CMS Francis Lefebvre > Paris, France > Firm Profile

CMS Francis Lefebvre > The Legal 500 Rankings

France > Derivatives and structured finance Tier 1

The Paris CMS Francis Lefebvre derivatives and structured finance group remains a force in the marketplace, bringing strength to advising major domestic and international financial institutions and private equity firms (Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, My Money Bank/Cerberus) and corporates in gases, retail and mining, on a comprehensive range of matters. The practice utilises two dedicated groups: securitisation and structured finance (led by Grégory Benteux, who brings extensive experience counselling clients on the arranger or originator’s side, and Alexandre Bordenave, a specialist in distressed financings and banking litigation) and derivatives (part of the capital markets team, led by Rosetta Ferrère, who handles share equity and equity-linked products, and capital markets head Marc-Etienne Sébire). Counsel Pauline Larroque brings expertise to ESG derivative instruments.

France > The regions Tier 1

Specialists in business, tax and public law with a practice spanning the Greater South East and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, the experienced team at CMS Francis Lefebvre in Lyon advises private individuals and small, medium and large-sized companies across such sectors as  food, waste management, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, real estate and life sciences. Key figures include François Coutard, Jean-Thomas Heintz, who handles M&A, the implementation of joint ventures and project operations, and Laurent Romano, who focuses on competition, health and distribution law. Guilaume Bossy has strength in employment litigation and social protection law.

France > Capital markets: debt capital markets Tier 2

The Paris debt and capital markets team at international law firm CMS Francis Lefebvre brings strength to high-value cross-border transactions involving major financial institutions, real estate investment trust companies, insurers, asset managers and corporates in such sectors as logistics and healthcare. Euro private placement market expert Marc-Etienne Sébire heads the practice, which assists with matters ranging from EMTN programmes and covered bonds to hybrid securities and liability management. Other key figures include Rosetta Ferrère, who has expertise in structured bond issues and debt restructuring, and senior associates Yaël Fitoussi and Myriam Issad.

France > Data privacy and data protection Tier 2

The Paris-based technologies, media and communications group at CMS Francis Lefebvre employs the experience of its team to assist financial institutions (Bank of China) and multinational corporates in mining (Newmont), aviation, tech, e-commerce, automobiles, engineering, construction and consumer products, on a diverse spectrum of data privacy and data protection matters. Headed by Anne-Laure Villedieu, who brings expertise to representing clients before the courts or the data protection authorities, the practice assists with auditing processing systems, data protection compliance, privacy impact assessments and personal data transfers. The team is supported by senior associate Maxime Hanriot, a specialist in cybersecurity.

France > Employment Tier 2

CMS Francis Lefebvre advises SMEs and leading French and international companies, specialising in a wide range of industries, from the food industry to the industrial manufacturing sector. The practice has a broad range of expertise and is regularly retained to assist with the negotiation of new collective agreements; recent highlights include working on new working time organisation issues, remote working matters and post-M&A mandates. The team also frequently advises clients during M&A transactions and post-restructuring projects, and handles litigation as well as collective redundancy work. Key names in the practice include Laurent Marquet de Vasselot, Alain Herrmann, Pierre Bonneau, Caroline Froger-Michon and Guillaume Bossy.

France > Industry focus: Energy Tier 2

Christophe Barthélemy is at the helm of CMS Francis Lefebvre‘s ‘competent and multidisciplinary’ team, alongside head of the firm’s environmental practice Céline Cloché-Dubois and head of the European law and state aid practice Claire Vannini. The practice has a well-established ability to advise its clients on high-value transactional matters, in particular. A standout focus of its workload has been advising major players in the renewables field, such as Océole, on the development, construction and operation of significant offshore wind projects in France. Additionally, it assists on the sale of such projects, an example being Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s sale of a 3.9GW portfolio of onshore wind projects worth €580m to SSE Renewables. Specialist counsel Thierry Postif joined the department in January 2022 from GRDF.

France > Industry focus: IT and internet  Tier 2

The team at CMS Francis Lefebvre is equipped to advise its significant and longstanding client base on complex regulatory matters, in particular. The group assists with the drafting and negotiation of IT contracts, advises on the day-to-day operations and launching of innovative services involving e-commerce, digital platform regulation and consumer law issues, and handles the negotiation of partnership agreements concerning high-profile projects. Practice head Anne-Laure Villedieu is a specialist in IT technology and data privacy.

France > Media and entertainment: Music Tier 2

Anne-Laure Villedieu heads the broader IP and media team at CMS Francis Lefebvre and counsel Florentin Sanson leads the music offering. The team has a niche focus on podcasts, advising renowned clients on domestic regulations in this area. Additionally, it is experienced in advising on the adaptation of musical content for various media forms, as well as on the impact of Covid-19 on live show productions. The team is also equipped to act on cross-border cases involving such matters as the alleged copyright infringement of lyrical works.

