Paris Professional Seminar

This Columbia Law School Professional Seminar is designed for global corporate managers, with international business lawyers and other professionals welcome as well.  The material is approached from the perspective of a non-U.S. executive who wishes to understand the key factors at play in complex cross-border transactions that arise in the U.S., or with U.S. counterparts, or simply under NY law.  (Most major cross-border M&A transactions are governed under NY law, regardless of the jurisdiction of the parties or the target.)

You will receive 16 hours of interactive, non-credit instruction over a period of four days from Monday through Thursday.  No classes are scheduled for Friday, to encourage exploration of the City of Lights, but a closing reception will held that evening at which Certificates of Participation will be distributed.

Key Points

For further information, please contact us at [email protected].

This short course is specifically designed for global corporate managers and other business-oriented professionals, but international business lawyers are welcome to attend as well.

During the four days of classes, you will get an interactive approach to understanding cross-border M&A transactions, including in-person interviews with international
executives experienced in the areas under discussion.

The program begins with an overview of the key forces driving global M&A, and the
impact of today’s geopolitical risk on deal structures and deal terms. We will conduct
workshops and discuss real life examples, such as the 2025 so-called Panama Canal
acquisition by BlackRock or the emergence of the federal government as a dealmaker, taking equity stakes, governance rights and sometimes economic upside to bolster critical industries. We will continue by exploring the lifecycle of an M&A deal, from planning to closing. In each phase, we will review market terms and address hot issues, such as the prevalence of bid auctions in today’s US market or the ins and outs of negotiating earnouts and multi-stage closings. The final session focuses on negotiating cross-border deals and addressing common mishaps in international negotiations.

We will end the seminar with a hands-on negotiation workshop based on the real-world break-up of a joint venture spanning multiple countries in Latin America.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the seminar, students:

•    Will understand the main strategic considerations involved in M&A, and their
impact on deal terms

•    Will be able to navigate an M&A process effectively by anticipating its different
phases and complexity

•    Will be more nuanced negotiators, since the class focuses on arguing strategic
decisions from alternatively the buyer and the seller sides

Each of the four sessions will focus on a hands-on approach to doing business and some of the sessions may include a 30-minute interview with an experienced executive on the topic we will be discussing that day.

Guest speakers for the next program have not yet been determined, but past speakers have included:

Vanessa Dager, BNP Paribas, Head of Advisory North America
BNP Paribas is a multinational universal bank and financial services holding company that supports corporate and institutional clients in their transformation and development projects.
Brett Barragate, Jones Day, chair of the Americas, Financial Markets Practice: With 40 offices on five continents, Jones Day is a global law firm working on legal matters impacting the modern national or multinational corporation.

Luis Riesgo, Head of Latin America, Jones Day 
Jones Day is one of the largest law firms in the world with more than 41 offices and 2,500 lawyers.

Suzana Nutu, M&A Director, Sanofi 
Nutu is one of the world’s top global healthcare companies. It is headquartered in Paris, France.

Mario Fernandez, Chicora Energy LLC, Co-Founder and Partner
Prior to founding Chicora Energy LLC, Fernandez was the head of Latin America Energy Principal Investments of Macquarie Capital. Macquarie is a global financial services group headquartered and listed in Australia.

Carin Knoop, Executive Director , Harvard Business School Case Research and Writing Group
Knoop is the co-author with John Quelch of “Compassionate Management of Mental Health in the Modern Workplace” (Springer, 2019)

Paloma Valor, Of Counsel, Jones Day
Prior to joining Jones Day in 2022, Valor served as Chief Trust and Global Compliance Officer at IBM. IBM is one of the world’s largest global technology companies. It is headquartered in Armonk, New York

María Luisa Cánovas

A partner in top U.S. law firms for nearly twenty years, Maria Luisa Cánovas has been ranked for more than a decade as a leading New York lawyer for M&A in Latin America by, among others, Chambers Latin America (2024), Chambers Global (2024), The Legal 500 Latin America (2022) and Latinvex “Top 50 Female Lawyers in Latin America.”  Spain’s Expansion Juridica recently listed her as one of the top Spanish lawyers practicing in the United States.  In addition, the acquisition by Grupo Hame of the agrobusiness of Agrokasa (Peru), in which Maria Luisa represented Grupo Hame as NY M&A counsel, was shortlisted for the 2024 Latin Lawyer’s and IFLR Americas Deal of the Year Awards in the category of M&A.

Over the course of her career, Professor Cánovas has worked extensively with public companies such as Sanofi, PepsiCo and News Corporation; private equity funds such as Macquarie, Hicks Muse and Playa Hotels & Resorts; and Latin-American based companies such as Betesh International and Cabcorp.  Since launching a boutique practice in 2022, Professor Cánovas has continued to work for long-standing clients and taught several M&A courses at Columbia Law School. She has also held visiting posts at various other academic institutions including Strathmore University (Kenya) and Universidad Panamericana (Mexico).

In addition to advising corporate clients and world-wide teaching assignments, Professor Cánovas has  been dedicated to pro-bono service and diversity-related matters throughout her career. She is a member of the Board of the Queen Sophia Institute, the US-Mexico Bar Association, and the Finance Committee of the Brooklyn Public Library.

Admission, Qualifications, and Who Should Attend

Applications: Individual applications are accepted on a rolling basis, as they are submitted, starting in September, and continuing on a first-come/first-served basis. Space in Columbia’s historic Reid Hall is limited, and applications received after all seats in the program have been filled will be placed on a Wait List.

• Required Background: The program is intended to provide practitioners with a broad educational and cultural experience rather than a rigorous course of academic or professional training. Participants should have obtained at least a first university degree in business, law, or a related discipline. Others with different backgrounds will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please write to [email protected].
   
