The Legal 500

This section represents the principal firms and regional offices across France. Many regional firms also have offices in the capital and can compete with the large Parisian firms, while some also have offices abroad.

Headquartered in Strasbourg, ASA Avocats Associés has full-service expertise. The firm has 15 lawyers and an office in Paris.

Based in Lyon, Adamas is a prominent player in south-eastern France with leading national capabilities in public and environmental law. The firm also has offices in Paris, Shanghai and Beijing.

Aklea has two large regional offices in addition to its Parisian office and outpost in Shanghai. The Lyon office has a complete range of expertise, while the Aix-en-Provence is of more modest size.

Strasbourg-based Alexandre Lévy Kahn has a wide range of expertise, especially in tax, employment and corporate law. The firm is home to some 15 lawyers.

Alister Avocats offers the full spectrum of services, with offices in Lyon, Paris and Strasbourg.

BDH Avocats comprises 40 lawyers based in Angers, Saumur and Paris. The firm is full-service, with particular expertise in horse and Polish law.

Full-service firm Bignon Lebray & Associés competes at national level through its corporate expertise. After Paris, Lille is the firm’s largest office (11 lawyers) followed by Lyon (six lawyers). The firm also has an outpost in Aix-en-Provence and Shanghai.

Camille & Associés is a major player in Toulouse with its 18 lawyer-team. The firm offers all-round expertise.

Carbonnier Lamaze Rasle & Associés has offices in Lille, Lyon, Paris and Brussels. The 14-partner firm offers a whole range of expertise with leading capabilities in IP and public law. It has a strong client base in the media sector.

Cornet Vincent Ségurel is a major regional firm with offices in Nantes, Rennes and Paris. The 70-lawyer firm enjoys growing recognition at national level and is praised for its ‘very good’ litigation expertise.

Headquartered in Toulouse, Decker & Associés has a strong expertise in the aviation field.

Based in Lyon and with offices in Marseille and Paris, Delsol & Associés is a full-services firm made up of 60 lawyers. The firm has strong expertise in corporate and employment law.

Lille-based with an office in Paris, Duel offers a complete range of expertise. Guy Six, Sophie Potier, Alexandra Six and Alexandre Demeyere head the firm.

In Lyon, Duteil Avocats focuses on M&A, capital markets and private equity transactions. The ten-lawyer firm has signed a collaborative agreement with Ribeyre, David & Associés on restructuring projects.

Through its nine regional offices, Ernst & Young Société d’Avocats offers a complete range of expertise. Lyon is the firm’s main regional office.

Fidal is France’s first law-firm in terms of geographical network and workforce. The firm has some 100 offices and 1,000 lawyers across France, offering strong employment and tax expertise.

Lyon firm Fromont Briens & Associés is entirely dedicated to employment law, and has a strong practice in this field.

GB2A has expertise in public law and projects. The firm is headquartered in Caen with outposts in Paris, Toulouse and Granville.

Based in Lyon and with an office in Paris, Lamy & Associés handles M&A work through Eric Baroin, and has a good arbitration practice in Christoph Martin Radke.

Lamy Lexel Avocats Associés handles employment, tax, corporate law and litigation. The 60-lawyer firm has offices in Lyon and Paris.

With 500 professionals, Landwell & Associés has offices in France’s top ten cities. The firm has strong tax expertise.

LexCase is made up of 15 lawyers based in Paris and Lyon. Anne Sophie Uccello-Jammes handles IP matters, while the firm also has ‘strong litigation and telecoms expertise’ in Hubert Mortemard de Boisse, who joined from Bird & Bird AARPI. Philippe Drouillot deals with taxation.

Made up of 15 lawyers, Legalis is based in Roubaix in the north of France. The firm’s expertise spans commercial, employment and patrimonial law.

Toulouse-based Morvilliers Sentenac has 20 lawyers who handle the whole spectrum of business law.

Oratio is strong in the Pays de Loire region, where the firm has eight offices including in Angers and Nantes. The firm has 30 lawyers, including business law expert Gilles Camphort and tax specialist François Gauchard. The firm also has offices in Paris and Dinan.

Racine has 130 lawyers spread between five offices across France and two offices abroad in Brussels and Beirut. The full-service firm is a growing player in France, with recognised expertise in corporate law and litigation.

Headquartered in Lyon with an office in Paris, Ratheaux has solid corporate law expertise thanks to a three-partner team including Henri Saint-Père. Through its 55 lawyers, the firm offers a complete range of capabilities.

Simon Associés has offices in Paris, Lyon, Nantes and Montpellier. The firm led by Jean-Charles Simon is developing its presence in the regions (the Montpellier office opened in 2010). The firm’s insolvency expertise is recognised country-wide.

Soulier has offices in Lyon, Paris and Brussels. The firm offers the full range of expertise, serving French and international clients.

Taj has six offices across France boasting some 370 professionals. The firm, with full service capabilities, has strong tax capabilities.

Thémès has five offices in the north of France including in Lille. The firm handles a full range of contentious and non-contentious matters.