Firm Profile > LPA-CGR avocats > Paris, France

Construction Tier 1

LPA-CGR avocats provides ‘outstanding contractual and claims management support throughout the life of a project’. The firm's expertise in real estate also covers construction matters, with a ‘very responsive’ ten-lawyer team which assists companies and developers with construction projects and related claims. The firm recently advised on major projects for the construction of a private museum, a research centre, office buildings and towers, as well as commercial stores and hotels. The practice also completed work in Morocco. The team is co-headed by Aurélie Dauger, François-Régis Fabre-Falret and Denis Chardigny, who ‘allies extreme proficiency with good client relationships and kindness’ and provides ‘highly valuable assistance’.

Environment Tier 1

LPA-CGR avocats has ‘extensive business understanding and industry knowledge, allowing it to provide appropriate advice’. The 18-lawyer team is also praised for its ‘good understanding of clients' expectations’. The firm acts for high-profile industrial companies, notably chemical, life sciences, mining, oil and gas and energy leaders. Several public sector entities also are clients. The firm is handling a whole range of issues and has extensive expertise advising on waste management, remediation, pollution and other industrial environmental issues. It provides assistance with dealing with key regulatory issues and is regularly sought out to advise on high-profile industrial M&A and remediation projects. In notable work, the team advised Solvay on the environmental aspects of its sales of its Polyamides business and Acetow, as well as assisting Air Liquide with the environmental aspects of the sale of Air Liquide Welding. The group has been kept busy recently handling environmental permit applications and related litigation. It has a strong practice in the energy and renewal energy field. Arkema, Ball and Bolloré are other clients. ‘Brilliant’ practice head Frédérique Chaillou ‘adapts solutions to each file’ and ‘has a good understanding of her clients' needs while continuously striving to improve quality service and customer satisfaction’. Senior counsel Vincent Sol is also highly experienced, while Fabrice Cassin, Hélène Gelas and counsel Anne Delorme are other key names.

Employment Tier 2

LPA-CGR avocats has ‘great capability to go beyond legal advice and endorse business points of view’. The ‘very flexible’ 15-lawyer team, which also has ‘a deep understanding of its clients' business peculiarities’, provides a whole range of advice spanning restructuring and mass redundancies, collective negotiation, as well as M&A, compliance and international mobility issues. The team advises various high-profile French and international companies, particularly in the railway, banking, real estate, industrial and healthcare sectors. It recently assisted its clients with implementing various Macron reforms and also handled major restructuring projects, plant closures and workforce strike issues. The practice also assisted Duc with its acquisition by Plukon Food. Karine Bézille and Alexandre Bensoussan are the practice heads. Françoise Pelletier has extensive experience, while the hiring of Sandra Hundsdörfer from GGV Avocats - Rechtsanwälte is a strong addition to the firm's German desk and for assistance to German clients.

Industry focus: energy Tier 2

LPA-CGR avocats has ‘very precise expertise’ that brings ‘high added value’ and also has ‘very good availability in case of emergency’. The firm ranks among France's leading players for domestic renewables projects. The practice handles a wide range of matters but its public law, permit and regulatory expertise particularly stand out. It is advising on some of France's largest offshore projects including handling litigation and permit issues. The firm is notably assisting Iberdrola and Res consortium with France's first offshore wind farm calls for tender, as well as as Engie and EDP Renewables on France's second offshore wind calls for tender. The practice also advised Langa on energy and regulatory due diligence regarding its acquisition by Engie SA. In other work, the team advises on energy efficiency, auto-consumption and urban heating matters. Quadran, Solaire Direct and Kallista are other clients. Practice co-heads Fabrice Cassin and Hélène Gelas have strong expertise in public law renewable energy matters. Christophe Jacomin advises on project finance.

Real estate Tier 2

With some 60 lawyers involved, LPA-CGR avocats ‘has a team of specialists in every field of real estate law’. Partners ‘know their clients very well, are responsive and dedicated’, ‘understand commercial issues at stake and adapt their advice accordingly’. The practice advises a large and stable client base of major French, German and Anglophone property funds and developers. Its wide range of expertise spans investment, finance, leasing and development as well as litigation, tax and environment. It notably handles work in the office, residential and hotel areas. The group recently advised on several high-profile office tower and other buildings transactions. It also assisted major French and German banks with large property financing deals. The team regularly advises key client Primonial Reim on major investment deals. Accor and Groupama are also clients. Practice head Silke Nadolni is ‘exceptionally responsive’. Other key names in the 15-partner practice include François-Régis Fabre-Falret, who ‘always makes himself available to address urgent situations in a serene manner and who leads negotiations with his very practical touch’; Florence Defradas, who is a key name for investment work; the ‘very talented’ Sidonie Fraîche-Dupeyrat, who is ‘exceptionally strong in residential real estate law’, ‘brilliant in difficult negotiations, never gives up’ and 'always has a practical solution to answer clients' issues’; Géraldine Piedelièvre, who is a strong name for commercial leases; and Hélène Cloëz, who is ‘one of the best for urban law matters in Paris’. The firm is also very strong in the property finance arena through Chloé Thiéblemont, who can ‘deal with complex financing documentation, is very efficient, clear and deal oriented, and eases negotiations’, and Alexae Fournier-de-Faÿ.

Administrative and public law Tier 3

LPA-CGR avocats is praised for its ‘client-friendly approach’ and ‘willingness to find workable solutions’. The 18-lawyer team is particularly recommended for its ‘great knowledge of the energy sector and high level of added-value expertise’. Its combined knowledge of public domain rights, permitting and urban law issues regularly earns the firm high-profile wind energy project instructions. The firm is also assisting public sector entities with the Grand Paris major transport development projects. Finally, the practice has expertise in obtaining permit authorisations connected with skyscraper projects. It notably defended Ivanhoé Cambridge's building permits for the high-profile Tours Duo and Tours Hermitage projects. Fabrice Cassin and the ‘highly available’ Hélène Gelas are experts in the renewables sector. Hélène Cloëz is ‘the market's best for building permits and related litigation concerning major projects in France’. Olivier Ortega is now at LexCity avocats.

Insurance Tier 3

Banking and finance: transactional work Tier 4

Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 4

Dispute resolution: White-collar crime Tier 4

EU, competition and distribution Tier 4

The 'fast-growing team' at LPA-CGR avocats 'has a down-to-earth and client-oriented approach'. Founded by the arrival of 'excellent partner' Emmanuel Tricot and his team, including senior associates Virginie Carvalho and Jean-Marc Tchernonog, from Veil Jourde, the firm advises on EU regulatory compliance matters. On the contentious side, Tricot filed an abuse of dominant position claim on behalf of a media client, and Carvalho supported him to represent a client in the Paris Court of Appeal to challenge an arbitral award which led to its exit from the European market.

Tax Tier 4

LPA-CGR avocats' 15-lawyer team assists French and international companies, investment funds, family offices, property investors, as well as entrepreneurs and individuals. The practice regularly advises on major tax property transactions and fund structuring work, with recent work in this space for German clients. ‘Excellent, efficient and available’ practice head Sandra Fernandes has ‘in-depth property tax expertise’. The team also handles litigation, recently managing cases concerning the 3% tax on dividends and also representing state entities. Jacques-Henry de Bourmont is highly regarded. Martine Blanck-Dap focuses on private clients and Bertrand Galvez advises on corporate tax.

Mergers and acquisitions Tier 5