Leading Individuals

Firms To Watch: EU, competition and distribution

Former Ashurst LLP partner Michaël Cousin leads the team at Addleshaw Goddard, bringing expertise in antitrust, distribution and compliance matters to the table.
Aude Guyon joined Fiducial Legal by Lamy from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in January 2022 to lead the competition, distribution and foreign investment practice.
Virginie Coursière-Pluntz (previously counsel at CMS Francis Lefebvre) leads the practice at PDGB, which stands out for its experience in cross-border competition and distribution cases.
Former KPMG Avocats, France partner Emmanuel Tricot leads the EU and competition law practice at the newly launched Rive Gauche Avocats, which opened its doors in January 2024.
Boutique firm Sébastien Dominguez Avocat à la cour was launched in July 2022, and has been active in merger control and in proceedings before the FCA.
Stephenson Harwood has a broad competition law practice, with notable experience in cartel investigations, under the leadership of former White & Case LLP counsel Jean-Julien Lemonnier.

Firms in the Spotlight EU, competition and distribution

Vivien & Associés

Vivien & Associés logo

Vivien & Associés offers competitive legal services and representation across a broad range of key practice areas:

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CHASSANY WATRELOT & ASSOCIES

CHASSANY WATRELOT & ASSOCIES logo

A FULL-EXPERTISE HUMAN RESOURCES LAW FIRM   Founded in 1987, Chassany Watrelot & Associés (CWA) is one of the main French law firms whose activity is exclusively dedicated to employment law and all other legal areas related to human resources management (insurance law, tax law…).

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EU, competition and distribution in France

BDGS Associés

BDGS Associés' wide-ranging EU and competition law practice is well regarded for its advice to leading French multinationals across a broad array of sectors, most notably transport, energy, retail and financial services. Merger control cases are a prominent area of expertise for the team, which is well versed in handling notifications to the FCA, the European Commission and to antitrust authorities worldwide, and it is also widely recognised for its strength in state aid, with Antoine Gosset-Grainville and Mathilde Damon representing SNCF and the French State Shareholding Agency in high-profile recent cases. In addition, the firm is highly active in significant antitrust investigations and litigation. Maria Trabucchi and Jérôme Fabre are also noted practitioners across the full range of EU and competition law.

Practice head(s):

Antoine Gosset-Grainville; Maria Trabucchi


Other key lawyers:

Mathilde Damon; Jérôme Fabre; Camille Petiau


Testimonials

‘Team with remarkable technical competence, covering all aspects of competition law (merger control, anti-competitive practices and state aid). Excellent knowledge of the functioning of European institutions and competition authorities. Team is available, efficient and attentive to the customer.’

‘Mathilde Damon has very in-depth expertise in state aid and the ability to work quickly to propose pragmatic and effective solutions.’

‘Maria Trabucchi has very great expertise in merger control. Calm, efficient and rigourous.’

‘Very impressed by the quality and availability of the team, which is of a very high technical level, always available and educated on complex subjects, with a strategic vision.’

‘Maria Trabucchi is an outstanding practitioner who has mastered her subject and who has an unusual ability to understand industry sectors. She is extremely rigorous and hardworking, and she knows how to anticipate issues and be pragmatic and creative. She will always give the best advice to her clients by demonstrating constant and unfailing dedication.’

‘Very pragmatic and efficient. It is one of the best teams on the market for European merger control.’

‘Antoine Gosset-Grainville, Maria Trabucchi and Jérôme Fabre have strong expertise in both European litigation and merger matters, and in anti-competitive practices, and a strategic vision.’

‘A reliable and competent team.’

Key clients

CMA CGM


Meta


Thales


Publicis


SNCF


Carrefour


Engie


Safran


French State Shareholding Agency


La Poste/La Banque Postale


BPCE


Crédit Mutuel


Société Générale


Crédit Agricole


BNP Paribas


Crédit Agricole Assurances/Predica


Campofrío


Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations


Fédération du Commerce et de la Distribution


Séché Environnement


Bpifrance Investissement


Sagard


Sopra Steria


Lanvin


Work highlights


  • Advising CMA CGM on obtaining clearance from the European Commission and 18 other antitrust authorities worldwide for its €5 billion acquisition of Bolloré Logistics.
  • Representing Meta in the context of an investigation launched by the FCA in the online advertising verification sector for alleged abuse of dominant position and a request for interim measures.
  • Advising SNCF in the context of an in-depth investigation opened by the European Commission regarding alleged state aid amounting to €5 billion received in the past by Fret SNCF, a subsidiary of SNCF active in the railway freight sector.

