The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP’s team, led by expert Noël Chahid-Nouraï and partner Jean-Yves Ollier, has been involved in major PPP projects in the railway, motorway, telecoms, hospital and prison sectors. The team also deals with public contracts, privatisation and regulatory matters. Recent work includes advising a bidding consortium on the construction and operation of the high-profile LGV Sud Europe Atlantique concession, a new TGV line between Tours and Bordeaux, and the lenders on the GSM-R partnership contract. The firm also assisted the French ministry of justice and APIJ, the public agency for the French justice estate, on a study regarding ways to value architecture in PPP projects.

Boivin & Associés is a French boutique firm thriving on a reputation for its expertise and long-standing experience. The team was one of the pioneers in France in turning public law into a business law speciality. The firm combines ‘great experience and added-value service which set it apart in the market’. Founding partner Jean-Pierre Boivin is a ‘leading figure’, while Frédéric Defradas is recommended for his ‘truly exceptional’ expertise. Lawyers are said to be available, reactive, creative, and have excellent personal skills, with a comprehensive practice encompassing contract and public procurement, urban planning, major infrastructure projects and litigation matters. The practice’s client portfolio comprises major public operators such as Assistance Publique de Paris and EPASA, as well as high-profile private operators including Bouygues, Eurotunnel and Réseau Ferré de France. The firm is also a leading player in environmental law.

Clifford Chance has an excellent team, which has developed a comprehensive practice in PPP with David Préat, who is recognised for his ‘high expertise and understanding of the French state expectations in PPP’ and his ‘great knowledge of the PPP market, including the private and public sector players’. Rémi Sermier is also well regarded, while the team combines ‘great and accurate knowledge in French public and European law’. The firm worked for the French Ministry of Transport and Reims Tramway Concession, and represented Air France on its airport charges policy, in proceedings before the Conseil d’Etat against the charges applied by Aéroports de Paris; and also Eiffage on its bid on a railway concession project of the high-speed rail link between Tours and Bordeaux.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. has a ‘good team’ made up of ‘real multi-disciplinary public law experts’. The team boasts 17 lawyers including five partners, among whom Laurent Deruy, Michel Guénaire and Emmanuel Vital-Durand are the leading figures. The team advised Exeltium, a consortium of major electricity consumers, on the negotiation of long-term electricity supply contracts; Voies Navigables de France on the future partnership agreement for the financing, construction and operation of the Canal Seine Nord Europe water project; and ProLogis on acquisition of land from public entities and regulatory issues, relating to the setting up of large logistics platforms across France.

Baker & McKenzie SCP’s team boasts eight lawyers, led by Arnaud Cabanes and Emmanuel Guillaume. The practice covers public sector regulation law, public contract and litigation, and it works for some of the leading French public and private companies. Major clients include EDF, ADP, Conseil Général des Hauts-de-Seine and Dell. The team handled high-profile work including advising La Poste on the change of its legal status in a limited liability company, and Maison du Lait on the setting up of the price of milk on the French market.

DS Avocats is a renowned specialist for urban planning, public contracts and public law services issues. Its client portfolio is made up of local public entities, real estate developers and private companies. Daniel Chausse is recommended, while Jean-François Bizet is ‘fantastic’.

Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier is a ‘really good’ practice under the leadership of highly-regarded François Sureau, who has expertise in nationalisation work.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has ‘a team of good lawyers who are dedicated to their clients and are real deal makers’. The team is led by PPP expert Thierry Laloum, a ‘fine strategist and negotiator’ who knows ‘what are the expectations from both the public and private sector sides’, and is assisted by Vincent Brenot. Clients consist of private and public entities and financial institutions such as Natixis, Babcock & Brown, Caisse des Dépôts and the Association des Communautés Urbaines de France. The team recently assisted Dexia Credit local and RBS on the financing, construction and operation of the third prison PPP project for the French state, and Région Rhône-Alpes on the financing of the acquisition of 40 regional express railway trains.

Leading environmental specialist, Huglo Lepage & Associés Conseil is a renowned name in public law. Corinne Lepage is well-known, as is Christian Huglo, ‘a litigation expert able to come up with astonishing ideas that no one else has’. Expertise covers local entities law, urban planning law and public economic law. The team regularly acts for public local entities.

At Jones Day, practice head Philippe Delelis is a ‘very knowledgeable lawyer on public and tax issues’ and gets ‘personally heavily involved in matters’. Aided by five associates, Delelis deals with public contract, regulatory law, public body restructuring, public financial law and litigation matters. The team was involved in several high-profile deals including assisting Syndicat Intercommunal pour le Gaz et l’Electricité en Ile-de-France on its tender process for the conclusion of the most important natural gas public procurement contract in France. The team’s busy PPP practice advised the consortium including Eiffage and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations on the implementation of a major PPP in the telecoms sector in northeast France.

