MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL > Luxembourg, Luxembourg > Firm Profile
MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL Offices
8 RUE SAINTE ZITHE
PO BOX 690
2016 LUXEMBOURG
Luxembourg
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MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL > The Legal 500 Rankings
Luxembourg > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Benefiting from a 'very good practical experience of the Courts' as a result of many years' experience in the field, the 'incredibly user-friendly' six-partner team at MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL is able to 'provide useful tactical insight of the Luxembourg legal system', ensuring that clients are well served in often complex corporate and financial disputes. Paulo Lopes Da Silva is 'authoritative, considered and experienced', and is particularly accomplished at providing the relevant Luxembourg law related advice on multi-jurisdictional disputes. Da Silva co-heads the team alongside 'outstanding' managing partner Michel MolitorPractice head(s):
Michel Molitor; Paulo Lopes Da Silva
Other key lawyers:
Armel Waisse; Jacques Wolter; Philippe Thiebaud; François Cautaerts
Testimonials
‘The team has very good practical experience of the Courts, the law and potential avenues that render them very capable solutions-led advisers. They provide useful tactical insight of the Luxembourg legal system that is invaluable for cross-border analysis.’
‘They are incredibly user-friendly. They are very competent and know perfectly the market.’
‘The outstanding Michel Molitor’s ability to quickly grasp the essence of a case or situation allows him to provide you with the answer you are looking for but allows him also to steer a process into the right direction without delay.’
‘Paolo Lopes da Silva is authoritative, considered and experienced.’
‘Philippe Thiebaud is a great professional in the field of bankruptcy and management of Luxembourg funds in liquidation, he handles complex proceedings at the international level ranging from bankruptcy, financial and corporate law.’
‘Philippe Thiebaud is brilliant, efficient and proactive.’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > Employment Tier 2
MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL provides 'high-quality advice' to employers and employees across a range of matters including as relates to social plans, data protection, dismissals/redundancies and settlement agreements. As well as advice on discrete projects and standalone advisory work, the team also offers a cost -effective retainer service, providing advice ad-hoc basis, as and when required. Team head Régis Muller takes the lead on most of the core matters, either on his or alongside managing partner Michel MolitorPractice head(s):
Régis Muller
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team provides high quality advice.’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > Insurance Tier 2
The 'responsive' team at MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL has 'outstanding expertise in the insurance sector', in both the life and non-life segments of the market and provides 'very commercial and proactive advice' to both insurers and policyholders regarding litigation, including on coverage issues. Team head Michel MolitorPractice head(s):
Michel Molitor
Other key lawyers:
Jacques Wolter; François Cautaerts; Sophie Lamothe; Ariane Wourwoukas
Testimonials
‘The whole insurance team is very efficient and has an outstanding expertise in the insurance sector (both life and non-life).’
‘The responsive team provides very commercial and proactive advice.’
‘Their explanation of the legal issues from the governing law perspective is very clear and they have a clear litigation strategy.’
‘Michel Molitor is a big name in insurance on the Luxembourg market and combines great legal skills with pragmatic and efficient assistance!’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > IP and IT Tier 2
MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL has a solid offering across a range of primarily non-contentious matters relating to IP and IT matters, including pro bono work on data protection compliance for charities. Virginie Liebermann 'is hands-on, very knowledgeable and has a good sense of the practical side of matters' and is particularly skilled at advising on advertising and consumer law. Liebermann co-heads the team alongside Michel MolitorPractice head(s):
Virginie Liebermann; Michel Molitor
Testimonials
‘Virginie Liebermann is hands-on, very knowledgeable and has a good sense of the practical side of matters.’