Bredin Prat

Bredin Prat is renowned for the breadth and depth of its EU and competition law offering, which covers the full spectrum of merger control, cartel, vertical restraints and abuse of dominance investigations, follow-on damages actions and state aid issues. The team acts for an impressive roster of blue-chip French and international clients in cases at both the national and EU level; recent highlights include Olivier Billard and Yelena Trifounovitch's advice on two of the three phase II merger control matters currently pending before the FCA and Igor Simic's successful representation of Casino in a high-profile ECJ case. The sizeable team also includes Marie-Cécile Rameau, a key name for antitrust litigation, and Pierre Honoré and Arthur Helfer, who divide their time between Paris and Brussels.

Practice head(s):

Olivier Billard; Igor Simic; Marie-Cécile Rameau; Yelena Trifounovitch; Pierre Honoré; Arthur Helfer


Other key lawyers:

Yohann Chevalier


Testimonials

‘Marie-Cécile Rameau is very highly skilled, responsive and easy to contact.’

‘Pierre Honoré develops an in-depth view of the market and a good understanding of economic subjects. His work is of a very high quality.’

‘This team has cutting-edge expertise in competition and European law. We benefitted from very precise advice and the partner with whom we collaborate is an excellent strategist.’

‘Pierre Honoré is an excellent lawyer, renowned for his technical expertise and strategic advice.’

‘The team is highly skilled in French competition law and is able to advise and refer to other areas of expertise which may be needed in competition investigations and litigation. They go the extra mile to get to the best possible end result.’

‘I appreciate working with Yelena Trifounovitch. Apart from her competition law expertise, I truly appreciate the fact that she is crisp and clear and to the point in her advice. This helps manage internal stakeholders and saves time (and money).’

‘Probably the best competition law team in Paris due to its depth and quality.’

‘Yelena Trifounovitch stands out for her quality, her investment in the case, and her daily and meticulous involvement in the files.’

Key clients

Airbus


Air Liquide


Apple


beIN Sports


Casino


Coca-Cola


DAF


Danone


De Longhi


D’Ieteren


Edenred


EDF


Eurazeo


Fnac Darty


Fleury Michon


FDJ (Française des Jeux)


France Télévisions


Google


iliad


JCDecaux


Lactalis


Legrand


Longchamp


LVMH


Luxottica


Meta


Nike


Orange


Philips


Schneider Electric


Sonatrach


Suez


Uber


Unilever


Work highlights


  • Advising Aéroports de Paris (ADP) and Select Service Partners and French agrifood group Euralis on two out of the three merger control Phase II cases currently pending before the French Competition Authority.
  • Advised French supermarket group Groupe Casino before the EU General Court and the Court of Justice on a challenge to the legality of the European Commission’s dawn raids in its Casino/Intermarché investigation and secured a historic win for the client.
  • Defended Dutch truck manufacturer DAF in c. 80 damages claims in France in the high-profile trucks cartel litigation and secured the first major win for DAF across Europe, with the dismissal at first instance of the first of these claims in France.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's EU and competition team has a stellar reputation for handling high-profile global merger control cases on behalf of major French and international clients; standout recent matters include successfully advising Vivendi on a phase II merger investigation by the European Commission. The team is equally adept in significant cartel and abuse of dominance investigations and litigation, with experience of appearing before the French and EU courts. Séverine Schrameck and Frédéric de Bure, who has notable strength in investigations by antitrust authorities in the technology and defence sectors, are the leading figures in the Paris office, while Brussels-based Antoine Winckler and François-Charles Laprévote also lend their expertise to the practice. Stéphanie Patureau provides key support, particularly in complex cartel cases.

Practice head(s):

Frédéric de Bure; Séverine Schrameck; François-Charles Laprévote; Antoine Winckler


Other key lawyers:

Stéphanie Patureau


Testimonials

‘The quality of the drafting is higher than that of competitors. In the relationship with the client, the CGSH teams are fully integrated into the problem and are proactive in the search for solutions. Their expertise is respected by the competition authorities. The team has a strong legal logic and total mastery of business situations.’

‘Séverine Schrameck exudes great positivity and knows how to make messages simple in both English and French. It inspires confidence. Frédéric de Bure represents more quiet strength. It inspires reliability. The team leave no blind spots.’