• Who Should Attend: The program is designed for global corporate managers who work in English and have an interest in the distinctive dynamics that come into play when complex cross-border deals are based on New York law and/or feature New York-trained lawyers. Applications from lawyers and other professionals with at least a first university degree are also welcome. Applications from students will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Academic Focus:  This Columbia Law School Professional Seminar is designed for global business managers but open to lawyers and other professionals as well.  It offers an engaging educational and cultural experience with 16 hours of interactive, non-credit instruction. It provides participants with a practical introduction to the key issues that define cross-border deals structured under NY law, and to the growing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in deal making. The program is intended as a broad yet challenging introduction for motivated professionals rather than a rigorous course of advanced academic or professional training.

Academic Structure: The program features one module focused on a single topic, with 16 hours of instruction provided over the course of four days, each of which is divided into two class sessions. The morning session runs from 10 a.m. to noon and the afternoon session runs from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., allowing time in the afternoon to enjoy the museums, parks, and other cultural attractions of one of the world’s pre-eminent cities. All sessions are presented in-person, and there are no exams, grades, or academic credit. An initial networking breakfast and orientation, as well as a final closing reception, are also included.

Accommodation: Individual participants are responsible for their own accommodation while attending the program. Please inquire for hotel recommendations or more information.

Credit and Credentials: The program does not offer academic credit. All participants who satisfy class attendance and participation expectations will receive a formal Certificate of Participation from Columbia Law School, bearing the signature of the Dean of the Law School and the Assistant Dean for International and Comparative Law programs.

English Language Proficiency: All instruction takes place in English, and students should anticipate being called upon to speak in class.

Exams and Attendance: The program does not include examinations. Participants are expected to attend at least 7 of the 8 class sessions to qualify for the Certificate of Participation. 

Location: Most sessions are presented at Columbia University’s Global Center at Reid Hall in Paris’ vibrant 6th arrondissement. The neighborhood is home to the emblematic Luxembourg Gardens, as well as numerous cafes, restaurants, boutiques, educational institutions and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of the city’s oldest churches. Additional events may be held at neighboring locations.

Meals: Other than the opening and closing receptions, participants will be responsible for their own meals during the course of the program.

Payment: Payment of a non-refundable deposit of $500 is due no later than two weeks after notification of admission, or one month prior to the program start date, whichever is earlier. The balance of the program fee is then due one month later.  Online payment by credit card is preferred, and a payment link with specific payment instructions will be provided along with notification of admission.

Program Dates: Programming will take place from March 30 through April 3, 2026 at Columbia University’s historic Reid Hall in Paris. A networking breakfast and orientation will be held on Monday, followed by four hours of classes daily on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No class sessions are held on Friday, to permit time to explore the city. The program will conclude with a closing reception on Friday evening.

Program Fee: The program fee is $2,000, and covers an orientation and networking breakfast; 16 hours of classroom instruction and study materials; and a closing reception and official Certificate of Participation. 

Discounts:  See the "Fees" tab for information on discounts for early applications, partner institutions, and former participants + those referred by them.

Refunds, Changes, and Cancellation

Refunds: Refunds may be available in certain circumstances as detailed below (and different terms may apply to groups with which the Law School has made separate arrangements). Payments made by credit card during the prior 60 days can be promptly returned back to the same account; refunds of wire transfers and other forms of payment may take up to 90 days or more to process.

Changes: Columbia reserves the right to revise the content, instructors, manner of instruction, format, and location of the program at its sole discretion.

Cancellation by the participant on or before January 15: In response to a request received on or before January 15 from any individual who wishes to withdraw from the program, the Law School will refund all program fees received less a $500 service charge.

Cancellation by the participant after January 15: Absent prior approval from Columbia Law School, no refunds are possible in response to requests received after January 15 from an individual who wishes to withdraw from the program.

Cancellation in the event of a health emergency, or if a necessary visa cannot be obtained: In the event of a documented health emergency, or if an applicant makes timely efforts but is unsuccessful in obtaining a necessary visa in time to attend the program, Columbia will refund 100% of all fees received.

Cancellation by Columbia: Columbia reserves the right to cancel the program due to insufficient enrollment or other reasons. In the event that Columbia cancels the program, the Law School will refund 100% of all fees received from participants. Columbia is not able to refund any associated travel expenses, and participants are strongly encouraged to purchase trip insurance to cover their transportation and housing arrangements.

Visas: Visa requirements to enter France differ depending on the passport under which an individual will travel and the purposes for that travel. All participants in Columbia Law School's Paris Professional Seminar, a short-term professional training course, are individually responsible for determining the visa requirements applicable to them and then making the associated arrangements. Travelers may wish to consult this French Foreign Ministry website, and its embedded “Visa Wizard” function, for further information regarding their specific circumstances.

Program Fee.  The program fee is $2,000.  This covers:

• An orientation and networking breakfast
• Four days, totaling 16 hours, of classroom instruction and study materials
• A closing reception
• An official Certificate of Participation. 

Discounts:

• Alumni Discounted Fee:  $1,250.  Former participants in Columbia Law School programs, and those who are referred by them.  Must apply by November 15.
   
• Partner Discounted Fee:  $1,500.  Individual affiliates (e.g., current students, graduates, employees) of Columbia Law School partner organizations.  Must apply by December 15.
   
• Early Bird Discounted Fee:  $1,750.  Must apply by January 15.
   
• Special Pricing Arrangements. Some organizations have made special pricing arrangements with Columbia Law School.  For further information, please email [email protected].

Payment: Payment of a non-refundable deposit of $500 is due no later than two weeks after notification of admission. The balance of the program fee will be due one month later, or one month prior to the program start date, whichever is earlier.   Online payment by credit card is preferred, and a payment link with specific payment instructions will be provided along with notification of admission.