Dentons > Paris, France > Firm Profile

Dentons > Firm Profile

The firm: With 120+ lawyers, including 36 partners, Dentons’ Paris office is among the leading law firms in France. We support clients across a wide range of fields, both locally and internationally, providing a truly personal working relationship. Dentons’ lawyers, considered among the leading specialists in their respective fields, have a broad range of experience under French law, covering all of the major areas of business and finance law. They work closely with the Firm’s other offices in order to deliver first rate, effective advice to clients, and offer pragmatic answers, notably in cross-border transactions.

The capabilities are reinforced by the multicultural dimension of Dentons’ Paris office which brings together lawyers admitted to the Paris Bar as well as foreign Bars, including Argentina, Australia, England & Wales, Germany, Poland, Spain, the US and Venezuela. The lawyers all speak French and English fluently. Additional working languages in the office include Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Spanish and Turkish.

Dentons is designed to be different. As the world’s largest law firm with 20,000 professionals in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries, we can help you grow, protect, operate and finance your business. Our polycentric and purpose-driven approach, together with our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and ESG, ensures we challenge the status quo to stay focused on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com

Areas of practice: Dentons’ Paris office is organized alongside practice or industrial sector groups, each corresponding to a specific area of business law. The synergy between the various practice groups enables the lawyers to offer tailored services to the clients across all the practices and industry sectors where they advise:

Banking and finance: Dentons is known for the complexity and variety of matters it works on, including several high-end mandates. Our team has experience in all areas of banking and finance law, and in particular corporate and acquisition finance, funds financing work on high-end deals advising both lenders and borrowers, commodities and renewable energy finance, project, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and infrastructure finance, real estate finance, structured finance, debt restructuring, banking and finance regulation and litigation. We advise banking and financial institutions, investment funds, sponsors, and more generally, industrial and commercial groups.

Capital markets: Dentons advises arrangers, originators, FCT (mutual debt funds knows as “Fonds Commun de Titrisation”) management companies, FCT Custodians and rating agencies on securitization transactions involving a wide variety of asset classes (trade receivables, Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS), Commercial Mortgage-Backed Security (CMBS), auto loans/leases and dealers floor plans). We also advise factoring companies regarding large cross-border off-balance sheet factoring transactions.

Competition, antitrust and distribution: Dentons provides support on competition law and offers our clients close liaison with the EU institutions and services under national competition laws. We advise on all areas of French and European competition law, including merger controls, complex cartel investigations, abuse of dominance investigations, state aid, public procurement, counseling and related litigation. We also help understand the complex regulations surrounding distribution of goods and services in Europe.

Corporate and M&A: Dentons covers a full range of domestic and international business transactions in the private and public markets, including related corporate restructurings and financing and also advises on general corporate and commercial law issues. We have particular experience in organizing and coordinating substantial, multi-jurisdictional transactions, including large-scale due diligence investigations, from the United State to Europe, throughout Asia Pacific, Canada to Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

Employment: Dentons advises both domestic and international clients from a wide range of sectors on employment law and social protection. We bring a transversal expertise in contractual/commercial law, with a complete service regarding issues combining both aspects. In addition, we handle individual and collective disputes before any type of jurisdiction for classical labour issues but also sensitive cases of harassment, discrimination, or social security issues as occupational diseases, accidents at work, URSSAF inspections, or contractual/commercial disputes including sudden termination of commercial contracts, contractual liabilities, unfair competition, etc.

Insurance: Dentons specializes in all areas of insurance and reinsurance law, including claim management, conditions for the practice for insurance in France and abroad, coverage analysis, distribution of insurance products, D&Os, industrial risks, licensing and portfolio transfer, negotiation and drafting of partnership agreements, regulatory, review and drafting of insurance policies, review of insurance products and distribution schemes, transactional insurance. We also assist our clients in pre-contentious or contentious issues before judicial, commercial or administrative courts, institutional or ad hoc arbitral tribunals in the context of major claims in France or abroad.