‘The firm has excellent expertise in the advertising space.’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > Real estate and construction Tier 2
Resourcing matters for public and private sector stakeholders utilising practitioners with core real estate/construction knowledge, as well as often implementing a cross-practice approach, including M&A and litigation experts, MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL is well-placed to advise public and private entities across a range of domestic commercial property transactions. Well-versed across the panoply of real estate, zoning and environmental issues, Stéphanie Juan is the main contact for advising investors, funds, developers and end-users on real estate-related transactional work, while Paulo Lopes Da Silva heads up the contentious limb of the practice.Practice head(s):
Stéphanie Juan; Paulo Lopes Da Silva
Other key lawyers:
Jacques Wolter; Sophie Lamothe; Stefano Tesone
Testimonials
‘The team has great knowledge and understanding of the construction business.’
‘They know not only the legal environment, but also basics of the construction work.’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4
Led by the 'committed and responsive' Chan Park , MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL provides 'pragmatic advice' to clients across a range of transactional work, as well as on establishing operations in Luxembourg and on ongoing corporate governance and commercial contracts matters.Practice head(s):
Chan Park
Other key lawyers:
Claude Feyereisen
Testimonials
‘The team is professional and provides pragmatic advice.’
‘Chan Park is committed and responsive.’
Work highlights
Luxembourg > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 6
Leveraging its broader litigation credentials and drawing upon 'good knowledge in the banking and finance sector', MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL is well-placed to draft contracts to minimise the chance of pursuant disputes, as well as to effectively handle any contentious matters that may arise. Armel Waisse 'shows a great understanding of the economic and financial environment to understand the needs of her clients', ensuring that she is well-positioned to advise lenders and borrowers on new money deals, as well as restructuring matters involving the enforcement of Luxembourg security interests. Poss add toPractice head(s):
Michel Molitor; Armel Waisse
Other key lawyers:
Chan Park; Philippe Thiebaud; Laurent Henneresse; Claude Feyereisen; Ariane Wourwoukas
Testimonials
‘The team is very attentive and has good knowledge in the banking and finance sector.’
‘Armel Waisse is one of those rare lawyers who is passionate by her legal practice and consequently who is always looking for the best and most appropriate legal advice to give to her clients. In addition, she shows a great understanding of the economic and financial environment to understand the needs of her clients.’
‘Laurent Henneresse was very attentive to the client’s needs and also had a good knowledge in the area of banking and finance, particularly in a complex, cross-border setting.’
Work highlights
MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL > Firm Profile
Founded in 1996, MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour is an independent law firm offering a one-stop shop service in Luxembourg with a wide international network. It has secured a reputation for innovative, responsive and robust solutions to complex and high-value cases in frequently uncharted legal territory. The firm’s lawyers are specialists in their chosen practice areas and work closely together to ensure that all the relevant disciplines applicable to any case are fully covered. As a result, the firm continues to maintain and expand a loyal client base who benefit from consistent high-level advice and results.
Areas of practice
Banking and finance: MOLITOR has developed a large portfolio of local and international clients including banks and financial institutions. The banking and finance team regularly advises domestic and foreign banks, insurance companies and other professionals of the financial sector on matters arising from their business activities including banking regulation, banking secrecy, portfolio management, credit agreements, white collar crime, contract law, offering and listing of securities.
Corporate & M&A: MOLITOR has extensive experience in advising and assisting a broad range of companies in all areas of corporate law ranging from incorporation and business start-ups to daily commercial operations. The firm advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, reorganisation and complex restructuring, real estate acquisition and corporate governance. MOLITOR drafts all necessary incorporation or restructuring documents, assemblies and minutes, related credit or shareholders’ agreements and legal opinions and coordinates the incorporation process on behalf of its clients and liaises with local notaries and other corporate service providers chosen by the client. The team has been involved in a number of cross-border merger and acquisition deals arising from public takeover bids, as well as purchases and sales of privately owned companies and businesses.
