Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > Paris, France > Firm Profile

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

France > Administrative and public law Tier 1

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is retained to handle high-end work pertaining to the country’s largest and most essential public infrastructure and operating companies. The team regularly advises on financial aid, governance issues and corporate structuring concerning state-owned companies and joint ventures operating in the public sector. Its combined top regulatory and public procurement expertise which earns it prestigious mandates on various energy and new industrial project initiatives (nuclear, hydrogen, semi-conductor) as well as major port, airport and railway public procurement issues. Its involvement in the telecoms sector is also a strength. The practice is co-headed by Frédéric Salat-Baroux and Marc Lordonnois.

France > Insolvency Tier 1

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP’s restructuring division is an undisputed leader, with strong recognition across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Continental Europe. This practice, adept at navigating a significant caseload and catering to a diverse client base, offers expert guidance on intricate cross-border matters. Its purview encompasses LBO restructuring, amicable proceedings, and insolvency cases, where they actively engage in some of the market’s most substantial affairs. Facilitating this strength is a culture of collaboration, with co-leaders Anne-Sophie Noury, Jean-Dominique De Cassini and new arrival Céline Domenget-Morin at the helm, integrating with other divisions, especially those immersed in transactional and financial activities. Laura Bavoux further fortifies the practice, specialising in high-stakes French pre-insolvency and insolvency cases, along with cross-border restructuring, across various sectors such as law, retail, media, telecommunications, and sports. Cesar Puech Routier joined the firm alongside Domenget-Morin in late 2023.

France > Private equity: LBO Tier 1

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP assists private equity sponsors, industrial and financial groups and family-owned groups with large-cap LBO transactions. The group is also well placed to advise clients on domestic and cross-border M&A, divestitures, build-ups, financings, and distressed M&A transactions. Infrastructure funds, insurance companies, and pension plans also look to the team for its expertise in the infrastructure segment. David Aknin steers the practice; additional names to note include Jean Beauchataud, Frédéric Cazals, Alexandre Duguay, and Guillaume Bonnard, who focus on high-profile LBOs and M&A transactions.

France > Banking and finance: transactional work Tier 2

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP reorganised its team in 2023 through the hiring of Jean-Christophe David and Géraldine Lezmi from Allen & Overy LLP, which has bolstered the firm's capabilities to act for debt funds and further reinforced its sponsor-side position and debt restructuring skills. The group is highly specialised in leveraged finance, while also advising on credit facilities and tackling refinancing work. The team also worked recently on a headline debt restructuring case in the retail sector. James Clarke heads the team alongside David and Lezmi. Olivier Jauffret retired at the end of 2023.

France > Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 2

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is a key destination for high-profile M&A-related litigation and shareholders’ disputes involving leading private equity funds and corporations, but the team is also flexible and capable of handling all types of cases. It is notably involved in commercial and civil liability cases and also deals with sensitive bankruptcy-related disputes. Many leading French and international companies and funds are client. The practice is led by Didier Malka, with associate Ambroise Flachs providing key support.

France > Dispute resolution: Stock market litigation Tier 3

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's litigation team has expertise handling public tender stock-market battles and AMF investigations into stock-market law breaches. The firm is notably acting in two headline cases for major French companies concerning communication of financial information and insider trading accusations. The practice is headed by Didier Malka.

France > EU, competition and distribution Tier 3

Romain Ferla leads the practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, which is frequently active in French and EU merger control proceedings, with an emphasis on advising domestic and international private equity firms. The team is particularly well equipped to handle cross-border transactions and merger control filings in multiple jurisdictions. In addition, the firm has played a prominent role in antitrust litigation and private enforcement actions; its current caseload includes representing one of the defendants in follow-on damages claims stemming from the floor coverings cartel.

France > Mergers and acquisitions Tier 3

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is engaged by several listed companies to assist with transactions, including recently in relation to satellites and retail. The M&A practice handles a steady amount of public and private M&A work for French and international corporations and also regularly advises on corporate restructuring and governance issues. The practice is jointly headed by Claude Serra and Yannick Piette. Agathe Soilleux and recently promoted partner Jean-Baptiste Cornic  are other major contributors.

France > Tax Tier 3

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's tax practice has a primary focus on transactional tax work, specifically the tax structuring of M&A and private equity matters. The team is sought after by private equity funds and infrastructure funds for advice on on transactions, including capital development and large-cap transactions and reorganisations. Edouard De Lamy is a key name for private equity M&A tax matters, as well as advising on estate planning, income and wealth tax matters. Lamy jointly leads the practice with Benjamin Pique, who joined from Ernst & Young Société d'Avocats and has expertise in the tax aspects of leveraged buy-outs, multi-jurisdictional tax structuring, complex carve-outs, post-merger integration and tax modelling.