Firm Profile > DLA Piper > Paris, France

Aviation Tier 1

DLA Piper advises on the full range of aviation-related work and handles a number of matters for key client Airbus. Other clients include businesses in the aerospace and defence industries and the team is also active in aviation matters related to insurance, commercial contracts, litigation and arbitration, and employment issues. Practice head Vonnick Le Guillou is an experienced litigator, specialising in insurance liability claims. Gregory Tulquois co-chairs the firm's global aerospace group, with a particular focus on transactions, as well as commercial and marketing matters.

Data privacy and data protection Tier 1

DLA Piper has longstanding experience in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, with expertise in issues relating to the data protection aspects of clinical trials; pharma- and cosmetovigilance; access to medical databases; telemedicine; and contracts with contract research organisations. Cybersecurity is another core area of expertise, and the team is active in the implementation of cybersecurity prevention and action plans. Thanks to the firm's sizeable international footprint, the group has a considerable international reach and its integrated privacy compliance methodology is used by the firm's data privacy and protection experts around the globe. Denise Lebeau-Marianna, who leads the cybersecurity team, is the key practitioner. Jonathan Rofé directs the intellectual property and technology practice.

Industry focus: IT and internet Tier 1

DLA Piper has large resources and a very experienced team which advises leading French companies, including Airbus and LVMH, on strategic IT projects. The practice notably advises in the context of companies' digital transformation, cloud computing and outsourcing projects.  Recent work includes assisting Airbus with ambitious technology projects and advising several clients on the setting up and launch of new websites and online services. The practice also assists several IT providers and is experienced in IT-related litigation. Jonathan Rofé heads the practice which also includes the highly regarded Stéphane Lemarchand, Fabienne Panneau and Gregory Tulquois. Counsels Caroline Goupil and Jeanne Dauzier provide key support. Denise Lebeau-Marianna handles data privacy issues.

Banking and finance: Bank regulatory

Employment Tier 2

DLA Piper has a strong 20-lawyer team which regularly handles complex restructuring, workforce reduction and mass litigation work. The practice is retained by major industrial companies, healthcare corporations, banks, hotels and start-ups. The team recently worked on the combination of two major companies, and has successfully managed several sensitive mass litigation matters, including a high-stake co-employment case. The practice also handles high-level management litigation. Philippe Danesi is in charge. Also involved are Bijan Eghbal, Marine Gicquel and Jérôme Halphen.

Insurance Tier 2

Leveraging its extensive global network, DLA Piper demonstrates strong capability in cross-border matters, particularly involving the UK, Germany, Italy and the US. The breadth of the group’s sector coverage is also a key differentiator and it advises across the full scope of insurance regulation, transactions and contentious matters. The aviation space is a particular sweet spot, with department head Vonnick Le Guillou is highly regarded for his experience in representing European aircraft manufacturers in complex air crash cashes. The ‘knowledgeable, creative and effective’ Bruce Mee is noted for his expertise in industrial risks litigation and investigations.

Private equity: Fund formation Tier 2

DLA Piper has successfully established its fund formation team in the French market since spring 2018. The group is among the most experienced practices in Paris, with a wide range of expertise, including real estate,  private equity and infrastructure funds. The group acts for investment funds and investors and is able to draw on the wider firm's geographical presence, as well as its Paris-based tax team which has stellar credentials in fund formation-related tax work. Benjamin Aller and Julien Vandenbussche are the practice heads. Key support comes from senior counsel George Pinkham.

Private equity: LBO Tier 2

DLA Piper has further bolstered its numbers at partner level with the promotion of Matthieu Lampel, a specialist in leveraged buy-outs, restructuring and M&A, in May 2019. The group stands out for its ability to assist with transactions across all market segments and acts for managers and private equity sponsors alike. As part of a global law firm, the Paris team is well placed to advise on transactions with a strong cross-border component and frequently joins forces with colleagues from the firm's offices abroad. Xavier Norlain and Jeremy Scemama are the heads of the practice. Fund formation specialists Benjamin Aller, Julien Vandenbussche and senior counsel George Pinkham are also noted.

