Charles Russell Speechlys is sought out by venture capital funds and growth-stage companies for advice on a range of venture capital matters, including Series A and B financings, minority investments and early-stage platform builds. The team is jointly steered by Renaud Ferry, Thibaut Caharel and Guillaume Ferrand, who was promoted to partner in April 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘A dynamic team with very strong expertise, particularly in private equity.'
- 'The team has demonstrated its capacity for innovation. I would like to highlight Guillaume Ferrand, whose rise illustrates the team's dynamism and ability to renew itself. His involvement, responsiveness and the quality of his analyses make him a particularly valued contact.’
- ‘Thibaut Caharel is a highly experienced and talented private equity lawyer. He is particularly distinguished by his responsiveness, rigorous analysis, pragmatism, and interpersonal skills. Guillaume Ferrand is the department's rising star. He stands out for his exceptional dynamism and strong technical expertise. Overall, the team provides high-quality support while remaining approachable and very friendly.’
- ‘This team is distinguished above all by its operational efficiency and exceptional availability. It combines strong interpersonal skills with a resolutely solution-oriented approach, making it a truly trusted partner in managing projects.'
- ‘The team stands out for its exceptional expertise in fundraising, an area in which it has earned a solid reputation, while also being capable of handling a wider range of complex transactions. Its strength lies in the combined technical expertise of its three partners and their close client relationships, which guarantee tailored support and a deep understanding of strategic issues.'
- ‘Guillaume Ferrand demonstrates a high level of professionalism: entirely dedicated to his clients and possessing a deep understanding of their challenges, brilliant and inventive, he manages to find innovative solutions to overcome impasses with dynamism and pragmatism. Furthermore, he displays a consistently positive and highly contagious attitude that greatly facilitates the progress of negotiations for all stakeholders.’
Key clients
- Edumetrics
- Newscope Développement
- Ankaa Ventures
- Daphni, Citizen Capital and Swen Partners
- Fizimed
Work highlights
Advising Edumetrics, a portal for high-school and university students looking for higher education training, as part of a €5m round of financing led by Daphni and Eurazeo.
Advised Daphni, Citizen Capital and Swen Partners in raising €12m for Hubcycle, a start-up specialising in the recovery of food waste. This Series A is intended to support Hubcycle’s expansion in Europe.
Advising Fizimed, a company specialising in perineal rehabilitation products, in a €4m fundraising round led by Bpifrance and Uniqa.
Practice head
Renaud Ferry; Thibaut Caharel; Guillaume Ferrand