Latham & Watkins > Paris, France > Firm Profile
Latham & Watkins Offices
45 RUE SAINT DOMINIQUE
75007 PARIS
France
Latham & Watkins > The Legal 500 Rankings
France > Banking and finance: transactional work Tier 1
Latham & Watkins ranks among the top firms for LBO acquisition finance work and sophisticated loans. The practice, which can seamlessly mix banking, high yield and unitranche expertise, assists leading financial institutions as well as private equity sponsors and several corporates. The Paris team, which regularly collaborates with its London counterparts, also advises on major refinancing deals. Carla-Sophie Imperadeiro supervises a team that includes key names Xavier Farde, Michel Houdayer and Lionel Dechmann.Practice head(s):
Carla-Sophie Imperadeiro
Other key lawyers:
Michel Houdayer; Xavier Farde; Lionel Dechnmann
Key clients
AD Education
Ardian
Ares
Astorg Partners
BNP Paribas
Bridgepoint Advisers Limited
Circet group
Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Farallon Capital Europe LLP
Fraikin
IK Partners
Industry Capital Group (ICG)
ING Bank N.V., French Branch
J.P. Morgan
Juvisé Pharmaceuticals
Lagardère
Loxam
Marathon
Mediawan
Natixis
Odéalim
Partners Group
Pemberton
Prosol Group
SK Capital
Société Générale
TA Associates
Technology & Strategy
Tikehau
Vivalto Santé Group
Work highlights
- Advised the lenders in connection with the refinancing of the existing senior financial indebtedness of Spie SA and entering into a new sustainability-linked senior facilities agreement for an aggregate total amount of €1,200,000,000.
- Advised BNP Paribas in relation to an amend and extend process in relation to the term loan and revolving credit facility of Albéa Group, a producer and provider of beauty and personal care packaging solutions.
- Advised TA Associates in connection with the financing of the acquisition of Groupe Odéalim by an investment vehicle co-controlled by TA Associates and Ardian and the refinancing of the existing senior indebtedness of Groupe Odéalim.
France > EU, competition and distribution Tier 1
Latham & Watkins houses a comprehensive EU and competition law practice, with a particularly strong offering in the field of merger control, where the team has extensive experience in EU phase II clearances; its impressive recent caseload includes working alongside the Brussels office to advise Orange on a pending phase II merger review. The team’s expertise also extends to high-profile abuse of dominance and cartel investigations and related litigation, frequently representing clients in cases at the national and European levels. Jacques-Philippe Gunther, the vice-chair of the global antitrust and competition practice, is widely regarded as a market leader in merger control and contentious antitrust matters. Adrien Giraud, who divides his time between Paris and Brussels, and Mathilde Saltiel are also standout names in the team.Practice head(s):
Jacques-Philippe Gunther
Other key lawyers:
Adrien Giraud; Mathilde Saltiel; Mathilde Ayel
Testimonials
‘The Latham & Watkins team delivers remarkable work: in-depth knowledge of the sector and its challenges, very good strategic sense and solid legal knowledge. The team is also very pleasant, which greatly facilitates interactions.’
‘Jacques-Philippe Gunther is a daring lawyer, a fine strategist who seeks (and finds!) the idea that no one had thought of.’
‘Mathilde Saltiel is very good technically and knows her files perfectly. Her interpersonal skills are also exceptional and she manages to communicate well with our operational teams.’
‘Mathilde Saltiel stands out for her understanding of our group’s activities and her responsiveness.’
Key clients
Orange
GRAIL
EssilorLuxottica
Canal+
Worldline
PAI Partners
SAUR
TDF
Ingram Micro
L’Oréal
Refresco
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
CMA CGM
Michelin
Thales
Work highlights
- Advising Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. on its demerger with Renault and the setting up of a new collaboration scheme with Renault Group, as well as obtaining global merger control and FDI clearances in connection to its change of control within joint ventures with Renault Group.
- Obtained a fine reduction of more than €40 million for Ingram Micro in its appeal to the Paris Court of Appeal against the decision of the French Competition Authority to impose a fine on Apple and its wholesalers Ingram Micro and Tech Data for agreeing on the allocation of clients of the two wholesalers.
- Assisting Orange in the pending Phase II merger review in relation to the €18.6 billion JV with MásMóvil.
France > Insolvency Tier 1
Latham & Watkins’ restructuring team adeptly guides clients through a broad spectrum of scenarios, ranging from out-of-court pre-insolvency work-outs to intricate insolvency proceedings. In the vibrant French market, the team boasts a formidable reputation for its expertise of high-profile distressed LEO work-outs, debt-to-equity swaps, share deals, insolvency arrangements, and complex cross-border restructuring cases. At the helm is the seasoned Alexandra Bigot, who orchestrates the team’s efforts in harnessing the collective knowledge of the firm’s banking, private equity, capital market, employment, tax, and finance specialists. This depth of expertise, complemented by their industry sector insight, ensures the successful execution of restructuring endeavours. The team also includes key contacts, such as Hervé Diogo Amengual, with experience representing international clients in both transactional and litigation aspects of restructurings, alongside accomplished recently promoted partner Thomas Doyen.Practice head(s):
Alexandra Bigot
Other key lawyers:
Hervé Diogo Amengual; Thomas Doyen; Celia Jiquel
Testimonials
‘A very professional team which has grown and has great competence at all levels.’
