The Legal 500

Within Administrative and public law, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance produces a ‘very high level of services’, and is well regarded for its public contract expertise, including contentious matters. The practice regularly assists the Ministry of Transport including recently on the high-profile eco-tax toll collection scheme. David Préat leads the practice, which also includes counsel Olivier Bélondrade, who is ‘particularly good’ and able to ‘find new solutions when things seem completely blocked’.

Within Banking and finance, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s 30-lawyer practice has a broad scope of expertise including finance, regulatory and capital markets. Its main focus is on acquisition finance with corporate finance also significant. Highlight included advising Société Générale and CACIB on the negotiation of a €1bn loan to Lactalis. The key partners are Thierry Arachtingi, Jonathan Lewis, Daniel Zerbib and Frédérick Lacroix as well as James Butters, who relocated from London.

Within Capital markets, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s team of ‘very thorough and rigorous’ lawyers reassure clients and make it a top choice for high-end securitisation and derivatives matters. The ‘impressive’ Jonathan Lewis and Frédérick Lacroix, who is praised for his communication and negotiation skills, are the key contacts. The firm also fields DCM expert Cédric Burford and enhanced its ECM capabilities by hiring Aline Cardin from Shearman & Sterling LLP. The practice was recently retained by the European Financial Stability Facility to advise on its debt issuance programme and the creation of a financial stabilisation vehicle for the Eurozone.

Within Commercial litigation , Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance undertakes corporate and commercial litigation, including distribution disputes, for high-profile clients such as Carrefour, SFR and Novartis, and is also picking up product liability cases for large healthcare companies as well as a growing number of high-profile instructions from banking institutions, such as Natixis and RBS, with regard to banking and structured finance claims. Practice co-heads Jean-Pierre Grandjean and Thomas Baudesson are highly recommended.

Within International arbitration, tier 5

Clifford Chance is rebuilding its capability in Paris, and hired the former deputy secretary of the ICC Simon Greenberg in 2012. Other key figures in the practice are Jean-Pierre Grandjean and counsel Peter Rosher, a ‘very client-oriented lawyer who gets the job done’. The team represents international companies – such as Carrefour, Eurostar, EADS Astrium and Siemens – in ICC and other commercial proceedings.

Within Stock market litigation Other recommended firms

Within White-collar crime Other recommended firms

Within EU competition and distribution, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s ‘very creative’ team locally was augmented by the recent move to Paris of the firm’s global antitrust managing partner Oliver Bretz, who has an excellent record in EU law and the banking sector. Other key figures include the ‘technically excellent’ Patrick Hubert and of counsel Michel Petite, whose clients are impressed by his network of contacts and ‘outstanding pleading skills, including before the Court of Luxembourg’. The practice acts in cartel and state aid cases and merger control work, and is assisting Hearst with its acquisition of Lagardère’s international magazine business.

Within Employment , Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s 12-lawyer practice is recommended for ‘highly sensitive restructuring projects’, and is in demand for assistance with large restructuring projects and site closures. Clients include Fujifilm and Visteon. François Farmine is an ‘extremely committed and client-focused’ adviser.

Within IT, telecoms and the internet, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s counsel Victoriano Melero advises large companies on major IT outsourcing and technology agreements. He recently advised Société Générale on several agreements for its mobile service payment scheme, and Openware on an agreement with French mobile operators. The practice also handles work in the internet sector for clients such as Honda and Carrefour.

Within Insolvency, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s team leader Reinhard Dammann is a major name in the insolvency and restructuring sphere, representing banks, administrators and liquidators in high-profile cases, including assisting the insolvency administrator in the Technicolor case. Dammann is also a French and German specialist in ‘fiducie’, a type of trust.

Within Full-service firms Other recommended firms

Within Legal market overview,

The market’s elite are French firms Bredin Prat, Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, De Pardieu Brocas Maffei A.A.R.P.I and Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.; British firms Allen & Overy LLP, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Linklaters LLP; and US firms Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, White & Case LLP and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

Within Full-service firms Other recommended firms

Within Mergers and acquisitions, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Traditionally renowned for its finance practice, Allen & Overy LLP has quickly established itself as a heavyweight player in the French M&A market through a number of significant lateral hires including the recruitment of Marc Castagnède from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in 2011. The 30-lawyer practice has particular strength in the energy, finance, health and property sectors. Highlights included advising General Electric on the acquisition of 90% of Converteam. Practice head Frédéric Moreau is recommended, as are Jean-Claude Rivalland and Marcus Billam.

Within Fund formation Other recommended firms

Within Private equity, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance advised a consortium on the acquisition of Spie and acted for Carlyle on the acquisition of B&B Hotel. Other clients include 3i, Apax Partners and Duke Street. Gilles Lebreton, Laurent Schoenstein and Thierry Schoen are the team’s leading figures.

Within Energy Energy

Within Project finance, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance is ‘one of the best law firms for domestic projects’, thanks to a ‘fully dedicated’ team with ‘extraordinary capabilities with regards to financial negotiations’. Public law expert David Préat is highly rated and Daniel Zerbib is ‘one of the market’s best-qualified lawyers for project financing contracts’, and is ‘instrumental in all public law negotiations’. The firm is also a leader on international infrastructure and energy projects through ‘star’ partner Anthony Giustini, Nikolaï Eatwell, Nicholas Wong and Mustapha Mourahib. The team is acting on various toll roads, gas pipelines and power plants in Turkey and markets in Africa, including advising on the financing of the Nabucco gas pipeline project.

Within Real estate, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s ‘powerful team’ has the ‘ability to help customers close a deal’, and delivers an ‘extraordinary level of service’. The practice has a full range of expertise, including property fund formation, and it advises many leading players. Highlights included advising Chartis on the sale of Chartis Tower, and LaSalle Investment Management on the sale of the Olympe company and building. The 13-lawyer team is led by François Bonteil and the ‘charismatic’ Aubry d’Argenlieu, a ‘very business-oriented’ adviser who is ‘personally involved in transactions’.

Within Tax, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

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.