Dispute resolution and litigation: MOLITOR’s specialist dispute resolution lawyers are recognised both nationally and internationally for their expertise and experience in protecting their clients’ interests in complex and high-value cases, often in untested areas of law. In addition to the large number of high-profile local disputes that the firm works on, many of the cases MOLITOR handles are referred by other top-tier law firms and international corporations where there is a Luxembourg angle to the dispute. MOLITOR’s extensive litigation experience gives the firm the valuable ability to create structures and agreements so as to avoid future disputes. MOLITOR regularly represents its clients in litigation and dispute resolution matters in, for example, the following sectors: banking, corporate, commercial, insolvency, bankruptcy and debt recovery, real estate, employment and IP, IT and media.
Employment, pensions and immigration: MOLITOR has developed its expertise in employment law since the firm was founded and has consistently maintained its position as a leading specialist firm in this practice area in Luxembourg. The team has many large corporate clients, who refer all their legal requirements to the firm including issues such as dismissal, competition, remuneration, confidentiality, privacy and data protection. MOLITOR’s employment services include individual and collective employment law, transfer of undertakings, restructuring and international mobility including immigration, pensions and social security, and labour litigation and dispute resolution.
Insurance: MOLITOR’s insurance practice is highly sought after in Luxembourg, retaining very large national and international clients and working regularly with the main insurance companies operating in Luxembourg and across borders. The team advises clients on insurance and coverage issues, including acquisitions of insurance companies, drafting and reviewing policy wordings, advising on policy interpretation, warranties and the handling of any indemnity issues across all types of policies, supported by its proven strength in litigation and mediation.
Media, Data, Technologies & IP: MOLITOR launched its Media, Data, Technologies & IP practice group in 2007, following an increasing demand for legal advice in this area of law. The firm’s lawyers advise on the full range of IP matters, including copyright, databases, registered design, trademark (infringement, management and registration), domain names and unfair competition issues. They also cover information technology matters such as software development and licensing, Internet policies, website creation and maintenance, mobile game development, e-commerce, data protection issues and GDPR compliance. MOLITOR’s media lawyers also handle litigation and dispute resolution matters, and marketing and advertising projects for all kind of media. They also advise on labelling requirements, advertising campaigns and promotional games and competitions, and compliance with Luxembourg laws and regulations.
Real estate, Zoning & Environment: MOLITOR is involved in many major real estate projects in Luxembourg. The team assists real estate investors, construction companies, developers and operators of commercial property on construction law regulations and administrative procedures, real estate projects and related contracts, lease, franchise and facility management agreements, sales and leaseback, as well as tax optimisation issues. The firm also handles complex domestic construction and engineering projects, international acquisitions, common ownership rights, constructor and developer’s liability, transfer of property rights, and securities over real estate. The firm provides the appropriate frameworks to help clients create real estate holding structures so as to avoid future litigation and liability. Should litigation become unavoidable, MOLITOR’s powerful dispute resolution team is at hand.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Banking and Finance | Michel Molitor | michel.molitor@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Banking and Finance | Armel Waisse | armel.waisse@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Litigation and Dispute Resolution | Michel Molitor | michel.molitor@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Corporate and M&A | Chan Park | chan.park@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Real Estate, Zoning and Environment | Stéphanie Juan | stephanie.juan@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Restructuring and Insolvency | Philippe Thiebaud | philippe.thiebaud@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Media, Data, Technologies and IP | Virginie Liebermann | virginie.liebermann@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Employment, Pensions and Immigration | Régis Muller | regis.muller@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Mediation | Jacques Wolter | jacques.wolter@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Insurance | Jacques Wolter | jacques.wolter@molitorlegal.lu | +352 29 72 981 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Mr François Cautaerts | François joined MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour in November 2014 as a… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Claude Feyereisen | Claude Feyereisen is Avocat à la Cour, Member of the Luxembourg Bar,… | View Profile |
![]() | Laurent Henneresse | Counsel | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Stéphanie Juan | Partner in MOLITOR’s Real Estate, Zoning & Environment practice | View Profile |
![]() | Sophie Lamothe | Sophie joined MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour in 2013 and is now Counsel. | View Profile |
![]() | Ms Virginie Liebermann | Virginie is Avocat à la Cour, Member of the Luxembourg Bar since… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Paulo Lopes Da Silva | Paulo is a Partner at MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour. He co-heads… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Michel Molitor | Managing Partner of MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour. Head of the Financial… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Régis Muller | MOLITOR is Avocat à la Cour, admited to the Luxembourg Bar since… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Chan Park | Chan Park is Avocat à la Cour, Member of the Luxembourg Bar,… | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Philippe Thiebaud | Thiebaud is Partner at MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour. | View Profile |
![]() | Armel Waisse | Partner | View Profile |
![]() | Mr Jacques Wolter | Jacques is a Partner at MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour | View Profile |
Diversity
In order to cater for the needs of our varied client portfolio, we focus strongly on having a diverse human capital pool, both technically and culturally. We recruit and train our lawyers such that they can advise on matters in up to two of our major practice areas. Our staff work together cohesively, applying our key values of placing team goals above individual goals and focusing on building trust and rapport with our clients, who note that approachability is one of our differentiating traits, alongside service excellence, when they describe our firm to others.
