France
Freshfields in France
Freshfields is one of the leading law firms in France. With a presence in the country dating back over 40 years, we are involved in some of the most strategic transactions in the French market.
Our clients come from a wide range of sectors including energy and natural resources, infrastructure and transport, consumer goods, healthcare, telecommunications, technology and media, general industries, and financial services. As well as French and foreign public and private companies, financial institutions, we advise private equity funds, states and state entities, governments and non-governmental organisations.
Clients rely on us for strategic advice on their domestic and international transactions and disputes. They also seek our help when expanding their operations, consolidating their market positions and planning for the future.
We have deep knowledge and have built strong relationships with French regulatory authorities and public bodies such as the agency for state participations (Agence des Participations de l’Etat), the stock market authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers), the competition authority (Autorité de la Concurrence), the data protection authority (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés), the energy regulator (Commission de Régulation de l’Énergie) and the rail regulator (Autorité de Régulation des Activités Ferroviaires et Routières).
Client successes
Advising La Française des Jeux, the fourth-largest lottery company in the world, on its privatisation, the launch of its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and on the redefinition of its regulatory framework applicable to France’s gaming industry, as well as on its relations with the State.
Advising Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) on the sale of the railway operations of Bombardier, Bombardier Transport, by Alstom for $8.4bn.
Advising Antin Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of a stake in Babilou Family, Europe’s leading provider of company and community nurseries and major player in Early Years Education throughout the world.
Advising LVMH Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton S.E in relation to the notifications to the antitrust authorities of the acquisition of joint control along with Ms. Stella McCartney over Anin Star Holding Limited, holder of the “Stella MacCartney” fashion brand line of business.
Advising one of the world’s largest food companies and its French subsidiary, a producer of fresh dairy products, in relation to several follow-on claims brought by companies active in the mass retail sector before the Paris Commercial Court following the decision of the French Competition Authority sanctioning the cartel in the fresh dairy products sector.
Advising Bristol-Myers Squibb on a number of local and international HR legal projects.
This included: the employment aspects of its internal reorganisation and associated collective redundancies; two parallel social plans of two of its French companies (Bristol-Myers Squibb SARL and UPSA); the sale of its global diabetes business to AstraZeneca in 2014; and the setting up of its diabetes commercial alliance with AstraZeneca.
Representing Total in ICSID arbitration proceedings under the France–Argentina bilateral investment treaty.
Representing East Mediterranean Gas and its foreign shareholders in four parallel arbitrations under ICC, CRCICA, ICSID and UNCITRAL rules against Egypt and its state-owned entities.
Offices
Our team
Nicolas Barberis Partner
Paris
Guy Benda Partner
Paris
Pascal Cuche Public Law
Paris
Yann Gozal Partner
Paris
Fabrice Grillo Partner
Paris
Sami Jebbour Partner
Paris
Dimitri Lecat Partner
Paris
Laurent Mabilat Partner
Paris
Alan Mason Global Managing Partner
New York, Paris
Dr. Jérôme Philippe Partner
Paris, Brussels
Hervé Pisani Partner
Paris
Olivier Rogivue Partner
Paris
Noah Rubins KC Partner
Paris
Gwen Senlanne Partner
Paris
Peter Turner KC Partner
Paris
Cyril Valentin Partner
Paris
Marc Perrone Partner
Paris
Julien Rebibo Partner
Paris