedures before the EU Commission against disproportionate technical regulations contained in member state laws for products marketed in the European Union
• Advising a major banking institution on EU rules related to several long-term agreements to purchase carbon dioxide removal services
• Advising a major non-EU telecommunications company on privacy and cybersecurity rules; in particular, the correct implementation of the NIS2 Directive in various EU member states with an impact on market access to and business operations within the EU internal market
• Advising a major non-EU company in proceedings before the European Commission against rules in certain member states excluding them directly or de facto from certain member states’ markets
• Advising on consumer protection clauses under EU rules accompanying the expansion of a US company’s sales operations to the European Union

Litigation

• Defended a pharmaceutical company against antitrust and other general claims brought before the European General Court
• Represented General Cable in its appeal before the European Court of Justice against the ruling of the European Court upholding the European 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 European General Court regarding the opening of a formal state aid procedure against the German Renewable Energies Act
• Represented 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 to fine 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