Muriel Pariente
Partner
Paris
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Overview
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Experience
Introduction
Muriel has 30 years' experience in employment law, advising corporates on redundancy, collective agreements and litigation across the pharmaceutical, industrial and services sectors.
Muriel Pariente leads the employment practice in Paris and has 30 years of experience in employment and benefits law. Muriel advises French and international corporates on a wide range of employment matters including the implementation of redundancy plans, individual dismissals, relations with employee representative bodies and trade unions, negotiation of collective agreements and TUPE rules. Muriel is also recognized for her authority in litigation and regularly represents clients before labor courts, civil courts and administrative tribunals.
She has developed specific experience and knowledge in the pharmaceutical, industrial and services sectors.
She is an advocate at the Paris Bar.
- International Society of Graphic Design for Distribution | Ongoing | Advised on various projects including restructuring, redundancies on economic and personal grounds.
- PACP | Advised in connection with the labor law aspects of the acquisition of Sogefi's filtration business unit (now known as Purflux).
- Famille C Participations | Advised the Courtin family's investment arm, in connection with the labur aspects of its acquisitions of a €130 Million stake in Evok Collection, Luxury Hotelier.
- CVC Capital Partner VII | On the acquisition of Panzani - Advised CVC Capital Partners VIII on the exclusive negotiations with the Spanish food group Ebro regarding the acquisition of Panzani (750 employees). The scope of the transaction includes Panzani, Ferrora, Regia, Zakia and Le Renard brands and all related assets.
- Global Leader in Recruitment and Staffing | Ongoing | Following the acquisition of a temporary work company by an international temporary work group, we assisted the group with the internal merger of the two entities. The transaction involved the transfer of nearly 2,000 employees, including approximately 500 permanent employees and 1,500 temporary workers, pursuant to Article L.1224-1 of the French Labor Code, in a context of strong union presence. Our assistance covered all employment-related aspects of the operation, from the preliminary legal analysis of the transfer mechanism and the treatment of employment contracts and company-level agreements to the assessment of the impact on employee representative bodies and trade unions of the absorbed entity. We also provided hands-on support during the implementation phase, in particular throughout the CSE information and consultation process. In parallel, we managed several sensitive and contentious situations, including crisis management and communications with unions, unlawful occupation of the premises requiring court intervention to restore access, and litigation initiated by unions and the CSE challenging the operation, notably in relation to the cessation of representative bodies following the transfer of employment contracts.
- A French Shopping Center Portfolio - In the context of the sale by an investment company, we provided end-to-end employment law support throughout the transaction. Our assistance encompassed the preliminary analysis of employee transfer implications under Article L.1224-1 of the French Labor Code, including the identification of in-scope employees, the review of existing employment contracts and applicable collective bargaining agreements, and the assessment of the impact of the transfer on employee benefits and working conditions. We also managed the full CSE information and consultation process, advising on procedural strategy, preparing all required documentation, and coordinating with the client's transaction team to ensure alignment between the employment workstream and the broader deal timeline.
- A Global Banking Solutions Provider - We assisted in connection with a contemplated division carve-out involving the separation of a business unit and the associated workforce. Our role covered all employment-related aspects of the planned operation, including the mapping of employees attached to the carved-out activity, the legal analysis of the applicable transfer mechanism under French labor law, and the treatment of individual employment contracts, collective agreements, and supplementary benefit schemes. We played a central role in steering the CSE information and consultation process, advising on the sequencing and content of the information provided to employee representatives, and preparing the client for questions and challenges raised during consultation meetings. Our support also extended to the anticipation of potential workforce-related risks and the development of mitigation strategies to secure the smooth execution of the carve-out.
- A Major International Food Retail Group - We advised on the divestiture of its subsidiary operating across French-speaking African jurisdiction. Our assistance covered the full spectrum of employment law issues arising from the sale, including the structuring of the employee transfer to the purchaser and the management of workforce communications in a highly sensitive social environment. Following the announcement of the transaction, we handled a large-scale employee dispute in which over 150 employees challenged the transfer of their employment contracts and the change of employer before local labor courts. We coordinated the group's litigation strategy across African jurisdiction, working closely with local counsel to defend the validity of the transaction and the continuity of employment relationships, while navigating the specificities of applicable legal framework.
- Personal Services Company | Ongoing | Advised a major client operating in the healthcare and care sector on workplace accident and occupational disease matters, from immediate crisis management through to pre-litigation on social security law and dealings with the French social security authorities (CPAM), as well as ongoing employment law support to prevent and mitigate existing and future risks, including collective labor relations aspects.
- An International Company Specializing in the Design, Manufacture, and Marketing of Aromatic Products | Ongoing | Provided in-depth advice in connection with the termination of protected employees' contracts, including proceedings before the labor inspectorate with associated criminal law exposure, and the development of a comprehensive regularization strategy.
- A Global Insurer Specializing in Business and Professional Insurance – Acted as local French counsel on a cross-border corporate transaction (Australia, UK, Asia-Pacific) involving the disposal of a specific business line's asset. Scope of work included preliminary analysis of the applicability of the automatic transfer of employment rules under Article L. 1224-1 of the French Labor Code in comparison with equivalent regimes in the other jurisdictions involved (in particular TUPE), drafting and negotiation of transaction documentation on Employment aspects, and advising the fund on its information and consultation obligations towards the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) in light of the contemplated transaction and its anticipated social impact.
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