Real estate Tier 2

DLA Piper has a large team of more than 20 lawyers who provide the full range of expertise. The practice is retained by the market’s largest French and international investors, developers, insurers and assets managers to advise on landmark transactions. In recent work, the group assisted Samsung with its joint acquisition of the Lumière building in Paris, and was involved in key deals on office, logistic, hotel, retail and senior residential assets, including large portfolio transactions. Development and asset management work are other areas of strength, as demonstrated by the team's work for Unibail-Rodamco on the ongoing high-profile Sisters towers project. Additionally, the practice offers strong property financing expertise. The practice is co-headed by the highly experienced Antonia Raccat, Olivia Michaud, Antoine Mercier, Myriam Mejdoubi, Erwan Lacheteau and Lionel Rosenfeld.

Administrative and public law Tier 3

DLA Piper further enhanced its practice after hiring Jérôme Pentecoste who joined from Gowling WLG, alongside counsel Julie Vuagnoux. Pentecoste’s team has strong experience advising lenders and sponsors on French PPP and infrastructure projects, including handling related litigation. He now co-chairs the practice alongside Pascal Martin. The team also covers regulatory and urban law issues. It is currently assisting clients with several PPP projects in relation to telecoms, universities and other types of public building infrastructures. Cendrine Delivré joined CMS in September 2019.

Banking and finance: transactional work Tier 3

At DLA Piper, 'the team is extremely available, business-oriented and very efficient, and it has strong legal know-how'. The firm is particularly prominent in leveraged acquisitions for banks or senior debt funds, mezzanine debt providers and equity sponsors. It is also active in LBO debt restructuring deals, project finance, real estate finance transactions, derivatives and corporate finance. The firm has a strong domestic practice, particularly in leveraged finance, but also handles multi-jurisdictional deals. Head of finance, projects and restructuring Maud Manon and real estate and infrastructure finance partner Erwan Lacheteau are the main contacts.

Compliance Tier 3

DLA Piper ’s Fabien Ganivet heads a seven-lawyer team which advises CAC 40 companies and other leading corporations on the setting up of national and multi-jurisdictional compliance programmes, including providing guidance on anti-corruption and vigilance issues. Ganivet also assists companies in conducting internal investigations.

Dispute resolution: International arbitration Tier 3

DLA Piper's caseload is well balanced between commercial, investment and exequatur cases. The team, which acts for companies and state entities, is handling a high proportion of cases relating to Africa, particularly major mining, energy and telecoms matters. It is notably managing a high-profile multibillion-dollar mining ICSID investment dispute for the Republic of Guinea. The Republic of Hungary has also instructed the practice to handle several enforcement and investment disputes. Vodacom is another key client. The team is jointly headed by Michael Ostrove and Alexander Brabant. Other key names in the practice are Théobald Naud and counsel Maxime Desplats.

Industry focus: Energy Tier 3

DLA Piper

Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences Tier 3

Intellectual property: Trade marks and designs Tier 3

The team at DLA Piper advises a roster of noteworthy clients, including Nintendo, Coca-Cola and McDonald's, along with new addition Sodexo. Karine Disdier-Mikus assists clients in the food and beverage, retail and luxury, and hospitality and leisure sectors with a range of non-contentious matters including worldwide trade mark portfolio management and the intellectual property aspects of acquisitions. The City of Deauville appointed the firm as its exclusive adviser on its new trade mark licensing programme, and on any trade mark issues the client may face.

Mergers and acquisitions Tier 3

DLA Piper's 'extremely professional and diligent team' is increasingly handling a growing workload of large and mid-cap transactions. The firm advises industrial groups, investment funds, individual shareholders and management teams on domestic and cross-border transactions, though most of its deals have an element of either inbound or outbound investment. The practice, which is led by Jeremy Scemama and Xavier Norlain, is particularly strong in the technology, retail, manufacturing, energy, transport and infrastructure, and hospitality and leisure sectors. Matthieu Lampel was recently promoted to partner.

Project finance Tier 3

DLA Piper

Tax Tier 3

DLA Piper is highly regarded in the private equity sphere, with expertise in private equity fund structuring work, and regularly receives high-profile instructions to advise on the structuring and fundraising of the largest funds. In addition, the team is skilled in advising funds and managers in the context of large and mid-sized LBO transactions. Other areas of expertise include assisting investment funds with sensitive tax reassessment matters, litigation and property tax issues. Fanny Combourieu leads the team. Sylvie Vansteenkiste and Raphaël Béra are the other key names in the practice.

Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 4

DLA Piper 

EU, competition and distribution Tier 4

At DLA Piper, Edouard Sarrazin leads a four-lawyer team that handles a high volume of domestic merger control work, but is also regularly involved in multi-jurisdictional merger notifications, for example for Michelin and investment funds. The team also manages several domestic antitrust cases, notably matters involving online business services.