‘Thomas Doyen and the team were available and able to establish dense documentation in a relatively short period of time. Latham & Watkins is at the high standard of the market.’
‘Our adviser, Thomas Doyen, was able to be persuasive to the opposing party to assert our point of view and also guide us on the strategy to adopt. He was an actor in the negotiation and played an active role.’
‘The team is very available; the exchanges are clear and useful.’
‘Outstanding responsiveness and solution-oriented attitude, even when dealing with the most difficult of situations. Worked extremely effectively and collaboratively as a team, both in terms of the core group based in France, and with regard to coordinating with their colleagues in other jurisdictions.’
‘Provided clarity and leadership in giving crystal clear guidance as to critical issues and needs of the specific process we have been involved in. An absolutely essential source of support.’
‘Thomas Doyen has an incredibly client centric approach: responsive, solution-oriented, and with the seniority and confidence to support in the exercise of pragmatic and commercial judgements in the most difficult of situations. Also evidenced his market knowledge and network on multiple occasions, facilitating access to other high-quality advisers in critical areas.’
‘Celia Jiquel is cool, calm, and collected. A great sense of poise and balance when providing her advice on tricky issues and delicate topics, as well as evidencing skill in bringing together various parties to get things done. Utterly committed to delivering a positive result for her client.’
Key clients
Ad Hoc Committee of Casino TLB Lenders
Briarwood Chase Management
Apollo Management Ltd
Pimkie
Fortress
Smyth’s Toys
HSBC
Natixis
Société Générale
BUT
Alcentra
Work highlights
- Advising the steering committee of EUR 1.4 billion Term Loan B lenders in the €>6 billion financial restructuring of the Casino group, a French leading food retailing group, with a turnover of more than €30 billion and more than 200,000 employees worldwide
- Advised Briarwood Chase Management as key shareholder and creditor in the context of the financial restructuring of Technicolor Creative Studios, a French group involved in visual effects, motion graphics and animation services for the entertainment, media and advertising industries, with a turnover of more than €780 million and more than 10,000 employees worldwide
- Advised the French banks in the context of the restructuring of the Damartex group, a French group operating as a European leader in the silver economy, with a turnover of more than €700 million and more than 3,300 employees
France > Private equity: LBO Tier 1
The group at Latham & Watkins regularly advises major private equity houses on high-profile, large-cap LBOs. The team works closely with the firm's leveraged finance team and is bolstered by its capabilities in the finance and capital markets spaces. Disposals, restructurings, joint ventures, and M&A are also core areas of expertise. The practice is co-directed by Thomas Forschbach, Olivier Du Mottay, Gaëtan Gianasso, Denis Criton, Alexander Benedetti, Alexander Crosthwaite, Simon Lange, and Charles-Antoine Guelluy.Practice head(s):
Thomas Forschbach; Olivier du Mottay; Gaëtan Gianasso; Denis Criton; Alexander Benedetti; Alexander Crosthwaite; Simon Lange; Charles-Antoine Guelluy
Key clients
Ardian
Astorg Partners
Bain Capital
BC Partners
PAI Partners
Advent International
Bridgepoint
ICG
Apollo Global Management
KKR
Partners Group
Platinum Equity
PSP Investments
TA Associates
Permira
Sagard
Silverfleet
SK Capital
Ontario Teachers Pension Plan
Summit Partners
Silverfleet
Temasek
GTCR
One Rock Capital Partners
Ares Management
Arkea Capital
Cinven
Dentressangle
EMZ Partners
Equistone
IK Partners
L Catterton
Montefiore Investment
The Carlyle Group
Towerbrook
CDPQ
Work highlights
- Advised Webhelp on its combination with Concentrix, through the sale and contribution of 100% of the shares of Webhelp by GBL, the two founders (Olivier Duha and Frédéric Jousset) and the 700+ managers.
- Advised Astorg Partners on its acquisition of Corden Pharma, a Germany-based provider of specialised technologies for manufacturing of oral, sterile, and antibiotic pharmaceutical drug products and pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Advised PAI Partners on the acquisition of a majority participation in ECF Group, a business-to-business distributor of equipment and consumables for hospitality and care professionals.
