Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is the key adviser to a number of major French listed companies while also regularly assisting management teams and boards with large and complex M&A transactions. The firm combines top M&A and private equity expertise that extends to public M&A deals and high-profile restructuring and distressed M&A work. The practice is particularly active in the TMT and retail sectors where it regularly works on headline deals. The practice is led by Yannick Piette. Agathe Soilleux and Jean-Baptiste Cornic are two other key members. Claude Serra left the firm.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Excellence. Very strong negotiation skills Great strategic vision. Great network and united team.'
‘Yannick Piette is a brilliant lawyer: 360 vision, great technicality and above all great understanding of the issues in all dimensions (business, financial, legal, HR, communication). Very nice team.'
‘High level of competence, pleasant and fluid working relationships.'
‘Great ability to mobilise resources. Culture of the "deal". Great ability to advise managers. Beyond negotiation skills, ability to take a higher perspective.'
‘Yannick Piette: very responsive, always listening, knows how to work with internal teams. Knows how to lead and "finish" a negotiation.'
‘The M&A team in Paris is top-of-the-range - very available, fast and precise in their advice. Very attentive to the client and looking for innovative solutions to meet expectations.'
‘Yannick Piette: always available for his clients.'
Key clients
- Altarea
- Casino
- Engie
- Eutelsat
- HLD
- Klépierre
- Linedata
- Orange
- Paprec
- Rallye
Work highlights
- Advised Casino on its €1.35bn sale of hypermarkets and supermarkets to Auchan, Intermarché and Carrefour.
- Advised Cobham on its USD1.1bn the sale of Cobham Aerospace Communication to Thalès.
- Advised HLD on its €120 million investment by capital increase in listed company Clariane.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Yannick Piette
Other key lawyers
Agathe Soilleux; Jean-Baptiste Cornic