Global Legal Post publishes comparative FDI law guide as foreign direct investment screening becomes a primary cross-border transaction risk
The Global Legal Post has published a Law Over Borders Comparative Guide on foreign direct investment (FDI) law, with the UK chapter edited and contributed to by Cooley partners and associates including Caroline Hobson, Anna Caro, and Pia Pyrtek from the firm's London office. The guide, published around late October 2026, brings together expert analysis from practitioners across multiple jurisdictions on how to navigate FDI controls, described by the guide's editor as one of the regulatory challenges for cross-border transactions. The guide covers the UK alongside other major jurisdictions and the EU. The publication reflects the growing complexity of FDI screening regimes globally, as national security considerations increasingly shape whether and how foreign acquirers can complete transactions in strategic sectors.
Why this matters
FDI screening has moved from a niche regulatory consideration to a front-line deal risk in most major M&A jurisdictions, with the UK's National Security and Investment Act 2021 and the EU's FDI screening framework both now well-established and generating significant mandatory notification volumes. Practitioners advising on cross-border transactions must assess FDI risk from the outset of any deal involving target businesses in sensitive sectors including technology, energy, defence, and critical infrastructure. The publication of a comparative guide signals that market demand for structured FDI advice is now sufficient to warrant dedicated reference tools.
On the Ground
International and M&A practices are the primary beneficiaries of growing FDI work: advising acquirers on whether a transaction triggers a mandatory notification, preparing filing documentation, and managing regulatory timelines that can significantly delay or block deal completion. Cooley's London team's involvement in the UK chapter reflects the firm's positioning in this space. A trainee might prepare treaty analysis notes comparing FDI thresholds across jurisdictions, draft choice-of-law summaries, or coordinate with local counsel on multi-jurisdiction FDI filings for a cross-border acquisition.
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“How would you advise a non-UK acquirer on whether its proposed acquisition of a UK technology company triggers a mandatory notification under the UK's foreign direct investment screening regime?”
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