Our firm’s diversity and inclusion policies are a core part of the workplace culture, but at MOLITOR we are fortunate that the context of our work is a great help in implementing them. Luxembourg boasts residents from over 170 different countries and therefore when we recruit, invariably we interview and employ individuals with nationalities other than Luxembourgish, from a wide variety of backgrounds and ethnicities. We embrace diversity and are strongly committed to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion and identity. The workplace at MOLITOR wholly welcomes different approaches and points of view, and is a place where everyone from any background can feel empowered. We feel that supporting this environment allows our employees to work to the best of their abilities as they have the freedom to be who they are.
International Capabilities
Whilst MOLITOR is independent firm based in Luxembourg, we have a broad international network continuously developed and maintained since the firm was founded. We have always sought diversity in our geographical markets, client base and areas of expertise. Our office in Luxembourg is well-positioned in the heart of Europe and whilst we cater for our clients located in neighbouring Member States, MOLITOR also deals with clients located further afield, including Japan, Korea, China, USA and Canada. Our lawyers are efficient and adept at coordinating foreign legal counsels in both contentious and non-contentious cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters centred in Luxembourg. The departments are very cohesive and work well together on complex matters requiring specialisms from our various practice areas.
The Clients
Because of the huge number of global businesses who headquarter in Luxembourg, we have a strong international client base, whilst remaining very focused on our practice in Luxembourg. In addition, because of our size, our clients receive personal and targeted service from us, and they know the particular lawyer or lawyers dealing with their respective matters. This sets us apart from many law firms, and allows us to deliver quality and add value.
Our repertoire of international clients varies from household name insurance companies and banks to social network media companies, mobile game developers, and multinational retail groups.
MOLITOR also regularly acts on a pro bono basis for international charity groups, non-profits and other public interest organisations.
The Team
Our team comprises some ten nationalities, being a mixture of talents nurtured in-house and experts joining us from the most well-known international law firms.
Our lawyers speak 9 languages (English, French, German, Italian, Luxembourgish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese and Korean).
We also run two dedicated international advisory desks: a China Desk and a German Desk, run by Chinese- and German-speaking lawyers respectively, who are the contact point for our Chinese and German clients and act as the liaison with other lawyers at MOLITOR, calling upon their expertise if necessary.
The Network
The international nature of the work we do means that it is important for us to maintain a global network with legal experts relevant to all our practice areas. MOLITOR’s partners are very active in the International Bar Association, and have a longstanding relationship with the International Association of Korean Lawyers. MOLITOR has memberships with key global associations and networks relevant to all our practice areas. This, in turn, hugely benefits our clients requiring legal or other business advice across numerous jurisdictions and industry sectors.
Interviews
Michel Molitor, Managing Partner
What do you see as the main points that differentiate MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour from your competitors?
