Laurence Franc-Menget
Laurence is a partner in the Paris Dispute Resolution team, specialising in international arbitration.
Doctor in Law, Laurence has over 20 years of experience in her field. She has represented clients and/or States in commercial and investment arbitrations under numerous arbitral rules (ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, AFA, LCIA, CCJA, CEPANI, SCC) as well as ad hoc arbitrations). Her areas of expertise include contract law, investment law and private and public international law, particularly in the fields of energy (fossil and renewable), mining, construction, aviation, corporate matters, and distribution.
Laurence also serves as arbitrator and appears before French Courts in disputes related to arbitration (jurisdictional issues, enforcement proceedings, and setting aside proceedings).
She is a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and is recognised as an expert in international arbitration in numerous rankings (Lexology 2025, Future Leader by Legal 500 France and EMEA for several years).
“Laurence Franc-Menget handles arbitration cases across a range of African jurisdictions. She is particularly active in the energy and mining sectors.” - Global Chambers 2024 (International Arbitration - Foreign Specialist)
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- a mining company vs. a state-owned enterprise of an OHADA member state in an ICC arbitration related to a joint venture in the mining industry.
- a East European company vs. a Portuguese company in an ICC arbitration concerning the termination of an offshore helicopter transport service contract in the Black Sea.
- a Spanish construction company in an ICSID arbitration against the Republic of Algeria under the Spain/Algeria BIT concerning a FET case in relation with social housing in Algeria (ICSID Case Number ARB/07/01)
- a leading European construction company in multiple claims relating to the construction of a major infrastructure project in Algeria, including a conference centre and a five-star hotel.
- a leading African oil and gas company in two ICC proceedings; a dispute involving the distribution of its products in the OHADA zone and a dispute between shareholders of a joint venture company from an OHADA country
- A Canadian gold mining company in three separate disputes: (i) regarding the withdrawal of a mining permit by an African state,
- (ii) other alleged breaches of a mining convention, and
- (iii) multi-year tax reassessments in violation of the mining convention and local law (ICSID arbitration, expert determination, negotiations).
- a Hong Kong-based company specialising in packaging products in a CEPANI arbitration against European sellers, concerning the determination of the final sale price of shares in a group of companies, followed by expert proceedings.
Sectors
Background
Laurence holds a doctorate in law from Panthéon-Assas University, where she completed a thesis on “Judicial Review of International Arbitral Awards in French and U.S. Law.” She pursued her studies in Paris, London, and New York, and has been a member of the Paris Bar since 2002. She teaches in the Panthéon-Assas LL.M. AWArDS program on “Construction and Engineering Disputes” and “Human Rights Litigation.” She regularly publishes and speaks at conferences in France and abroad in the field of international arbitration.
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