France > Capital markets: debt capital markets Tier 2
Latham & Watkins stands out for its combined French-US capabilities. Thomas Margenet-Baudry and Roberto Reyes Gaskin are the key names in a team that has established itself as a reference in France for high-yield transactions, assisting issuers as well as financial advisers. It is also active advising on US private placement and also handles liability management, sustainable-linked and more standard bond issuance work. Counsel Michael Ettannani also provides support.Practice head(s):
Thomas Margenet-Baudry
Other key lawyers:
Roberto Reyes Gaskin; Michael Ettannani
Testimonials
‘Well knowledgeable partners with great experience on debt capital markets. ’
‘Roberto Reyes Gaskin is amazing, not only because of his impressive knowledge of the debt capital markets and products but also for his knowledge and interest in his clients’ business and industry sector. Complete and extremely reliable professional.’
Key clients
Loxam SAS
Société Générale
BNP Paribas
Alain Afflelou SA
Briarwood Chase Management LLC
Eutelsat
Burger King France
Kingspan Group PLC
Derichebourg
TechnipFMC
TotalEnergies SE
Lagardère SA
JP Morgan Chase
France > Capital markets: equity capital markets Tier 2
Latham & Watkins often assists private equity investors or their portfolio companies with ECM work, including share capital increase and convertibles work. The team regularly advises on Euronext Paris and Euronext Growth IPOs as well as on squeeze out deals. Practice head Thomas Margenet-Baudry and Roberto Reyes Gaskin, who are both French and US qualified, also regularly advise on US securities matters and on DCM transactions.Practice head(s):
Thomas Margenet-Baudry
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team provides an exceptional level of service. Highly recommended for their ability to flawlessly execute and for their pragmatic transaction management.’
‘Roberto Reyes Gaskin is an impressive lawyer with a great eye for detail and the ability to flawlessly execute.’
Key clients
Loxam SAS
Société Générale
BNP Paribas
Alain Afflelou SA
Briarwood Chase Management LLC
Eutelsat
Bertrand Corp. SAS
Natixis Financement Paris
Derichebourg
TechnipFMC plc
Faurecia
Farallon
Tencent
Elior Group
Work highlights
- Advised Tencent in connection with its subscription of €36 million of new shares issued by DON’T NOD, an independent French studio that creates, develops and publishes video games listed on Euronext Growth
- Advised Marcolin and its shareholders on the negotiation of a long-term license with The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) for TOM FORD eyewear.
- Advised Bertrand Invest in connection with the mandatory squeeze-out and tender offer initiated in respect of Groupe Flo.
France > Data privacy and data protection Tier 2
A strong focus on the TMT industry at Latham & Watkins has seen the firm well positioned to handle a range of transactional, contentious and regulatory matters for clients from the sector. GDPR compliance, personal data transfers and advice on the use of tracking technologies are all core proficiencies for a team that is praised for being ‘very familiar’ with the CNIL. Myria Saarinen leads the team and has longstanding experience in IT litigation and data privacy issues such as unlawful data processing.Practice head(s):
Myria Saarinen
Other key lawyers:
Floriane Cruchet; Charlotte Guérin
Testimonials
‘The team is very familiar with French practice, particularly the CNIL.’
‘An international team with great knowledge of the subject, an exceptional capacity to analyse doctrine and jurisprudence, and true legal intelligence.’
‘Myria Saarinen’s analysis is always relevant. Floriane Cruchet and Charlotte Guérin also stand out for their knowledge of the law and institutions.’
‘The team is underpinned by the following skills: professionalism, competence and efficiency, dynamism, adaptability, realism and pragmatism.’
Key clients
Blue Torch Capital
LVMH
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Microsoft
Orange S.A.
TotalEnergies SE
Webhelp
France > Derivatives and structured finance Tier 2
Latham & Watkins has extensive expertise advising asset managers, insurance companies and other financial institutions on complex structured finance and derivatives. The practice notably assists with complex regulatory challenges and transactions, including the purchase of non-performing loan portfolios from French banks, as well as French bank capital relief transactions alongside investor funds or insurers selling credit protection. Thomas Vogel and Suzana Sava-Montanari head the practice. They are supported by associate Jaime Hall.Practice head(s):
Thomas Vogel
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Natixis
BNP Paribas CIB
BofA Securities Europe SA
HSBC Plc
TotalEnergies SE
Lagardère SA
AXA SA
AXA Investment Managers
Club Méditerranée
SCOR
Schoeller Allibert Services B.V.
Dilmon LLC
Al Mirqab Holdings LLC
Emirates Telecom. Group Company (Etisalat Group) PJSC
The McCourt Company
Interactive Brokers Group
Newmarket Investment Holdings, LP
Christofferson Robb
Magnetar Capital
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.
Sculptor Capital Management
Canopius Managing Agents Limited
Polus Capital Ltd
MakerDAO
Schroders Capital
CPPIB
Work highlights
- Advised AXA SA in connection with a flagship repurchase of own shares in an amount of EUR 1bn to neutralise earnings dilution from disposals.
- Advised MakerDOA (the issuer of the DAI stablecoin) in connection with the documentation of a structured margin facility (under French law) over a covered bond issued by Société Générale in token format.