Key clients

Airbus


Canal +


CVC


Elsan


GlobalFoundries


Google


KKR


Lactalis


MBDA


Ortec


Tech Data


Valeo


Veolia Environnement


Vivendi


Whirlpool


Work highlights


  • Representing Vivendi in connection with the merger control aspects of its proposed acquisition of sole control over Lagardère.
  • Representing a multinational beverage company in an FCA investigation in respect of certain conduct relating to the manufacture and sale of food products in food containers that may contain or may have contained bisphenol A (BPA) or BPA-substitutes.
  • Representing Veolia Environnement in the merger control aspects related to the acquisition of Suez by Veolia, including the implementation of the set of remedies agreed with the European Commission.

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance is active in high-profile mandates across the full range of EU and competition law, representing leading French and international clients from the technology, pharmaceutical and energy sectors, to name but a few. The team is highly experienced in merger control before the French, EU and other national regulators (with additional strength in related foreign direct investment clearances) and has also played a key role in prominent recent antitrust investigations by the FCA. David Tayar has a wealth of expertise in competition law, particularly in handling large-scale merger control cases involving multi-jurisdictional filings, and Katrin Schallenberg, who works closely with the Brussels team, is well regarded for her advice on both national and EU matters.

Practice head(s):

David Tayar; Katrin Schallenberg


Other key lawyers:

Michel Petite


Testimonials

‘The Clifford Chance team in Paris are truly knowledgeable and competent within the competition law field. They have extensive experience with representing companies in investigations by the French competition authority. They are also very good at giving practical and useful legal advice on complicated and difficult questions and they explain their advice in an easy way to understand, including for non-lawyers. I would give the competition law practice at Clifford Chance Paris my highest recommendation!’

‘David Tayar has an outstanding knowledge about French/EU competition law and also the practical aspects of dealing with the French competition authority. He is very good with explaining complicated topics in an easy way and always swift in his responses. He always thinks a few steps ahead and presents you with a strategy or answer before you have asked for it, which is highly appreciated. Gives legal advice in a clear and always practically useful way.’

‘Among the best. A high-quality and cohesive international presence. Experienced and attentive lawyers, such as Katrin Schallenberg.’

‘The strength of this team lies in the quality of the support and the excellence of the legal advice provided.’

‘David Tayar is an excellent practitioner, whose detailed and relevant legal analyses always take into account the business needs of his clients.’

‘The Clifford Chance antitrust team is very dedicated and acts as a transaction facilitator, particularly when transactions become more complex. Close proximity to customers, allowing faster progress, which is a real plus in files.’

‘The team has great strength in depth, with multiple effective partners and strong associates. Capable at both national and regional level, the team has the capacity to take on large-scale cases for both behavioural and transactional work.’

‘I primarily work with David Tayar, who is excellent. He has very strong technical knowledge and great experience in running cases with the European Commission. He has very strong communication skills and builds great relationships with our internal stakeholders.’

Key clients

Adobe


Amazon Web Services


Arcelor Mittal


Ardian


Airbus


Ariane Group


Arkema


Axa


Banque Postale


BNP Paribas


Carrefour


Cintra Sarl


Crédit Agricole/CACEIS/Amundi


Crédit Mutuel


DGEC


EDF


Electrolux


Engie


Esteve Healthcare S.L.


Europcar


Fortness Investment Group


General Electric


Hitachi


Ivanhoé Cambridge


Ligue de Football Professionnel


L’Oréal


Manpower


Nissan International SA


Novartis


Oracle


Permira


Rexel


Safran


Sandoz


Shell


Starbucks


Sibanye Stillwater Limited


Tereos


Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries


TotalEnergies


Vauban Infrastructure Partners


Veolia Environnement


Work highlights


  • Advising Airbus, Safran and TAC in relation to the notification before the European Commission and China’s SAMR, and FDI Authorities, of their acquisition of Aubert & Duval.
  • Advised CACEIS in relation to the notification to the Commission of the setting up of a joint venture with BNP Paribas Securities Services (BP2S) to combine their respective activities in corporate trust services in France.
  • Advising Teva on all EU antitrust investigations, including with respect to allegations of abuse of dominance and anticompetitive agreements which are currently pending before the Commission and the EU courts.

Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier

Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier has a strong track record in cases across all the key pillars of EU and competition law, covering antitrust litigation, merger control, private enforcement actions and state aid matters. In particular, the firm stands out for its expertise in high-profile merger control cases before the European Commission; this is reflected in its recent workload, which includes advising Lagardère in relation to a complex phase II investigation. Another of the team’s core strengths lies in follow-on damages litigation, representing both claimants and defendants in significant cases before the French courts. Didier Théophile has an excellent reputation in antitrust matters in heavily regulated sectors, such as telecoms, media and technology, while Guillaume Aubron and Constance Bocket are also highly sought-after advisers.

