The Legal 500

Within Aviation finance, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s six-lawyer practice, led by Matthieu de Varax, is ‘well known in the French industry’ for delivering ‘very good services’. The practice advises major financial institutions (BNP Paribas, CACIB), manufacturers (Dassault Aviation) and airline companies (Air Caraïbes). It also handles acquisition and leasing work.

Within Banking and finance Other recommended firms

Within Dispute resolution Commercial litigation Other recommended firms

Within Dispute resolution International arbitration Other recommended firms

Within EU competition and distribution, tier 5

Mayer Brown set up its competition department in 2010, pushed by the need to add support to its leading private equity practice. The firm hired a team, led by Nathalie Jalabert-Doury, from Carreras, Barsikian, Robertson & Associés, and also recruited senior associate Frédérick Amiel, who was previously permanent ‘rapporteur’ to the Competition Authority. The four-lawyer group has ‘in-depth knowledge of competition proceedings and investigation procedures’, ‘really good contacts with the French Competition Authority’ and strong antitrust and cartel experience. It represented Nocibé in a perfume case.

Within Employment , Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown was involved in several high-profile cases, representing Caterpillar on its restructuring and Molex on the reindustrialisation of one its sites. The ‘very meticulous and responsive’ Laurence Dumure Lambert leads the five-lawyer team while the ‘very friendly and reactive’ Régine Goury was promoted counsel. The practice has a large Anglo-Saxon client base, and handled litigation, gender remuneration, working time and data protection matters in 2010.

Within Insolvency Other recommended firms

Within Mergers and acquisitions Other recommended firms

Within Private equity, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Xavier Jaspar, Guillaume Kuperfils and tax advisor Laurent Borey lead Mayer Brown’s ‘reactive’ practice. The ten-partner team includes newly promoted partner Olivier Aubouin and Thomas Philippe – management package specialist Alexis Dargent left the firm to set up his own boutique. The ‘excellent’ LBO practice puts a ‘great focus on client service’ and demonstrates a ‘very good business sense’. It recently assisted Chequers on the secondary LBO on Thermocoax Holding.

Within Real estate, tier 4

Mayer Brown’s recent hire of ‘deal maker’ Andrew Armfelt, with a three-lawyer team from Armfelt & Associés, considerably enhanced the firm’s capabilities. The ten-lawyer practice was also further strengthened on the financing side through the appointments of Patrick Teboul and Privat Vigand. Finance expert Jean-Pierre Lee co-heads the team with Armfelt.

Within Tax, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown’s advice is ‘priceless for private equity transactions’. The 16-lawyer team, led by Laurent Borey, is ‘among the very few able to deal with figures’ and has developed a ‘tax structure memorandum that is a unique tool for negotiations and the running of the business’. The ‘superb’ and ‘extremely reactive’ five-partner team also has a private-client practice led by Pierre-Olivier Bernard. Olivier Parawan and Benjamin Homo are strongly recommended, as is fund expert Sabina Comis, who stands out for her ‘very practical approach’, ‘actual courage’ and ‘total honesty’. Highlights included assisting Carlyle on the acquisition of Gianonni.