France > Mergers and acquisitions Tier 2
Latham & Watkins stands out for its ability to handle big-ticket global M&A transactions. The Paris-based team, which works in close collaboration with the firm’s US, Asian and European offices, assists CAC 40 companies, international corporations and investment funds. It recently advised on a deal in the automotive sector and assisted with acquisitions, sales and JV agreements pertaining to various industry sectors including retail, financial and consulting services, and technology. Practice head Pierre-Louis Cléro, Olivier du Mottay, Alexander Crosthwaite and Charles-Antoine Guelluy are the names to note.Practice head(s):
Pierre-Louis Cléro
Other key lawyers:
Olivier du Mottay; Alexander Crosthwaite; Charles-Antoine Guelluy
Testimonials
‘A team capable of dealing with high-stakes subjects, often within tight deadlines and always available.’
‘Pierre Louis Cléro has great expertise in his field, is always available for his clients; it is extremely reassuring to work alongside him.’
‘Well experienced and straight to the point.’
‘Has a great track record and is able to deal with tight timelines and unexpected developments.’
‘A world-class team particularly suited to complex large-cap transactions with an international dimension. The team is very integrated and relations with foreign offices on cross-border operations are excellent. The team is very customer-oriented, works efficiently and responsively and has the necessary resources to best serve its customers.’
‘Pierre-Louis Cléro has recognised experience in large-cap M&A and is accustomed to managing complex files involving several jurisdictions in an efficient and pragmatic manner. He is of course very attentive to his client.’
Key clients
Allegro Microsystems Inc
Airfrance KLM
AllianceBernstein
Blablacar
Bridgepoint
Burger King
Carrefour
Coatue Management
Comdata SpA
Datassential Holdings, LLC
Expedia Group
Galeries Lafayette
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Imerys
Karnov Group
Keolis
Kering
Lagardère
Lectra
L’Oréal
Match
Media Globe Network (Sawiris family)
Nissan
OpenWeb
Orange SA
Rémy Cointreau Libra (RCL)
SATS Ltd.
Saur
Siemens
Sowind Group
Technip FMC
Teleperformance
Tencent
TotalEnergies
Turo Inc.
Veracyte
Vinci
Vivaldi
Vivalto
William Demant
Worldline
Zeplug
Work highlights
- Advised L’Oréal on its agreement with Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura & Co to acquire Aēsop, the Australian luxury beauty brand at an enterprise value of US$2.525 billion.
- Advised Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. on the negotiation of a new framework agreement between Nissan and Renault Group.
- Advised Teleperformance on its €3 billion proposed acquisition of Luxembourg-based, Euronext-listed Majorel.
France > Tax Tier 2
The tax practice at Latham & Watkins handles a range of transactions for companies, financial institutions and investment funds and has in-depth expertise in the structuring and negotiation of M&A and private equity transactions. In addition, the team regularly handles matters related to the tax aspects of capital markets transactions, high-yield bond issuances and IPOs, as well as structured finance and finance transactions. Practice head Xavier Renard specialises in the tax aspects of M&A transactions, especially private equity transactions. Olivia Rauch-Ravise is also an active member of the team.Practice head(s):
Xavier Renard
Other key lawyers:
Olivia Rauch-Ravisé
Key clients
Abeille Vie
AccorInvest Group SA
Alain Afflelou SA
Ardian
Ares Management
Astorg Partners
Atos
Bain Capital
Bank of America
Barclays Bank Plc
BC Partners
Bertrand Corp SAS
BNP Paribas
Briarwood Chase Management LLC
Bridgepoint
Burger King
Carlyle France
Catterton Partners
Comdata SpA
Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Crédit Mutuel Arkea
Empruntis
Eurazeo
Fortress Investment Group
Groupe Carrefour
Groupe Kervita
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Imerys
IKKS Group S.A.S.
Intermediate Capital Group (ICG)
iQera
KKR Credit Advisors
L’Oréal
Mainstay Medical
Natixis
Pernod Ricard
Platinum Equity
PSP Investments
PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit
Sagard
SK Capital
TA Associates
TechnipFMC
Total
Unicredit
Vivalto Partners
Vivalto Santé Group
Webhelp
Worldline
Work highlights
- Advising L’Oréal on its acquisition from the Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura & Co of Aēsop for an enterprise value of US$2.525 billion.
- Advised TA Associates on the sale of the Vivacy Group to Bridgepoint and reinvestment in the acquisition structure designed by Bridgepoint.
- Advising Webhelp in respect of its combination with Concentrix Corp through the sale and contribution of 100% of the shares of Webhelp by GBL, the two founders and the 700+ managers.
France > Compliance Tier 3
Noted for its expertise across the healthcare, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, financial services and telecoms sectors, the multidisciplinary team at Latham & Watkins conducts internal investigations involving issues such as anti-corruption and anti-bribery, in addition to implementing compliance programmes. ‘An iron fist in a velvet glove’, Fabrice Fages leads the team and assists domestic and international companies in cross-border internal investigations, with the support of the ‘extremely professional, creative and rigorous’ Elise Auvray.Practice head(s):
Fabrice Fages
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team’s versatility, mastering compliance regulations, traditional litigation, data protection law and criminal defence, is its greatest asset for large-scale, international and highly technical investigations.’
