The Legal 500

France

Administrative and public law

Administrative and public law - ranked: tier 4

DS Avocats

DS Avocats has urban law expertise combined with strong knowledge of project, public contract and general public law. The 37-lawyer practice advises public and private sector clients, including leading telecoms and transport companies, property developers and large municipalities. It is notably assisting with several large infrastructure and development projects, including advising the town of Boulogne-Billancourt with the adaptation of its urban-planning rules for the new Bolloré campus. TDF, Servier and Conseil départemental des Hauts de Seine are clients. Frédérique Olivier and Frédéric Levy head the practice. David Guillot, Laura Ceccarelli-Le Guen, Jean-Marc Poisson, Monique Ambal and Michaël Moussault are also recommended, along with newly promoted partners Nathalie Sultan and Fabrice Van Cauwelaert.

[back to top]

Banking and finance: Bank regulatory

Banking and finance: Bank regulatory - ranked: tier 2

DS Avocats

DS Avocats stands out through its fintech, digital banking and cryptofinance group, but the practice advises on contentious and non-contentious matters regarding securities, corporate finance and capital markets. Recent transactional highlights include advising Assurances du Crédit Mutuel on Eurosic's €2.6bn takeover of Foncière de Paris and on the acquisition of Eurosic by Gecina, deals which were both led by practice head Frédéric Bellanca. Thibault Verbiest, who specialises in digital banking and cryptofinance, splits his time between the Paris and Brussels offices. BNP Securities Services, Zürcher Kantonalbank and Bank of China are also clients of the firm.

[back to top]

Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 2

DS Avocats

DS Avocats is often instructed by companies and regularly handles construction litigation, including advising on judiciary surveys conducted on commercial, hospital and industrial assets. Marie-Pierre Alix heads the six-lawyer team.

[back to top]

EU, competition and distribution

EU, competition and distribution - ranked: tier 4

DS Avocats

DS Avocats fields experts such as Michel Debroux and Romain Bourgade to advise on antitrust and competition issues on behalf of an enviable client roster including names such as SNCF, EDF and Eiffage. Particularly active in the telecoms, energy and logistics sectors, with strong expertise in public law, the team also includes Sandra Dorizon, Xavier Lacaze, Arnaud Constant and Safi Hadri.

[back to top]

Environment

Environment - ranked: tier 2

DS Avocats

DS Avocats has a strong team of some ten dedicated lawyers who advise on environmental issues as well as hygiene, health and safety matters. The firm recently acted in criminal environmental disputes initiated by various associations against its clients for alleged violation of permits. The practice is managing several highly sensitive cases, notably in the energy and nuclear sectors. It is notably defending Compagnie d’Aménagement des Coteaux de Gascogne before courts regarding the Sivens redevelopment dam project that is being opposed by environmental associations. The firm also has strong expertise in classified sites issues and is regularly retained to advise on industrial M&A transactions. It assisted GRT Gaz with the transfer of the entire capital of Elengy to the client. Imerys, Vinci Energie and Eiffage Immobilier are clients. Practice heads Yvon Martinet, Patricia Savin and Frédéric Lévy are highly regarded. Gwladys Beauchet, Grégory Gutierrez and newly promoted partner Safi Hadri are also involved. Raphaël Romi, who is a highly respected professor in environment law, joined as of counsel.

[back to top]

Insolvency

Insolvency - ranked: tier 4

DS Avocats

DS Avocats regularly acts for investors, including Chinese groups, on bidding for insolvent or distressed companies. The practice notably assisted LDC and Plouray with Doux’s acquisition, as well as PMC with the takeover of Isochem. Practice head Martine Zervudacki-Farnier has long-standing experience. Thomas Objatek, Jean-Charles Gancia, newly promoted partner Christian Pascoët  and of counsel Jean-Yves Marquet are also noted.

[back to top]

France: Dispute resolution

Dispute resolution: commercial litigation

Dispute resolution: commercial litigation - ranked: tier 3

DS Avocats

DS Avocats is instructed by many blue-chip French companies to represent them before the courts and, increasingly, during the pre-contentious phases. The practice has a significant industrial and commercial caseload, and also handles some international disputes and advises on compliance issues. The firm successfully represented Orange's Mobistore in a case following the termination of distribution agreements with Mim Com and Waris Telecom, and obtained the condemnation of Engie for unfair competition practices from the Commercial Court of Nanterre. It is also dealing with some major banking litigation matters. Safran Electronics & Défense and PSA are clients. Bertrand Potot, Marie Christine Mergny, Sandra Dorizon and Arnaud Constant are recommended, and Frédéric Bellanca is noted for banking litigation.

[back to top]

France: Industry focus

Industry focus: IT, telecoms and the internet

Industry focus: IT, telecoms and the internet - ranked: tier 3

DS Avocats

DS Avocats recently acts for public sector entities on the implementation of regulatory and legal frameworks in heavily regulated sectors under the leadership of Thierry Granturco. Clients appointed the team to advise on the negotiation of contractual aspects pertaining to the implementation of software solutions in France and overseas. Catherine Verneret and counsel Gacia Kazandjian handled a number of GDPR compliance matters. Arnaud Tessalonikos heads the digital law and data privacy practice and is also a key name to note.

[back to top]

France: Intellectual property

Intellectual property: Trade marks and designs

Intellectual property: Trade marks and designs - ranked: tier 3

DS Avocats

DS Avocats provides day-to-day advice to the Louvre regarding the management of its brand portfolio, and recently acted for Électricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF) on the trade mark issues arising from its name change to Enedis. In other highlights, Catherine Verneret assisted a major French retailer with three litigations pertaining to the revocation of an expired trade mark, and Frisquet appointed the group to advise on infringement proceedings. Other key names include Thierry Granturco and associate Mathieu Salvia.

[back to top]