The Legal 500

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre provides ‘very responsive and business-oriented advice’, and ‘custom-tailored service’. The firm fields 170 tax advisers with leading expertise in all core and niche areas of tax and is regularly consulted by legislators and public authorities. François Hellio, Edouard Millhac and Bruno Gibert, who is ‘very well connected at French and EU levels’, were involved in major transactions in 2011, and Pierre Dedieu advised on a significant property transaction. The firm is also recommended for wealth tax issues, and Michel Collet is ‘a natural fit for US and non-French clients’. The firm’s VAT and EU tax law litigators include Stéphane Austry, Christophe Aldebert, Pierre Le Roux and Lionel Lenczner, who delivers ‘key advice on French corporate income tax, tax audits and litigation strategy’. Other key contacts include Pierre-Sébastien Thill, Stéphane Gelin and Bruno Gouthière for international taxation; Anne Grousset, who is among ‘the best VAT lawyers’; Jean Guilmoto for direct taxation; and Laurent Chatel, the ‘best tax specialist for local taxation’.

Tax boutique Arsene Taxand is a 16-partner firm providing a comprehensive range of expertise with particular strength in private equity and litigation. The key figures are practice head Frédéric Donnedieu de Vabres; Antoine Glaize, who specialises in transfer pricing; Michel Taly for tax audits and litigation; Denis Andres, Frédéric Teper and Mirouna Verban who deal with transactional tax; and Franck Llinas and François Lugand for property tax. The firm advises leading corporations and private equity funds including PAI Partners, and advised Lagardère Active on tax aspects of the sale of the Elle business.

Bredin Prat’s ‘extremely professional’ 13-lawyer team is roundly regarded as the best for tax advice on corporate transactions. Its lawyers are ‘proactive’, ‘fast’ and ‘always answer queries in due time’. Renaud Streichenberger is France’s foremost expert for complex corporate tax issues and has great relationships with tax authorities. Edouard Sicot is also a major figure, the ‘imaginative’ Sébastien de Monès is ‘well introduced with the tax authorities’, Pierre-Henri Durand is ‘an expert and a straight shooter’, and Yves Rutschmann and Julien Gayral are also strongly recommended. The team advised Rhodia on Solvay’s takeover bid.

Allen & Overy LLP’s practice head Siamak Mostafavi is ‘excellent’ for financial and capital markets matters and Mathieu Vignon is also recommended. The team advises leading banking institutions and investors, and recently assisted lenders on the acquisition of Materne Mont Blanc by LBO France. Jean-Yves Charriau is a leading expert in property tax who advises Unibail-Rodamco, the market’s largest property investor.

Baker & McKenzie SCP’s broad practice is staffed by some 30 dedicated tax lawyers, and headed by Véronique Millischer. Property tax experts Christine Daric and Olivier Mesmin advise major clients such as Generali, while Pierre-Yves Bourtourault and Guillaume Le Camus are corporate tax specialists who advised AXA Private Equity on its acquisition of Natixis’ private equity business. Eric Meier is an expert tax litigator and recent arrival Caroline Silberztein is a transfer pricing expert who was previously in charge of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s work in that area.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s ‘top-quality’ practice includes senior counsel Gilles Entraygues, Anne-Sophie Coustel and consultant Pascal Coudin. The team provides ‘very business-oriented’ advice on tax aspects of M&A, restructuring and securities transactions for clients such as Accor, Alstom and BNP Paribas. The practice also represents clients in tax controversies.

Clifford Chance’s 17-lawyer team advises on corporate transactions, top-end property deals and fund structuring. It advised the buyers on the LBO acquisition of Spie. The ‘very good’ Eric Davoudet heads the practice, in which Julien Ruderman, Eric Zeller and Alexandre Lagarrigue are also recommended.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s ‘very responsive’ group has wide-ranging expertise encompassing domestic and international corporate and property tax advice, structured finance, transfer pricing and litigation. It advises leading investment funds and corporations, and assisted General Mills on the acquisition of a 51% stake in Yoplait. The ‘very reliable’ Cyril Valentin leads the nine-lawyer team, which also includes Antoine Colonna d’Istria.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. advises on large corporate transactions including Solvay’s acquisition of Rhodia, and is also a top adviser for private client work, property tax and tax litigation. The six partners are Richard Beauvais, Olivier Dauchez, Laurent Modave, Gilbert Ladreyt, Guillaume Goulard and Guillaume Jolly.