‘Fabrice Fages is a great leader and can bring his team in to answer any question quicker than anyone.’
‘Elise Auvray is extremely professional, creative and rigorous.’
‘Fabrice Fages is very professional, honest and reliable.’
‘Excellent expertise, responsiveness and availability.’
‘Fabrice Fages is professional and attentive to expectations. An iron fist in a velvet glove.’
‘An excellent team – agile and available.’
‘Fabrice Fages is a mastermind.’
Key clients
Essilor International SAS
Essilor Luxottica
EssilorLuxottica SA
Ingram Micro
Nissan Motor
Orange SA
TDF
France > Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 3
Latham & Watkins handles a range of cases including complex commercial disputes and cross-border matters. The team is regularly retained by top investment funds to assist with heated shareholders’ conflicts, as well as acting for pharmaceutical companies in commercial and corporate disputes. The group, which also acts for a number of mutual insurance companies and various French and international corporations, also handles cases dealing with regulatory, IT and fraud issues. The practice is co-headed by Fabrice Fages and Myria Saarinen, with counsel Elise Auvray providing key support.Practice head(s):
Fabrice Fages; Myria Saarinen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The litigation team is quick on its feet. Fast and confident answers.’
Key clients
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Seqens Group/SK Capital
France > Dispute resolution: International arbitration Tier 3
Headed by Fernando Mantilla-Serran, Latham & Watkins‘ Paris-based arbitration practice houses a compact team which regularly acts in close collaboration with colleagues from the firm’s other international offices including London in representing companies and state entities. The caseload features prominent investment and commercial arbitration cases pertaining to Colombia, and notably relating to mining and environmental protection issues. Outside of its Latin America involvement, the team also regularly handles a broad range of commercial arbitration matters including those pertaining to M&A, joint venture and distribution issues. It won three victories in the course of 2023 and gained new commercial arbitration mandates relating to the pharmaceutical sector. Associates Esperanza Barrón-Baratech and Diego Romero provide additional support.Practice head(s):
Fernando Mantilla-Serrano
Other key lawyers:
Esperanza Barron Baratech; Diego Romero; Eugenie Caroit
Testimonials
‘Strong work ethic and knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector. They are extremely dedicated.’
Key clients
Cadena SER
Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Carvajal S.A.
Dominican Republic
Grupo PRISA
Live Nation Inc.
Novenergia II Energy & Environment, (SCA), SICAR
Republic of Colombia
Steward Health Care International
France > Employment Tier 3
Latham & Watkins' team has a broad international scope and is notable for its expertise in restructuring, social plans, collective negotiation, internal investigations and employment litigation. The firm is strengthened by the considerable expertise of cross-border specialist Matthias Rubner, who leads the practice.Practice head(s):
Matthias Rubner
Key clients
Demant A/S
SK Capital
Syneos
Work highlights
- Advised SK Capital on the acquisition of Saint-Gobain Cristaux et Detecteurs, Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Saint-Gobain India Private Ltd., Saint-Gobain (China) Investment Co. Ltd.
- Assisted Demant A/S with obtaining French antitrust clearance within the context of its acquisition of Audilab, a retailer of hearing products.
- Advised Syneos Health on its sale to a consortium of private investment firm affiliates composed of Elliott Investment Management, Patient Square Capital, and Veritas Capital.
France > Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences Tier 3
The team at Latham & Watkins, praised for its ‘in-depth’ sector knowledge, particularly in relation to innovative technology in the medtech and biotech sectors. Praised by clients for her ‘mastery’ of EU regulation, Eveline Van Keymeulen heads the practice. Having deep knowledge spanning CBD regulatory issues, Van Keymeulen is well-placed to advise clients on cross-border regulatory matters. Jeanne Fabre advises numerous global biotech, medical device, and pharma companies on an array of regulatory issues, including market access, post-market obligations, and clinical trials.Practice head(s):
Eveline Van Keymeulen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Dynamism, competence and customer focus.’
‘Eveline Van Keymeulen is excellent, both for her precise and relevant analyses of developments in the regulatory environment, and for listening and adapting to client needs.’
‘Highest level team in life sciences. Expert advice, experience and responsiveness.’
‘The team, led by Eveline Van Keymeulen and notably composed of Jeanne Fabre, stands out in particular for its understanding of customer issues, thanks to an analysis and mastery of legal issues without equivalent on the market.’
‘The team stands out for its multidisciplinary expertise covering regulatory matters, clinical trials, marketing and compliance. Their advice is always based on in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device sectors, which allows them to provide comprehensive and practical solutions. I see them as leaders in the field thanks to their ability to navigate complex situations on a European scale.’
