Laurence Bary
Laurence Bary is a partner in the Competition department in Paris.
Laurence Bary focuses her practice on EU and French competition law, and represents clients in antitrust investigations and complex merger control cases before the European Commission and the French Competition Authority, and in subsequent appeals and litigation before the EU and French courts.
She has specific expertise in innovative and high-value industries and has represented leading companies in these sectors during high-profile investigations and litigations conducted by various competition, administrative, and judicial authorities.
Laurence has developed impeccable credentials working for major international groups in the digital, new technologies, aeronautical, and defence and life sciences industries.
Prior to joining HSF Kramer, she worked at other top-tier international law firms in Paris and Brussels.
Laurence is a member of the board of the APDC (Association des Avocats Pratiquant le Droit de la Concurrence) and an Officer of the Communications Law Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA).
Laurence is admitted to the Paris and Brussels bars. She is a registered foreign lawyer in England and Wales.
She speaks fluent French and English.
Market recognition
- Laurence is ranked by Forbes 2026 in the top 40 lawyers of the CAC 40 companies (Top 40 des Avocats du CAC 40) published with La Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires as well
- Laurence is ranked as a 'Leading Partner' for EU, Competition and Distribution in France by Legal 500 EMEA 2026
- Laurence is ranked as 'Up and Coming' for Competition/European law in France by Chambers Europe 2026
- Laurence has been recognized as a leading lawyer for Competition/Antitrust and EU Law by Best Lawyers since 2022
- "Laurence Bary is very loyal, precise and knows the cases like the back of her hands. She is very pragmatic on her advice too." Chambers Europe 2026 (Competition/European law in France)
- Laurence is ranked as 'Up and Coming' for EU Competition and Distribution by Chambers Europe 2025
- Laurence has been consistently listed in the "Recommended" category for Competition in France by Lexology
- Laurence is named a 'Rising Star' for Competition by Law360
- Laurence is recognized in Law.com International's inaugural European Female Rising Star list
- Laurence is listed as a leading competition lawyer in France by GCR 100 2024
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- Alten SA, a French company listed on Euronext and a leading international player in IT services, engineering and technology consulting with operations in more than 30 countries, in the context of its acquisition of the Klanik group, a fast growing French IT services group and its subsidiaries
- a global leading digital player before the Paris Court of Appeal to challenge the highest ever fine imposed by the French Competition Authority, and succeeded in securing a partial annulment and significant decrease of the fine by 66%, from €1.1 billion to €371.6 million*
- a global pharmaceutical group in a case before the French Competition Authority and the Paris court of appeal relating to an alleged abuse of collective dominance*
- a global animal health company in a complaint before the European Commission leading to the investigation of a potential “killer acquisition”*
- ArianeGroup in its successful defence against the appeal brought by Avio before the EU General Court to overturn the European Commission’s decision approving the acquisition of Arianespace by ArianeGroup*
- Airbus in several critical acquisitions, including the acquisition of Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft, the creation of its joint venture with Safran in the defense and space sector, and the subsequent acquisition of Arianespace, the European space launch service provider*
- Google in several abuse of dominance cases before the French Competition Authority and related private enforcement cases before French courts, including the largest private enforcement claim ever filed against Google in Europe*
- a leading pharmaceutical company in global cartel proceedings before the European Commission, the Swiss Competition Commission, the Mexican COFECE and the Brazilian CADE*
- a major automotive supplier in cartel proceedings before the European Commission, the U.S. DoJ and the Japanese Fair Trade Commission*
- IBM in a number of investigations before the French Competition Authority*
- two global pharmaceutical companies in their internal audits following suspicions of infringements to competition law, in preparation of litigation before the French Competition Authority*
- Amundi in its €3 billion acquisition of Pioneer Investment*
- a global cosmetics company in the setting up of two strategic partnerships for the marketing of new, innovative products*
- UTC in a number of cases before the French Competition Authority*
- Lagardère in connection with the appeals brought before the General Court and the European Court of Justice by Odile Jacob against the European Commission decision approving Lagardère/Hachette’s €1.25 billion acquisition of Vivendi Universal Publishing (now called Editis) and related subsequent decisions of the European Commission*
- Hachette in connection with distribution arrangements, as well as the design and implementation of a comprehensive antitrust compliance program*
* Includes matters handled prior to joining the firm
Background
- École Normale Supérieure, 2006
- Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, 2006
- Université de Paris XI - Paris-Sud, M.A. in EU Business Law, 2007