Latham & Watkins’ seven-lawyer practice is chaired by the ‘very good’ Olivia Rauch-Ravisé, with Xavier Renard and Olivier Delattre also recommended. The team advises on transactions, especially LBOs. Key clients include LBO France and AXA Private Equity.

Linklaters LLP’s six-lawyer practice has outstanding expertise in taxation relating to M&A, capital markets and finance. The ‘very impressive’ Edouard Chapellier heads the team, and counsel Thomas Perrot is ‘a responsive lawyer, very knowledgeable on all financial tax matters’.

Mayer Brown shows an ‘unrivalled level of creativity for corporate tax structuring’, and is famous for its innovative approach to transactions, translating tax advice into cash-flow simulations of corporate transactions. The client base is heavily dominated by investment funds and fund managers. It advised Carlyle on the acquisition of a majority stake in Giannoni. Laurent Borey heads the 11-lawyer group and ranks among ‘the market’s best lawyers’. Olivier Parawan, Benjamin Homo and Sabina Comis are also recommended.

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP advises on corporate, structured finance and restructuring issues, assists clients in their relationships with tax authorities and handles tax litigation. It represents many blue-chip companies and financial institutions, and advised EDF on its tender offer for EDF Energies Nouvelles’ shares. Practice head Gauthier Blanluet is a highly regarded expert with ‘a unique combination of tax and legal expertise, and is strongly respected by the authorities’. Senior counsel Jean-Pierre Le Gall and newly promoted partner Nicolas de Boynes are also recommended.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP’s practice is led by a strong duo: Pierre Ullmann and Marie-Hélène Raffin, who is ‘top quality for tax consolidation work’. European counsel Philippe Grudé is also highly involved in transactional tax issues, and advised PAI Partners on the sale of its interests in Yoplait.

Ashurst LLP’s ‘high-level’ team is very strong on LBO transactions and fund structuring work, thanks to practice head Catherine Charpentier and Nadine Gelli. The four-lawyer practice advises all types of funds work, including handling restructuring and tax litigation. It advised CHG Participations on the sale of Compagnie Européenne de Prévoyance.

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei A.A.R.P.I is recommended for ‘high-value transactional work’, and the team shows ‘great reactivity, strong technical skills and an ability to think outside the box’. Leading property tax expert Emmanuel Chauve co-heads the practice with Bernard Boutemy, who is an expert tax litigator. The five-partner team also includes Sarah Espasa-Mattei, Alexandre Blestel and Marie-Laure Bruneele, a young partner who ‘has the potential to become one of the leading individuals for transactional work’. The firm advised Carrefour on the creation of a pan-European property vehicle.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s practice head Pierre-Pascal Bruneau and international counsel Eric Bérengier are well regarded for the tax structuring of M&A, capital markets and private equity transactions. The practice also handles patrimonial and litigation matters. It advised Lagardère on the sale of its international magazine business.

Gibson Dunn’s three-lawyer practice primarily focuses on transactions, but also assisting its clients in litigation, lobbying and management of relationships with the tax authorities. Clients include a mix of funds, institutional investors and companies such as Eurazeo and Goldman Sachs. Practice head Ariel Harroch and Jérôme Delaurière are the key contacts.

Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP’s practice is led by Xenia Legendre, who has strong credentials in international taxation, and property tax expert James Vaudoyer. Clients include Edenred and Carlson Hotels.

Jones Day has ‘an excellent team with strong expertise’, and provides ‘high-quality advice’. Practice head Vincent Agulhon is ‘one of the strongest tax advisers in the market’ for property tax matters. Emmanuel de la Rochethulon is the other partner in this six-lawyer team, which also handles project and corporate tax advice and litigation. The group advised Icade on the sale of the Atrium office building.

Moisand Boutin & Associés’ six-lawyer group provides ‘excellent service’, and ‘very accurate advice’. Practice co-heads Michel-Pierre Boutin and Dorothée Traverse are recommended, as is VAT specialist Marie-Eve Chauvière. Expertise also covers transactional, transfer pricing and patrimonial tax issues.

SJ Berwin’s 11-lawyer team is led by Sylvie Vansteenkiste. Fanny Combourieu is the other senior name, while Raphaël Béra was promoted to the partnership in 2011. The practice is of the highest calibre for fund structuring and is also strong on transactional advice. It acts on many LBOs, and recently assisted ING Parcom on the sale of Courtepaille. Hermès and various property funds turn to the practice for tax advice on real estate investments.