International arbitration: Dentons handles major matters throughout the world, particularly in Russia, the CEE region, Africa, Asia and Oceania (including for the Chinese and Australian governments in particular). It is known for arbitrating with States (for or against States) before the most important international arbitration institutions and for many “firsts”. We have a long and proven track record of winning substantial awards for our clients, including some of the largest awards ever made, and achieving similar defence wins and beneficial settlements.

Intellectual property and technologies: Dentons manages all IP matters in a wide array of sectors, including life sciences, luxury, telecommunications, food and beverage, transportation, internet and technology. We are able to address complex legal questions tailored to clients’ business needs – from protecting IP rights to advising on data security issues, technology licensing and sourcing strategies. Our lawyers specialize in both IP litigation and advisory, including trademarks, copyright, patents, designs, SPCs, FRAND license disputes, trade secrets, etc. They offer both French and EU capabilities.

Life sciences: Dentons assists clients in resolving global, local and industry-specific life sciences and healthcare related issues. We represent a wide range of companies, including pharmaceutical and biotech companies, players in the medical devices, food ingredients, biocides and cosmetic industries, healthcare groups, service providers, biology labs, medical research institutes and foundations, academic research centers, etc. We take a multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional approach providing our clients a “one-stop, full-service” capability.

Litigation and dispute resolution: Dentons handles cases with a multi-disciplinary and cross-practice group of litigators focused on distribution, banking, corporate, contract and tort litigation/product liability, criminal law and white-collar crime, life sciences, general commercial, insolvency and restructuring, insurance, IP, employment, real estate, etc. We have a proven track record representing clients from a wide array of industries before the French courts. We also frequently act in complex disputes involving various jurisdictions and legal systems.

Private equity: Dentons has a strong track record in terms of equity bridge financing and LBO financing, which allows to provide a full package including tax structuring and financing. We also have strong venture technology capabilities as our lawyers provide sector-specific insights for biotech, Dotcoms, IT and FinTech clients. In addition, we have significant experience in the creation, financing and operation of funds, and we provide investment funds with ongoing corporate assistance for transactional, governance and regulatory issues.

Public law: Dentons assists public sector bodies as well as investors or lenders and is involved in all areas of public and regulatory law, both in advisory and litigation. We advise on complex contractual schemes: public private partnerships (PPP) and concessions covering a vast array of sectors; infrastructure and transportation sector; energy; and regulatory work.

Real estate: Dentons assists both private and public players in real estate investment transactions, lease negotiations, construction, development, planning, environmental law, real estate development projects (greenfield and brownfield), real estate finance, asset and property management, litigation, tax, fund structuring, hospitality and leisure. We are regularly called upon both by private and public players (large user companies, investment funds, public, administrative or industrial and commercial establishments, public companies, etc.) in the most complex real estate transactions.

Restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy: Dentons assists in contentious and non-contentious matters related to the economic recession and to difficulties faced at the French and international level within and beyond insolvency procedures. Our areas of expertise include restructuring of companies, groups or investment funds, management of under-performing shareholders or LBOs, debt restructuring, setting up and implementation of securities and guarantees, acquisition or disposal of assets, companies and/or receivables, back-up or recovery plans, amicable or judicial liquidation of companies, assistance in prevention (ad hoc mandate, conciliation, CIRI).

Tax: Dentons covers the full spectrum of areas of expertise by handling matters in association with banks, consulting companies, statutory auditors, insurance and welfare companies, and finance, investment companies. We advise on LBOs, MBOs and transaction tax, real estate taxation, transfer pricing documentation and controversy, banking and finance taxation, employee benefits and pension funds, trust and estate planning, individual taxation, charities and non-profit taxation, and W&I insurance and contingent tax insurance policies. In addition, we have developed a strong track record in tax disputes, with major successes before the French jurisdictions and the European Court of Justice.

TMT: Dentons advises on complex national and international issues relating to electronic communications networks and infrastructures (active/passive), IT and information systems, technology, satellite and space, data, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, blockchain and all compliance issues linked to their activities, including anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and terrorism financing policies. We advise governments, regulation authorities as well as major clients in a wide array of industries, in particular telecommunications, banking, finance, investment funds, health and life sciences, distribution, automotive and transportation.

