Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is commended for its ability to advise prominent French and international clients on complex merger control cases at the national, European and global levels. The practice has a broad scope, also taking in cartel and abuse of dominance investigations and litigation, FSR filings, state aid matters, competition compliance issues and the structuring of distribution networks. Well-versed in European and French competition law, Faustine Viala oversees the team. David Kupka, who splits his time between Paris and Brussels, is also recommended.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Faustine Viala and Sophie Mitouard stand out for their responsiveness and their ability to get to the heart of the matter and find solutions to deliver on time.'
- 'The Willkie team is very effective at coordinating across numerous jurisdictions. They seamlessly integrate both across the various Willkie offices and with local counsel in other jurisdictions. The team has great bench strength and is a pleasure to work with.'
- 'Maud Boukhris is an outstanding lawyer. Very efficient, responsive and pragmatic - her presence on cases is invaluable. Maud knows her cases inside out and is always reachable, which is very reassuring in case of an emergency. Maud is very dynamic and proactive.'
- 'Faustine is very pragmatic in her approach to cases, which allows for concrete solutions. It is very pleasant to work with her.'
- 'Very friendly and efficient team. Faustine Viala and Maud Boukhris are both excellent lawyers.'
- 'Faustine Viala and David Kupka are deeply knowledgeable but also have an insight into commercial practices that enables their advice to be targeted and relevant.'
- 'Willkie Farr's competition team is particularly dynamic and responsive, which is highly appreciated in complex antitrust cases involving multiple jurisdictions. Always attentive to the client. Information sharing, exchanges, and discussions are frequent and always interesting.'
- 'Faustine Viala is a leading expert in competition matters. She has a pragmatic approach to issues, is proactive and is an expert in dealing with competition authorities.'
Key clients
- Air France KLM
- Air Liquide
- Arkema
- Atlas Holdings
- CEVA Logistics
- CMA CGM
- Danone
- Fidel Fillaud
- IK
- Insight Partners
- Intermediate Capital Group (ICG)
- Interpublic Group of Companies
- Kraft Heinz
- PAI Partners
- Plastics Europe
- Saint Gobain
- Searchlight
- Vendis Capital
- Waterland Private Equity
Work highlights
Advised CMA CGM on the monitoring and implementation of its structural remedies following the acquisition of Bolloré Logistics (European Commission and Polynesian Competition Authority).
Advised Air France-KLM on the merger control and antitrust process related to its joint venture with Aercap in the engine maintenance and leasing services sector.
Advised IPG on 19 merger control filings - including the EU and FSR filings - required by its combination with its competitor Omnicom.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Maud Boukhris
Practice head
Faustine Viala
Other key lawyers
David Kupka; Maud Boukhris; Sophie Mitouard