France > Tax Tier 2

CMS Francis Lefebvre has one of the market's largest workforces with more than 200 tax lawyers; the vast majority are based in Paris with a small team also located in the Lyon office. The firm’s range of expertise is extensive and it covers a whole range of issues, from mainstream tax to more complex and niche areas. Its international tax, transfer pricing and litigation capabilities are among the best on the market. The team regularly handles high-stakes disputes where high financial amounts are at stake, acting for leading companies and banks. The team assists a prominent client base, made up of leading French and international corporations. It also advises on complex tax reorganisation work and provides tax advice on M&A transactions, including recently advising on some significant deals in the energy sector. The firm’s tax real estate expertise is also to be noted. Key names include the highly regarded Stéphane Austry, who coordinates the firm’s tax litigation and controversy group, Bruno Gibert, who specialises in international taxation and transfer pricing, and Edouard Milhac, whose main focus in on transactional tax issues. Also noted are Anne-Sophie Rostaing, Frédéric Gerner, Jean-Charles Benois and Ludovic Duguet.

France > Administrative and public law Tier 3

CMS Francis Lefebvre is recommended for its strong expertise in the field of public procurement. The firm recently obtained a series of victories before courts in proceedings challenging the validity of several public procurement procedures. The practice also advises leading French companies on the awarding of large public infrastructure projects, notably in the public heating and healthcare areas. François Tenailleau takes a leading role on many of the firm's matters; he co-heads the practice alongside Claire Vannini, who is an expert in regulatory, public economic law and EU regulation issues, recently assisting clients with matters concerning rail and solar tariffs. Counsels Kawthar Ben Khelil  and Thomas Carenzi are other key team members.

France > Banking and finance: Bank regulatory Tier 3

CMS Francis Lefebvre' team advises bank and non-bank financial institutions, asset and fund management companies and insurers, on regulatory aspects of such matters as market entry, authorisation processes, internal organisation and governance, regulatory reporting requirements, Brexit impacts and relocations and AML/CFT policies and litigation before regulators. Jérôme Sutour heads the practice; he specialises in new regulations as they relate to the financial sector or blockchain.

France > Environment Tier 3

Led by Céline Cloché-Dubois, CMS Francis Lefebvre‘s environment team advises on matters ranging from waste management and pollution clean-up to the ecological transition. The team works with lawyers from departments including corporate, energy and project finance, and has experience in transactional due diligence in addition to regulation and litigation.

France > EU, competition and distribution Tier 3

A highlight of CMS Francis Lefebvre’s competition practice is its strength in distribution law, with distribution expert Nathalie Pétrignet recently handling litigation in this space and Denis Redon gaining FCA clearance for acquisitions of distribution companies. The team covers merger notifications before the French and other European authorities and represents clients in litigation, including acting for Paris Saint Germain in an appeal against a sanction and bringing a follow-on damages action after an FCA cartel fine. EU law specialist Claire Vannini handles state aid issues. Olivier Leroy assists with competition issues during commercial negotiations.

France > Intellectual property: Copyright Tier 3

CMS Francis Lefebvre is able to leverage its international presence to handle cross-border copyright matters, including collective copyright management in music, TV rights clearances, anti-piracy and pre-litigation infringement actions. Florentin Sanson‘s team assists clients from the film and TV, technology and music sectors, advising on copyright contracts and protections for firms and individuals, in addition to disputes and enforcement actions.

France > Intellectual property: Trade marks and designs Tier 3

The IP team at CMS Francis Lefebvre handles contentious trade mark work, ranging from infringement cases to cancellation, revocation and opposition actions, while also managing client’s IP portfolios and assisting with IP rights licenses and assignments. Companies from the cosmetics, automotive, pharmaceuticals, media and leisure industries rely on the firm for trade mark advice. Anne-Laure Villedieu and Jean-Baptiste Thiénot head up the firm’s IP team, with Sabine Rigaud leading the trade mark and designs sub-team.

France > Private equity: Fund formation Tier 3

The diverse team at CMS Francis Lefebvre draws on numerous areas of expertise to provide clients with a comprehensive fund formation service, advising investment funds, asset management companies, as well as institutional and family investors. Jérôme Sutour leads on matters concerning financial services and asset management, and regularly assists asset managers with the establishment and operation of alternative funds. Practice co-head Thomas Hains works with clients across the hospitality, real estate, leisure, and retail sectors.

France > Banking and finance: transactional work Tier 4

France > Insolvency Tier 4

CMS Francis Lefebvre is retained to handle a range of restructuring and insolvency cases, acting for a diversity of stakeholders including shareholders, banks, debtors, commercial partners and investors. The practice manages small to mid-size cases, but also regularly earns mandates on larger matters. It is notably acting in major cases in the aviation, retail and industrial manufacturing fields. Alexandre Bastos heads the practice, which also includes counsel Guillaume Bouté.

France > Intellectual property: Patents Tier 4

With a particular focus on the life sciences, electronics and mechanics sectors, CMS Francis Lefebvre frequently handles patent infringement litigation and associated claims for damages, as well as assisting in disputes between employers and employees in relation to the ownership of patents. The team around practice head Jean-Baptiste Thiénot also handles research and development contracts, assignment and licence agreements and portfolio audits. Anne-Laure Villedieu, who focuses on data privacy matters, heads the firm’s IP department.

France > Mergers and acquisitions Tier 4

France > Real estate Tier 4

CMS Francis Lefebvre‘ real estate team, noted for its ‘beyond superb subject matter expertise’ is co-led by Benjamin Bill, Florence Chérel and Aline Divo. Across the team, there is an evident and impressive specialism in acquisition and disposal work, as well as lease and sale negotiation. Additionally, it has a strong ability to advise on construction and development work, on which it assists both investors and developers, and joint venture projects. Former team co-lead Philippe Riglet and Géraldine Machinet both departed to Franklin in November 2022.