Lawyer Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Jean-Marc Allix	Jean-Marc Allix, partner in Dentons’ Paris office, is primarily active in project…	View Profile
	Julien Bacus	Julien Bacus is a partner in the Capital Markets practice group of…	View Profile
	Gianluca Calisti	Gianluca Calisti is partner in Dentons’ Paris Tax group. He focuses his…	View Profile
	Julie Caussade	Julie Caussade is a partner in Dentons’ Paris office and Co-Chair of…	View Profile
	Pascal Chadenet	Pascal Chadenet is a Partner in the Corporate M&A Group of Dentons’…	View Profile
	Aurélien Chardeau	Aurélien Chardeau is a Partner in Dentons’ Paris office. He focuses on…	View Profile
	Anna Crevon-Tarassova	Anna Crevon is a Partner in Dentons’ Paris office and Global Co-Head…	View Profile
	Katell Déniel-Allioux	Katell Déniel-Allioux is a partner in the Paris office. She serves as…	View Profile
	Christophe Fichet	Christophe Fichet is partner of the TMT practice in the Paris office.…	View Profile
	John Flanigan	John Flanigan is a partner in Dentons’ Paris office and Co-Chair of…	View Profile
	Marc Fornacciari	Marc Fornacciari is a Partner in the Dentons’ Paris office. He specializes…	View Profile
	Jessie Gaston	Jessie Gaston has extensive expertise in corporate tax matters, transactional tax and…	View Profile
	Olivier Genevois	Olivier Genevois, a Partner in the Dentons’ Paris office, specializes in Private…	View Profile
	Nicholas George	Nicholas George is a partner in Dentons’ Paris office. He acts principally…	View Profile
	Dorothée Griveaux	Dorothée Griveaux, Partner in the Dentons’ Paris office, specializes in public law…	View Profile
	Jean-Marc Grosperrin		View Profile
	Olivia Guéguen	Olivia Guéguen, a partner in Dentons’ Paris office, is involved in mergers…	View Profile
	Sandra Hazan	Sandra is Co-Head of Dentons’ Global and Europe Tax Group. Sandra is…	View Profile
	Jean-Christophe Honlet	Jean-Christophe Honlet is a partner in Dentons’ Paris office and Global Head…	View Profile
	Séverine Hotellier	Séverine Hotellier is the Managing Partner of Dentons’ Paris office where she…	View Profile
	Catherine Joffroy	Catherine Joffroy is a partner in Dentons Paris and Moscow offices, bilingual…	View Profile
	Pascal Jouannic	Pascal Jouannic is a partner in Dentons’ Paris Capital Markets department. Pascal…	View Profile
	Guillaume Kessler	Guillaume Kessler, Partner in the Dentons’ Paris office, is specialized in public…	View Profile
	Véronique Lagarde	Véronique Lagarde is a Partner in Dentons’ Paris Real Estate group. She…	View Profile
	Jérôme Le Berre	Jérôme Le Berre is a Partner in Dentons Paris Tax group. His…	View Profile
	Julien Le Guyader	Julien Le Guyader, Partner in Dentons’ Paris office, concentrates on French and International…	View Profile
	Barton Legum	Bart Legum is a partner in Dentons’ Paris office, Global Co-Chair of…	View Profile
	Loïc Lemercier	Loïc Lemercier, Partner, heads the Intellectual Property and Technologies (IP&T) group of…	View Profile
	Ms Isabelle Leroux	Isabelle Leroux now is a Senior Counsel in Dentons Paris office. She…	View Profile
	Yun Ma	Yun Ma is a partner within the Sovereign Advisory practice group and specializes…	View Profile
	Anne-Laure Marcerou	Anne-Laure Marcerou focuses on mergers and acquisitions and assists her clients in…	View Profile
	Philippe Max	Philippe Max, a partner in Dentons’ Paris office, works on domestic and…	View Profile
	Frédérique Meslay Caloni	Frédérique, Partner and Co-Head of Dentons Paris Employment Group, is a litigation…	View Profile
	Audrey Molina	Audrey Molina is a Partner in the Dentons Paris office. Audrey focuses…	View Profile
	Ralf Nitschke	Ralf M. Nitschke, a partner based in Dentons’ Paris office, concentrates on…	View Profile
	Guillaume Panuel	Guillaume Panuel, Partner in the firm’s Paris office, concentrates on the structuring…	View Profile
	Pirouzan Parvine	Pirouzan Parvine is a partner in the Corporate and M&A practice. Based…	View Profile
	Pascale Poupelin	Pascale Poupelin is a Senior Counsel in the Life Sciences/Healthcare Group in…	View Profile
	Pascal Schmitz	Pascal Schmitz, a partner in Dentons Paris office, heads both Europe and…	View Profile
	Christine Sévère	Christine Sévère, partner in Dentons’ Paris office, specializes in litigation and leads…	View Profile
	Maxime Simonnet	Maxime Simonnet is a Real Estate partner in the Dentons’ Paris office…	View Profile
	Charles Tissier	Charles Tissier is a recognized Of Counsel in Dentons’ Paris office, focusing…	View Profile
	Frédérique de La Chapelle	Frédérique de La Chapelle is a Partner in the Dentons Paris office…	View Profile
	Emmanuelle van den Broucke	Emmanuelle van den Broucke is a Partner in Competition Law and Distribution…	View Profile