‘Eveline Van Keymeulen particularly stands out for her mastery of EU regulatory law. Her ability to solve complex problems in the life sciences is unrivaled. It is also very proactive, allowing companies to anticipate regulatory challenges.’
‘Jeanne Fabre demonstrated excellent business acumen and technical competence. Her knowledge of the dynamics of the healthcare sector, particularly in the regulatory area, makes her a valuable advocate for any company operating in Europe.’
‘These lawyers stand out from their peers with their client-centric approach, in-depth industry knowledge and ability to provide practical, actionable advice.’
Key clients
Abbott
AbbVie
Air Liquide Santé France
Anne’s Daye (DAYE)
Argenx
bioMérieux
Direct Relief Foundation
EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations)
Eleusis
Eli Lilly
Euronext
European Sperm Bank
GlaxoSmithKline
Inari Medical
Ipsen
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals
Les Laboratoires Servier
Marinus Pharmaceuticals
MeiraGTX
Oncohost
ProPharma Group
Resilience Care
ReCor Medical
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB
Tempus Labs, Inc.
Veracyte
Zoī
Work highlights
- Assisting the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) in its efforts to collaborate on the revision of the EU pharmaceutical framework, in the context of the European Commission’s Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe.
- Assisted Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc. with obtaining a marketing authorization from the European Commission for Ztalmy®, its innovative medicinal product intended as an adjunctive treatment of epileptic seizures in pediatric patients suffering from a rare disease.
- Advising BC Partners, an international investment firm, on the acquisition of a majority stake in Havea, the French leader in natural healthcare serving the European market
France > Industry focus: IT and internet Tier 3
With particular industry expertise in the TMT sector, Latham & Watkins is well placed to advise clients on complex transactions, regulatory matters, and data protection issues. The team is led by Jean-Luc Juhan, who is well regarded for his knowledge and expertise of transactional and commercial issues in the tech sphere.Practice head(s):
Jean-Luc Juhan
Key clients
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Amazon
Johnson & Johnson
L’Oréal
Cognizant Technology Solutions
Microsoft Corporation
Lagardère Media News
Worldline
ZEPLUG
Tencent
Unagi
Orange
Atos
Ingram Micro
Work highlights
- Advised Worldline on the sale of its TSS business line to Apollo Global Management.
- Advised Lagardère Media News on the issuance of NFTs based on exclusive photographs taken by Jean-Claude Deutsch between the 60s and early 90s.
- Advising Meta on various regulatory and product launch issues in France.
France > Media and entertainment: Sports Tier 3
Latham & Watkins demonstrates tenacity in commercial sports matters, such as strategic financing, sponsorship deals, digital and IT agreements. Its impressive client roster includes Vivendi Sports and the International Olympic Committee. The highly experienced Jean-Luc Juhan leads the group.Practice head(s):
Jean-Luc Juhan
Key clients
GOAT
Fortress Investment Group
Vivendi Sports
Authentic Brands Group
International Olympic Committee
Olympic de Marseille
Mc Court Group
LVMH
Oaktree
Six Streets
AS Monaco
Meta
Mubadala
Unagi
Lagardère
Work highlights
- Advised Fortress Investment Group in connection with the restructuring of the Club’s indebtedness that consequently enabled it to move back up to Ligue 2.
- Assisted GOAT on its major multiyear global partnership with French football team Paris Saint-Germain.
- Advised Authentic Brands Group on its acquisition of Boardriders, a global action sports and lifestyle company, from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Latin America: International firms > International arbitration Tier 2
Latham & Watkins LLP continues to impress the market with its notable experience in representing both Latin American states and private parties in investment treaty arbitrations; this includes a series of cases for the Republic of Colombia involving ICSID arbitrations brought by claimants relating to legislative, administrative and judicial measures introduced by the government – particularly as regards environmental and community matters. The firm is also noted for commercial arbitrations and enforcement proceedings with Paris-based global co-chair of the international arbitration practice, Fernando Mantilla-Serrano, who ‘stands out for his quick grasp of the essence of the matters’ and has long been a senior name in the region, leading on the vast majority of the firm’s Latin America cases. The hire of John V H Pierce as global co-head of the arbitration practice -from WilmerHale– in mid-2022, gives the practice considerable additional heft; and while not solely focused on the region, he does handle Latin America-related mandates. Pierce is based in New York, as is dual qualified (Colombia/New York) counsel Santiago Bejarano (‘always up-to-speed on the advice and willing to answer questions’) who is a key team member on many of the practice’s Latin America arbitration engagements; as is London-based Samuel Pape, who was elected to the partnership in January 2023. Paris associates Esperanza Barrón-Baratech (a Spanish national), Hugo Varenne and Diego Romero (who is qualified in Colombia, New York and Paris) are also key members of the team. Eugenie Caroit moved to Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper as Of Counsel in mid-2023.Practice head(s):
Fernando Mantilla-Serrano
Testimonials
‘The Latham & Watkins arbitration group is characterised by its thoroughness and organisation. In-house counsel should know that this is a highly compliant task force that normally gives task teams reasonable time to make reviews. These qualities have been consistently manifested in over five arbitrations in which we have had the opportunity to work with LW.’