Linklaters LLP enjoys strong reputation for its PPP expertise. The firm stands out in the market thanks to practice head Paul Lignières who is ‘one of the most well-known public law practitioners in the country’. Lignières is praised for his ‘perfect technical skills based on a wide experience’. The team is ‘available’ and ‘proactive, always taking initiatives to anticipate future potential problems’. Recent credentials include advising a bidding consortium in the land extension project of the Principality of Monaco, and Xstrata Canada Corporation and Koniambo Nickel on the permits and authorisations for the development of the Koniambo mining and metallurgical project in New Caledonia.

Salans strengthened its team with the recent arrival of Marc Fornacciari, from JeantetAssociés, joining recognised expert François Froment-Meurice – a member of the Conseil d’Etat, the French administrative Supreme Court. The public law group comprises 13 lawyers who handle PPP, concession agreements, regulatory and litigation matters for public and private sector clients. The team represented the Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation and its subsidiary STEF-TFE on a high-profile dispute against Société Nationale Maritime Corse Méditerrannée before the French administrative Supreme Court, regarding the maritime transport link between the mainland and Corsica.

UGGC & Associés offers an extensive range of competencies under the leadership of two partners, the ‘excellent public law expert’ Thierry Dal Farra and Jehan Béjot. The practice advises on public contracts, PPPs, public domain law, and handles litigation. The team receives regular instructions from the French State, and recently assisted the Philharmonie de Paris.

At Veil Jourde, former Conseil d’Etat member Pierre-Alain Jeanneney is an ‘excellent professional’, with a thriving reputation in regulation and privatisation matters. The team assisted the FNCA in the high-profile Livret A case, and advised Poweo on the liberalisation of the energy market. Other notable clients include Corsica Ferries, Française des Jeux, Britair/Air France, RATP and Monnaie de Paris.

Adamas’ long-established practice in Lyon also has a strong presence in Paris. The practice has a large, dedicated team of 25 lawyers including eight partners. Managed by Jean-Claude Chocque, Romain Granjon and Alain-Serge Mescheriakoff, the team handles a comprehensive range of work, for a strong client base from southeast France, advising local entities and municipalities from the region and further afield. It also assists major infrastructure groups.

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei’s practice is led by Olivier Schmitt, whose team handles contract, regulation, urban planning and litigation matters. Schmitt is principally engaged in the health and life sciences and defence sectors. Clients are largely made up of private companies. The firm recently assisted ADP on the Coeur Orly project, and also acted for Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.

Goutal Alibert & Associés focuses entirely on advising public entities. The list of prestigious institutions that give mandates to the team highlights the degree of recognition the firm enjoys: Musée du Quai Branly, Centre Pompidou and Radio France, among others. Yvon Goutal and Florence Alibert are recommended.

JeantetAssociés has a long-established practice, but was dealt a blow by the departure of partner Marc Fornacciari for Salans. The team is now under the directorship of Pascal Martin, a ‘very good and proactive lawyer‘. Martin advises on all the traditional aspects of public law matters and also engages in litigation. Martin represented Air France in the aftermath of the collapse of Roissy Airport terminal T2E, and ENEL ERELIS on the setting up of wind farms.

Latournerie Wolfrom & Associés has a ‘good team’, led by partners Jean Latournerie and Térence Cabot, which handles public contracts and PPPs and has particular expertise in the telecoms and infrastructure sectors. It is prominent in projects developed by local entities, relating to the setting up of IT networks.

Ashurst LLP’s team is respected for its PPP practice, and is led by the ‘excellent’ Michel Lequien, who is active on projects in the accommodation and transport sectors. The firm advised the French Ministry of Justice on the structuring and award process regarding the financing, refurbishment and operation of the PPP project of the Prison de la Santé in Paris. It also assisted Vinci Construction France on the financing of a major accommodation PPP project in Biarritz.

At August & Debouzy, Olivier Debouzy has shaped a well-regarded practice. The team, which also includes Christian Pierret, handles public contract, urban planning, public real estate and local entity law matters. It is also recommended for its expertise in regulatory and product liability matters, and acts for diverse clients including public and private actors from the telecoms, aerospace, finance and tobacco industries.

Bird & Bird AARPI regularly advises public local entities as well as private companies. The practice is a key player in the telecoms, new technologies, health, defence and aviation sectors. Jean-Dominique Bloch is highly regarded.

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre’s nine-lawyer practice is driven by partner Jean-Luc Tixier and senior associate François Tenailleau. The team advises public and private sector companies on classical public law matters, and is active in the PPP market. In addition, the public law practice has expertise in the real estate sector. A recent highlight includes advising main sponsor NGE of the Alicorne consortium in the A88 motorway concession.