Press Releases

Mr. Phuc Le rejoined Dentons LuatViet to strengthen its offshore legal services

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Dentons launches combination with LuatViet in Vietnam

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Dentons secures final victory for ICT on European patent infringement case against ESSITY

Global law firm Dentons is pleased to announce that the Paris Court of Appeal, the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe and the Barcelona Provincial Court have all issued final decisions dismissing Essity’s claims of patent infringement in regards to Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti’s (ICT) three ply toilet paper. With Dentons’ counsel, ICT successfully demonstrated beyond a doubt that its branded and private label products are produced based on its own proprietary process, and patented under European patent 2 353 859. 

Dentons has been advising Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti S.p.A since 2016. Based in Lucca, ICT is a leader in the category of high quality tissue paper products for domestic use, and has subsidiaries in Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Poland.

The Paris decision, which is the most recent, ends a long-running patent infringement litigation with Essity and affirms ICT can continue to produce and distribute absorbent paper based on its own proprietary technology. The three courts in France, Germany, and Spain have confirmed ICT’s argument that it is using its own novel technology, also patented. Essity’s claims of infringement were based on a patent originally filed by Georgia Pacific, and subsequently becoming Essity’s.

Dentons partner David Masson served as lead partner and represented ICT in France. Dentons partner Dr. Constantin Rehaag represented ICT in Germany, and PwC partner Alejandra Matas Brancós represented the client in Spain, with the support of Dentons partner Juan Ignacio Alonso.

David Masson, lead lawyer on the case, commented: “It has been very interesting to understand ICT’s own technology and work closely with different teams, including ICT’s R&D department, which has been part of all strategic and technical decisions throughout the case”.

Constantin Rehaag, who represented the client in the German court hearings and coordinated the work with the client’s patent attorneys, said: “This is an outstanding success of a great team formed by the client, who provided us with invaluable technological insight, the team of patent attorneys and, finally, by the Dentons teams in France, Spain and Germany.”

The patent litigation began in 2016 when Essity sued ICT in France, Germany and Spain for the alleged infringement of its patent related to the technical solution for the bonding of three layers of tissue for paper products such as high quality, soft and bulky, toilet paper.

In France, Essity claimed that ICT had breached the French part of its European patent 1 081 284 and that the toilet paper marketed as Foxy Soie Plus, and also certain other private labels produced by ICT France, had infringed on their patent. Essity demanded that all production operations be halted. The rolls of toilet paper were carefully analyzed and there were no findings of infringement. The two French courts - in first instance and appeal - rejected the claims and ordered Essity to pay compensation for the legal fees to ICT Italy and ICT France.

In Germany, the case was first taken to the Mannheim District Court, which is well reputed in patent matters. The lawsuit mainly focused on the complex questions regarding the construing of the claims of Essity’s patent. The court ruled in favour of ICT, and Essity filed an appeal. In August 2019, the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe also ruled that the German subsidiary of ICT did not infringe the German part of the patent 1 081 284.

