The Legal 500

Carreras, Barsikian, Robertson & Associés has ‘very high expertise in media law’. The firm’s strong practice regularly hires high-profile figures each year with Olivier Sprung joining the team in 2010 from Bousquet, adding in-depth expertise in the audiovisual field, having represented TF1 for many years. Alain Barsikian and Sylvain Jaraud are both established figures in the music industry, advising musicians and independent producers. Pierre-Olivier Chartier is advisor to SFR, which he represented in two high-profile litigation cases including against France Télécom and Ligue de Football Professionnel. Notably assisting adidas, Judith Vuillez handles sponsorship, litigation and distribution matters.

DLA Piper advises legendary Hollywood studios MGM and NBC Universal. The firm has a strong presence in the audiovisual sector, handling copyright, IP, regulatory, commercial and litigation matters. The team is led by Patrick Boiron and includes patent specialist Jean-Christophe Tristant, who arrived from Latham & Watkins, while Marc d’Haultfoeuille joined Norton Rose LLP.

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés has a strong presence in the audiovisual and publishing sectors in Frank Valentin, Julien Horn and Louis de Gaulle. The firm further strengthened its profile in the movie and broadcasting industries hiring Charles-Edouard Renault from Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., who represents French and foreign TV channels and independent producers. Representative clients include Arte, CBS, 20th Century Fox, Editions Robert Laffont and Bayard Presse.

Deprez Dian Guignot has a strong client base in the advertising industry and also represents leading French audiovisual groups. Press law is another field of expertise, the team acting for major French and foreign press companies. Pierre Deprez and Vincent Fauchoux are recommended.

At Granrut Avocats, the new Paris “Bâtonnier” Jean Castelain is a strong figure in the audiovisual, music and cinema industries where he represents artists and media groups on litigation and IP law. In 2010, the firm also set up a sport division following the arrival of Emmanuel Sordet from SNR Denton. The practice assists Ligue 1 football clubs and handles online-gaming matters.

Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP’s Winston Maxwell and Xavier Buffet Delmas represent showbusiness celebrities, leading French and American movie studios and publishing companies.

Nomos is a leading name in the music sector, the firm advising a superb client portfolio of producers. The team has a wide array of expertise, including on IP matters, through Eric Lauvaux, Héléna Delabarre and Armelle Fourlon.

Taylor Wessing advises on French and foreign movie productions through Christian Valsamidis and Claire Saint-Laurent, who assist high-profile directors and independent producers. The team acts on the majority of the French movie production and is also a major player in the audiovisual sector. The firm also has a sport division supervised by Didier Domat.

At Wan Avocats, a team of some 20 lawyers handle IP, internet, litigation and corporate work for a large client base in the music and publishing fields. Isabelle Wekstein is recommended.

Wilhelm & Associés has major clients in the audiovisual (Canal +), sport, press (Marianne) and advertising fields. The ‘fast and sharp’ Pascal Wilhelm is highly regarded, while Stéphanie Pourdieu handles IP work. The practice deals with key issues in the online-gaming sector.

Winston & Strawn became a serious player in the media and entertainment industry after hiring Latham & Watkins’ former team in 2009. The practice, led by Patrick Dunaud and including Emmanuel Drai and Nathalie Hadjadj-Cazier, has a strong presence in the audiovisual sector acting for American studios (HBO, Warner Bros). The team also attracted new clients Gaumont and Lagardère Active and is an advisor to Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal in France. The practice is well-versed in dealing with digital convergence issues.