Following the signature of an exclusive agreement with audit firm KPMG in 2011, tax has now become STC Partners’ core practice. The firm has made numerous key hires in the past year with further expansion planned, and already fields some 50 lawyers. The practice provides comprehensive contentious and non-contentious tax law services, including patrimonial expertise through the superb Eric Ginter and corporate tax expertise through Christian Nouel and Christian Couderc. The team advised PPR on the sale of Conforama. 3i, KKR, Areva and RATP are new clients.

Salans’ standalone tax practice now fields 20 lawyers after a five-strong team led by Anne Quenedey recently joined from Bird & Bird. Sandra Hazan is expert in representing luxury goods companies, Sybille Salmon-Legagneur specialises in property tax, Jean-Luc Cuadrado is an expert in representing pharmaceuticals companies, and Quenedey has strong know-how in the insurance and IP sectors. The practice recently advised Corio on its acquisition of a majority stake in a shopping centre in Metz. Bayer Healthcare and ING REIM are also clients.

Shearman & Sterling LLP’s three-lawyer practice is led by the ‘remarkable’ Niels Dejean, who is capable of assisting with the full range of tax matters albeit the team’s main focus is transactional matters.

White & Case LLP’s six-lawyer team advises on corporate and property transactions as well as restructuring, and acted for IK Invest on the acquisition of a majority stake in Snacks International. It also represents a number of private clients. Practice head Norbert Majerholc and Alexandre Ippolito are recommended.

August & Debouzy’s Xavier Rohmer and Philippe Lorentz focus on transactional tax matters. The team also advises on tax aspects of debt restructuring and advises management teams on private equity deals. It represented several shareholders during Astorg Partners’ acquisition of Saverglass.

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP’s ‘very responsive’ practice is led by Remy Lerner and Marco Blanco, who has an ‘instinctive grasp of complex cross-border issues’. The practice is recommended for cross-border matters including tax arbitration and fund structuring. The team advised Petroleos de Venezuela on the sale of its stake in oil refineries in the Ruhr valley. Sonatrach and JPMorgan are also clients.

Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier’s Yann Grolleaud focuses on transactional tax, and advised NYSE Euronext on its proposed union with Deutsche Börse. He also advises on tax audits and controversies.

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés handles a whole array of matters including tax structuring, transfer pricing, private wealth and tax litigation, and advises funds, companies and wealthy individuals. Henri-Nicolas Fleurance, Vincent Schmitt and Franck Bauchet lead the seven-lawyer team.

Jacques Messeca leads Eversheds LLP’s three-lawyer practice handles contentious and non-contentious tax matters, and has a niche reputation for sports-related taxation matters. Clients include many French football clubs, as well as Gucci and La Poste.

Franklin’s Jérôme Barré runs a renowned private client practice. The team advises wealthy individuals and families on matters such as tax residency, repatriation, business sales or restructuring, and tax inquiries from the authorities.

Herbert Smith LLP’s three-lawyer practice provides ‘a good level of technical knowledge and understanding’. It advises on corporate and property transactions, including assisting Deutsche Bank with the refinancing of the Mercuriales towers. Practice head Jean-Luc Calisti is ‘very good and responsive’, and of counsel Jérôme Le Berre is also recommended.

Allard de Waal heads Paul Hastings LLP’s well-regarded transactional and tax controversy practice, which is also able to handle property tax and fund structuring work. The team advised Cambridge Place Investment Management on the distressed sale of Front de Parc building.

Scotto & Associés has a strong team for private equity and corporate matters including LBO transactions. Jérémie Jeausserand leads the six-lawyer practice, which also advises on patrimonial tax and handles litigation. Marc Vaslin, Yann de Kergos and of counsels Henri Bardet and Alex Burri are all recommended.

‘A great team’, Winston & Strawn’s eight-lawyer practice mainly advises investment funds and corporations on transactional tax. Jean-Pierre Collet, Franck Lagorce, Florence Bilger and David Colin lead the team.

Wragge & Co’s Eglantine Lioret and Pierre Appremont run a superb property tax practice, and recently advised Predica and Generali on the acquisition of the Europe Avenue building. The six-lawyer team also advises on M&A and fund structuring and undertakes tax litigation. Key clients include Crédit Agricole and LBO France.