Mr Geoffroy Berthon > Orrick > Paris, France > Lawyer Profile

Described as a team that ‘always delivers’, Orrick‘s expertise in areas such as project financing, concession agreements and power plant management is brought to bear in an array of major domestic and international mandates. Christophe Lefort, who joined in July 2023 from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, spearheads the firm’s offering. Contractors and financial institutions frequently turn to him for assistance with the construction and financing of energy projects. Public law specialist Geoffroy Berthon, PPP expert Yves Lepage, Foucaud Jaulin, whose practice extends to privatisations in the energy sector, and public contracts authority Constance Boillot are further key contacts.

Orrick is equipped to handle real estate development and financing mandates, in addition to property acquisition and related disputes. Key department figures include Patrick Tardivy, Olivier Jouffroy, Jessie Gaston and Geoffroy Berthon. Paul Loisel, previously at White & Case LLP, joined the firm in June 2023 and adds expertise in the structuring and financing of energy and real estate projects. Ex-practice co-head Carine Mou Si Yan left the firm in December 2023.

Orrick‘s public law team is fully integrated into the firm’s project and infrastructure department and is strongly involved in the energy fields, where it is notably advising the French state on large offshore wind projects and companies on the negotiation of corporate PPA contracts. The team is also advising sponsors on large Parisian urban rail transport projects, and various sponsors bidding on the awarding of new motorways and large concessions across various other areas. It also provides regulatory support to the M&A team, handles sensitive regulatory and project-related litigation and works on projects in Africa. The team is headed by Geoffroy Berthon and includes senior counsel Noël Chahid-Nouraï and of counsel Constance Boillot.