‘They have a large and exceptionally committed work team. The wealth of human and logistical resources available to the firm, favours excellence in the production of results.’
‘The experience of the partner who leads, is very important for the company as well as his knowledge of the sector and the market (knowledge of the sector in several Latin American countries was required).’
‘Fernando Mantilla-Serrano’s experience is exceptional and the knowledge of the precedents that are related to the case study. The service is very good and fast, they meet the established times and are always available to the client. The relationship with Santiago Bejarano was very close, always up-to-speed on the advice and willing to answer questions.’
‘Excellent team where also young people get a good chance to gain experience and are involved (for example at hearings) at an early stage.’
‘Fernando Mantilla-Serrano stands out for his quick grasp of the essence of the matters, and his attention to detail.’
‘L&W has a very competent arbitration team. They are very good lawyers with a lot of attention to detail.’
Key clients
Republic of Colombia
Norman Sorensen, Matthew Turner and Joseph Zappala (Independent Board Members of CODERE)
Dominican Republic
Novenergia II Energy & Environment, (SCA), SICAR
Grupo PRISA; Cadena SER
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
WWM Logistics
The GICOM Consortium formed by GE; Andritz, Voith, Siemens
Live Nation
Work highlights
- Represented the Republic of Colombia in ICSID arbitration brought by Eco Oro Minerals relating to certain legislative, administrative and judicial measures introduced by Colombia to protect environmentally sensitive páramo ecosystems.
- Represented the Republic of Colombia in ICSID arbitration brought by Aris Mining Corp, relating to Colombia’s alleged failure to evict members of the local communities engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining activities from certain gold mining titles.
- Representing the Dominican Republic in ICSID Additional Facility Rules arbitration relating to alleged violations of an investment agreement entered into by parties for the reprocessing of the gold and silver refractory tailings dam of the Puerto Viejo (open-pit) mine.
Latham & Watkins > Firm Profile
The firm: Latham & Watkins is a leading international law firm serving multinational companies, start-ups, investment banks, private equity funds, venture capital firms, sovereign wealth funds, governments and other organisations. The firm’s global platform spans Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US, and consists of internationally recognised practices across a wide spectrum of transactional, litigation, corporate and regulatory areas. Latham’s lawyers offer unrivalled legal resources and strategic commercial thinking to provide clients with innovative solutions to complex business and legal matters.
The Paris office boasts more than 90 lawyers and regularly handles a wide range of transactions, disputes and regulatory matters on behalf of French, European and international companies, private equity firms and financial institutions. The lawyers’ depth of knowledge in these sectors – achieved through their experience and close ties with the world’s financial institutions and industrial centres – means their clients can expect the highest quality legal services in all aspects of the representation.
Latham & Watkins’ Paris-based lawyers are dedicated to providing consistent quality, creativity and innovative solutions to the most complex legal and business matters. The lawyers work collaboratively across legal disciplines and geographic boundaries to achieve the best results for clients.
With lawyers qualified to practise under French, English, European and US law, the office is constantly recognised as a leader in the French market.
Areas of practice: Very few law firms operating in the French market can match the depth of Latham’s practice as well as the breadth of its geographic platform and the robust technology that underpins its performance. Latham’s lawyers in Paris maintain in-depth knowledge of a wide range of industries, including a robust understanding of the economic and regulatory environments in which they operate. The firm’s clients are leading market participants in the banking, energy, hospitality and leisure, insurance, life sciences, luxury, services and telecommunications sectors and Latham’s lawyers routinely advise both listed and emerging private companies.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Banking and finance | |||
Capital markets | |||
Competition/European law | |||
Data privacy | |||
Dispute resolution | |||
Employment | |||
Energy | |||
Intellectual property | |||
International arbitration | |||
M&A | |||
Private equity | |||
Real estate | |||
Regulatory | |||
Restructuring | |||
Structured finance | |||
Tax | |||
Technologies |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Elise Auvray | Elise Auvray is a counsel in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Esperanza Barrón Baratech | Esperanza Barrón Baratech is an associate in the Paris office of Latham… | View Profile | |
Alexander Benedetti | Alexander Benedetti is a partner in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Pierre-Louis Clero | Pierre-Louis Cléro is Regional Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department in… | View Profile | |
Denis Criton | Denis Criton is a partner in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Alexander Crosthwaite | Alexander Crosthwaite is a partner in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Lionel Dechmann | Lionel Dechmann is a partner in the Finance Department in the Paris… | View Profile | |
Hervé Diogo Amengual | Hervé Diogo Amengual represents international clients in transactional and litigation aspects of… | View Profile | |