Denton Wilde Sapte’s practice is headed by partner Anne-Marie Leroy, and handles PPP, public contracts and public financial law work, with clients including public and private entities. Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, EADS, and the DPFA Bank and ABNAMRO consortium are all clients.

Franklin’s five-lawyer team is ‘particularly excellent’ and demonstrates ‘outstanding reactivity’, where practice head Jérôme Michel enjoys a good reputation. Michel is ‘brilliant, extremely professional’ and delivers ‘practical and fine advice’. The practice combines expertise in public law and regulatory matters, notably in the energy and telecoms sectors. The practice’s clientele reflects the team’s growing recognition on the market, made up of public sector entities and companies such as La Poste and, more recently, state-held company OSEO, as well as private sector actors (Numericable). The team also receives instructions on projects abroad, notably assisting Réseau de Transport d’Electricité, an affiliate of EDF, on a project for the creation of a regional electricity market in South-East Asia.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is extremely capable, with a practice headed by Nicolas Baverez, a highly respected practitioner, who has ‘a very fine mind with an impressive pedigree’ and is ‘able to read a deal from different perspectives’. The team focuses on economic public law issues. Clients include state-owned companies and private groups.

KGA Avocats has expertise in public contract, regulation and public domain law. The firm also has particular skill in public criminal law contracts. Laurent-Xavier Simonel and Marc Sénac de Monsembernard are recommended.

With Philippe Malléa, Norton Rose LLP has a sustained presence in the French PPP market, acting for clients in the public sector (Hospital Saint-Nazaire) and for major consortiums (Eiffage, Vinci, Bouygues). It assisted the Communauté d’Agglomération de Saint-Quentin en Yvelines on the construction of a PPP project for a new cycling stadium, and the lenders for the construction financing operation and maintenance of a high-speed track between Tours and Bordeaux.

Orrick Rambaud Martel’s practice is led by partners Bruno Richard, Frédéric Torron and Jérôme Pentecoste, who joined the team in 2008 from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP. The practice covers public contracts and litigation, and also has expertise in environmental law and construction. It acts for private and public sector clients, and is a regular advisor to Universities Paris I and X. The group recently represented EDF in a dispute with an electricity provider in La Réunion, and the Eure Department on a public service delegation agreement relating to the operating of telecoms infrastructure.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP bolstered its public law capability with the arrival of a quartet of lawyers from Ashurst LLP. Leading figures include the ‘excellent’ Pascal Cuche and Marc Lordonnois, who both have an ‘extremely good knowledge and credentials on the French PPP market’. The team is well respected in the PPP market and also has experience in regulated sectors and privatisation matters. The firm advises public and private sector clients, with recent highlights including assisting the Urban Community of Lille on the PPP project for the financing, design, construction and operation of a stadium; and Vinci Construction France on the financing, design, construction and maintenance of a police headquarters near Lyon.

Pichavant & Chétrit handles traditional public law work, also specialising in product regulation and litigation. The small boutique practice acted in the high-profile litigation case of Marseille’s incinerator plant alongside public local entity Fos-sur-Mer. Jean-Daniel Chétrit and Jean Pichavant advise public and private entities, notably working for the Réseau Ferré de France.

Proskauer Rose LLP’s practice is co-headed by Louis des Cars and François Muller. The team has strength in depth in construction and litigation, although the firm is developing its advisory PPP practice. Clients notably include a number of high-profile names in the construction sector.

Seban & Associés excels in advising public entities. The firm receives a number of recommendations, and is said to combine ‘perfect understanding of local strategies’ with ‘the ability to address all kinds of issues’. Didier Seban and his team have ‘long experience and great expertise of public concession procurement’. Advice encompasses public projects, public contracts, public domain, social housing, electoral law and urban planning issues.

White & Case LLP’s practice is headed by Jacques Bouillon, who has an ‘excellent reputation’ and an ‘impressive track-record’. The team works on concessions and PPPs, and regularly assists public authorities, private companies and financial institutions. The firm recently advised a consortium of Veolia Transport, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Oise on the concession agreement for the exploitation of the platform of the Beauvais-Tillé airport.

Yves-René Guillou Avocats is a public law dedicated boutique with a strong focus on public projects and added corporate support abilities. The practice, managed by Yves-René Guillou, consists of a 12-lawyer team, which is ‘very aware of PFI’ and delivers ‘real concrete answers’. Expertise ranges from PPP and public procurement to regulatory, competition and litigation. The team mainly works alongside companies such as Bouygues and Thales, but is also present alongside public sector entities. The firm advised several military police stations – the Gendarmerie de Caen, Mulhouse and Pontoise – on PPP projects, and Nantes Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the concession of the Notre Dame des Landes Airport.