MOLITOR is effectively a one-stop shop for legal excellence, combining renowned savoir-faire in contentious matters, with in-depth expertise in varied practice areas – this is a unique combination in Luxembourg. We also have a robust internal social network which promotes a cycle of respect, trust and candour within the firm that is then reflected in our interactions with our clients. The size of the firm means we can continue to operate as a family, in that the departments are very cohesive and work well together on complex matters requiring specialisms from our various practice areas; and further, because of our size, our clients receive a holistic, personal and targeted service from us, and they know the particular lawyer or lawyers dealing with their respective matters. This sets us apart from other law firms and allows us to deliver a seamless service to our clients and add value where necessary.
Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?
There is no doubt about it, there will certainly be further growth in the technology, cyber-security, data and space industries. Although banking and finance in Luxembourg have continued to be at the forefront of the economy, various other sectors continue to develop as well. Growing industries, in which we are also actively involved, include insurance, international real estate, private equity, and IP/IT. We have already seen a noticeable increase in insurance houses setting up here, and I expect that increase to continue over the next 12 months.
Research and development grants also attract a good number of businesses to either set up or branch out in Luxembourg.
What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?
Historically, we have provided our clients with breakfast clubs and evening seminars to provide overviews of legal updates to them in our practice areas, but this has of course not been possible over the past year. We now not only provide regular written newsletters to our clients to keep them apprised of changes in the law applicable to them, but also present webinars, which benefits clients as they are more accessible and can be viewed, and re-viewed, at our clients’ convenience.
Remote working is also a significant change for us. I don’t believe that virtual interaction replaces physical meetings, but I do think that remote working allows for more fluidity in our clients’ interactions with us.
Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?
Whilst MOLITOR has always remained up to date with changes in technology so as to efficiently run the firm and provide our clients with the best service, technology has inevitably changed how we interact with our clients over the last year. It would have been fairly common, pre-Covid, for us to have conference calls rather than virtual meetings but I would say that all our lawyers now have increased (virtual) face-to-face interaction with clients as a result, which I consider very positive.
It is important for me to emphasise here that our clients don’t pay us to be technology whizzes – what they seek from us is our legal expertise, and that is what we are known for.
Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?
My view is that one of the main purposes of our service is to add value to all our clients’ businesses. A recent example springs to mind where the Dispute Resolution and Corporate teams worked closely on a multi-jurisdictional multi-million Euro potential dispute. Thanks to their skills, and input from our international desks, our client benefitted not only from our lawyers securing the desired outcome, but also in terms of setting our client up to achieve future market goals. With each client, our lawyers carefully consider the nature of their business, the market sector in which they operate, and provide legal advice – with a commercial edge – tailored to that particular client and their needs.
Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?
I have no doubt that clients seek stability and strategic direction from us. MOLITOR is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, which in itself demonstrates our stability in the legal sector. The firm has grown steadily since its conception, and we will continue to grow at a solid pace in line with rapidly changing market trends and developments. Our lawyers consistently work on strengthening core skills, but we also look to the future – my vision of MOLITOR is that we will of course be a strongly independent firm maintaining, if not improving, our reputation and rankings in the core practice areas, but also potentially seeing an expansion of our media, data, technologies and IP department in order to cater to clients’ needs.
Press Releases
Régis Muller joins MOLITOR as Counsel
14th July 2017Luxembourg, 10 July 2017 - MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour announces the arrival of Régis Muller to its Employment, Pensions & Immigration Department.
MOLITOR increases firm’s focus on Construction Litigation and ex-pands in areas of ADR
27th February 2017 MOLITOR is delighted to announce the arrival of Jacques Wolter as a partner of the firm. Jacques Wolter joined MOLITOR with his team on 1 January 2017.MOLITOR announces a major boost to its funds and financial services practices
31st January 2017 Avocats à la Cour continues to strengthen their practice with the appointment of Augustin de Longeaux as partner, hot on the heels of the recent announcement of the arrival of Jacques Wolter who’s practice merged with MOLITOR on 1st January 2017.- Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Employment
- Insurance
- IP and IT
- Real estate and construction