Thomas Doyen | Thomas Doyen is a counsel in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Michael Ettannani | Michael M. Ettannani is counsel in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Fabrice Fages | Fabrice Fages advises French and international clients and their US subsidiaries on… | View Profile | |
Xavier Farde | Xavier Farde is a partner in the Finance Department and is Office… | View Profile | |
Thomas Forschbach | Thomas Forschbach is a partner in Latham & Watkins’ London and Paris… | View Profile | |
Etienne Gentil | Etienne Gentil is of counsel in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Gaëtan Gianasso | Gaëtan Gianasso is a partner in the London and Paris offices of… | View Profile | |
Adrien Giraud | Adrien Giraud is a partner in Latham & Watkins’ Paris and Brussels… | View Profile | |
Charles-Antoine Guelluy | Charles-Antoine Guelluy is a partner in Latham & Watkins’ Paris office. He… | View Profile | |
Jacques-Philippe Gunther | View Profile | ||
Jaime Hall | Jaime Hall is an associate in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Michel Houdayer | Michel Houdayer is a partner in the Finance Department in the Paris… | View Profile | |
Carla-Sophie Imperadeiro | Carla-Sophie Imperadeiro is a partner in Latham & Watkins’ Finance Department. She… | View Profile | |
Jean-Luc Juhan | Jean-Luc Juhan is a partner in the Corporate Department of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Simon Lange | Simon Lange advises private equity firms and companies in private corporate transactions,… | View Profile | |
Benedicte Large Bremond | Bénédicte Large Bremond is counsel in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Fernando Mantilla-Serrano | Fernando Mantilla-Serrano, Global Co-Chair of the International Arbitration Practice, brings deep knowledge… | View Profile | |
Thomas Margenet-Baudry | Thomas Margenet-Baudry is a partner in the firm’s Corporate Department and the… | View Profile | |
Olivia Rauch-Ravise | Olivia Rauch-Ravisé is a partner in the firm’s Tax Department and the… | View Profile | |
Xavier Renard | Xavier Renard is a partner in the Tax Department in the Paris… | View Profile | |
Roberto Reyes Gaskin | Roberto L. Reyes Gaskin advises issuers and underwriters in a range of… | View Profile | |
Diego Romero | Diego Romero is an associate in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Matthias Rubner | Matthias Rubner is a partner in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Myria Saarinen | Myria Saarinen, former Global Co-Chair of the Technology Industry Group, represents domestic… | View Profile | |
Mathilde Saltiel | Mathilde Saltiel advises clients on all aspects of EU and French competition… | View Profile | |
Suzana Sava-Montanari | Suzana Sava-Montanari is a partner in the Paris and London offices of… | View Profile | |
Eveline Van Keymeulen | Eveline Van Keymeulen is a partner in Latham & Watkins’ Brussels and… | View Profile | |
Hugo Varenne | Hugo Varenne is an associate in the Paris office of Latham &… | View Profile | |
Thomas Vogel | Thomas Vogel is a partner in the Paris and Frankfurt offices of… | View Profile | |
Olivier du Mottay | Olivier du Mottay is a corporate partner in Latham & Watkins’ Paris… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 2,200+ at this office : 90+Languages
English French German Italian Mandarin SpanishOther
Contact : Xavier Farde (managing partner) Other offices : Barcelona Other offices : Beijing Other offices : Boston Other offices : Brussels Other offices : Century City Other offices : Chicago Other offices : Dubai Other offices : Düsseldorf Other offices : Frankfurt Other offices : Hamburg Other offices : Hong Kong Other offices : Houston Other offices : London Other offices : Los Angeles Other offices : Madrid Other offices : Milan Other offices : Moscow Other offices : Munich Other offices : New Jersey Other offices : New York Other offices : Orange County Other offices : Riyadh Other offices : Rome Other offices : San Diego Other offices : San Francisco Other offices : Seoul Other offices : Shanghai Other offices : Silicon Valley Other offices : Singapore Other offices : Tokyo Other offices : Washington DCLegal Briefings
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Transacting with troubled companies: navigating stressed, distressed, and insolvent acquisitions
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about significant challenges for many businesses, and a heightened risk of financial difficulty and insolvency. While the number of formal insolvencies has been relatively low thus far, troubled businesses may be forced to pursue accelerated asset disposals, or may themselves present an attractive investment opportunity for new equity stakeholders capable …
Comparative Guides
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United States: Acquisition Finance
Published: January 2024
Authors: Brandon AndersonPaul BonewitzDaniel SealeAlfred Xue
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Acquisition Finance laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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United States: Lending & Secured Finance
Published: March 2024
Authors: Lisa Collier Nicole FanjulDaniel SealeAlfred XuePreeta Paragash
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Lending & Secured Finance laws and regulations applicable in United States.
- Banking and finance: transactional work
- EU, competition and distribution
- Insolvency
- Private equity: LBO
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Capital markets: debt capital markets
- Capital markets: equity capital markets
- Data privacy and data protection
- Derivatives and structured finance
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Tax