In Spain, after a first decision in favor of Essity in the lower court, the Barcelona Provincial Court clearly stated in a written appeal that ICT’s products - and in particular, Foxy Seda, Foxy Bouquet, certain three-ply private label products - did not infringe the Spanish part of the patent 1 081 284.

Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti (ICT) was founded in 1976 in Italy, in the Lucca province, to operate in the tissue sector, producing high quality paper exclusively from virgin fibre. The first production facility was opened in 1978 in Piano della Rocca, Lucca, and over the years new plants and facilities have been set up in Piano della Rocca, Diecimo and Piano di Coreglia. The Foxy brand, one of the leading brands in the European market, was launched in 1982. ICT is an example of excellence in the paper industry, in full harmony with the tradition of the Lucca region, where the most important Italian papermaking hub is located, on a par with those of Green Bay (USA) and Fuji (Japan). In Lucca in particular, great expertise has been nurtured in the field of paper for household use, and the city is in fact known as the world tissue capital. Today, ICT SpA boasts an annual production capacity of about 160,000 tonnes.

Dentons is the world's largest law firm, connecting talent to the world's challenges and opportunities in more than 75 countries. Dentons' legal and business solutions benefit from deep roots in our communities and award-winning advancements in client service, including Nextlaw, Dentons’ innovation and strategic advisory services. Dentons' polycentric and purpose-driven approach, commitment to inclusion and diversity, and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client and community interests in the New Dynamic.

Dentons advises Snam on US$10.1 billion consortium investment in ADNOC Gas Pipelines

The transaction is one of the most important in the global energy infrastructure sector, as well as Snam’s first acquisition outside Europe.  ADNOC Gas Pipelines holds the tariff-based rights for the 38 pipelines that connect ADNOC’s upstream activities to Abu Dhabi’s consumption points and the export and interconnection terminals to neighboring Emirates.

The transaction was financed by a pool of international banks for approximately $8 billion, plus an equity contribution from each of the consortium members.  In addition to Snam, the other consortium members included Global Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management, GIC, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and NH Investment & Securities.

Dentons acted with a cross-border team from Italy and UAE, coordinated by partner Sara Biglieri in Milan.  Partners Luca Pocobelli (Rome) and Mhairi Main Garcia (Dubai), counsel Claudio Segna (Milan), senior associate Craig Hughson (Abu Dhabi) and associate Stephanie Hawes (Dubai) advised on corporate and M&A aspects. Partners Alessandro Fosco Fagotto (Milan) and Stephen Knight (Abu Dhabi), counsel Franco Gialloreti, senior associate Tommaso Zanirato and junior associate Giulia Caselli Maldonado (all Milan) advised on financing aspects. Partner Michele Carpagnano (Rome) and associate Giulia Giordano (Rome) advised on the competition and antitrust aspects.

Snam’s internal legal team was led by General Counsel, Marco Reggiani - assisted by Michela Schizzi, Senior Vice President Regulated Assets Legal Affairs - and included senior legal counsels Rosanna Pallotta and Claudia Jolanda Fanelli.  The legal aspects related to the financing were handled, together with Marco Reggiani, by Gloria Bertini, Head of Finance and Capital Market Legal Affairs and Roberta Di Mauro, legal counsel.

Dentons advises Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) on the establishment of the EU Malaria Fund

Dentons advises on ACS Group’s €500 million NEU-CP Program

Dentons advises UniCredit on a €450 million secured sustainability-linked financing for Gunvor Gro

Dentons advises Qair on refinancing of the acquisition of Rzepin and Linowo wind farms in Poland

Dentons advises Sev.en Energy on aacquisition of US-based Blackhawk Mining

Dentons supports German subsidiaries of the Recylex Group in restructuring

Legal Developments

Overview on Digital Assets Regulations in SEA

Starboard: Draft Convention on the effect of judicial sales of vessels approved by UNCITRAL

Carbon Projects and ASEAN: Opportunities and Challenges

Light at the end of the tunnel – A case study of a successful restructuring

Private Equity Leans into ESG

Dentons Rodyk Dialogue 2022

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