Practice head(s):

Didier Théophile


Other key lawyers:

Guillaume Aubron; Constance Bocket


Testimonials

‘Very professional, very responsive, forward-thinking team. They fight for their clients’ interests but are still ready to compromise. Excellent knowledge of the files and very sensitive about critical topics.’

‘Very extensive team made up of lawyers with different levels of experience. Solid technical expertise, particularly on telecoms subjects. Great responsiveness and speed in delivering requests. Good interpersonal skills with internal lawyers and operational staff. Smooth communication. Women are well represented in the team.’

‘Didier Théophile has high-quality technical expertise and very good interpersonal skills.’

‘Guillaume Aubron has very good technical expertise and very good knowledge of the telecoms sector. He is responsive and has a good sense of how things work.’

‘Constance Bocket is responsive, proactive and has very good interpersonal skills.’

‘Exceptional experience in competition law (French and EU). Responsive. Good reputation.’

‘Didier Théophile is just outstanding!’

‘Great experience and dedication, actionable advice.’

Key clients

Accor


Amazon


Atos


Bouygues/Bouygues Telecom


Carrefour


Daimler


EDF


Elior Group


Galeries Lafayette


JouéClub


Kering


La Poste


Lagardère


Lov Group


Renault Trucks


Société Générale/ALD


towerCast


Work highlights


  • Advising Société Générale and ALD on merger control issues in the context of ALD’s acquisition of LeasePlan.
  • Representing towerCast in the context of the landmark ruling issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union in which it held that Article 102 TFEU permits an ex-post control, at national level, of concentrations of undertakings with a non-Community dimension.
  • Defending Daimler in multiple actions brought before French courts by alleged victims of the trucks cartel and, in the only case decided on the merits to date, obtained the dismissal of all the claimant’s claims.

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei maintains a strong profile in significant antitrust cases, frequently representing clients in cartel and abuse of dominance investigations by the FCA and European Commission, and in litigation before the French and European courts (with notable strength in cases involving both criminal and competition law). The team’s expertise in contentious matters also extends to private antitrust enforcement cases, and it is also frequently active in complex merger control, state aid matters and distribution litigation (where Barbara Levy is a go-to practitioner). Philippe Guibert, who is particularly well known for his robust antitrust litigation practice, leads a strong team which also includes Alexandre Eberhardt (who has excellent recent experience in follow-on damages litigation), Laëtitia Gavoty Tolot, Sofia El Hariri and Chimène Faurant.

Practice head(s):

Philippe Guibert


Other key lawyers:

Laëtitia Gavoty Tolot; Alexandre Eberhardt; Barbara Levy; Sofia El Hariri; Chimène Faurant


Testimonials

‘Philippe Guibert is one of the stars of the market. Alexandre Eberhardt is a young partner who is on the rise.’

‘Certainly one of the best teams on the market.’

‘Philippe Guibert is one of the best lawyers in the area. ’

‘Philippe Guibert and Laëtitia Gavoty Tolot are both exceptional.’

‘Year after year, the De Pardieu competition team confirms its position of excellence on the Parisian market. Remarkable ability to handle difficult cases in both merger control and antitrust litigation. The partners are accompanied by two fantastic counsels and the team members are of a very high level. Responsiveness and “haute couture” work, which is rare today!’

‘Philippe Guibert is always available, with very great knowledge of the subject matter and a remarkable ability to summarise: he is capable of explaining difficult questions to you simply. He is excellent in litigation. Laëtitia Gavoty Tolot and Alexandre Eberhardt have excellent training, are always available and have a great capacity to assimilate complex files. Special mention for the team’s two counsels: Sofia El Hariri and Chimène Faurant, who are both remarkable specialists in concentrations and state aid.’

‘The De Pardieu competition team supported us in a pragmatic and efficient manner.’

‘Dynamic, extremely competent and responsive team.’

Key clients

Derichebourg Group


Man/Traton Trucks


Sonepar Group


Paylib


BELL


Altarea-Cogedim


ADSN


SEPM


Rubis Group (Rubis Energie, Rubis Terminal)


Allianz Group


Hynovi


Work highlights


  • Assisting Paylib, a digital wallet company jointly owned by French banks, in the proceedings opened by the EU Commission against Apple Pay regarding a presumed abuse of dominant position of Apple Pay on the NFC digital wallet market.
  • Representing Swiss groups Coop and Bell in the charcuterie cartel case before the Paris Court of Appeal in an appeal against the decision of the French Competition Authority to impose large fines on more than ten companies.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.

Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. acts for an extensive roster of major France-based multinationals and international companies, demonstrating standout strength in antitrust litigation and follow-on damages claims (particularly in cartel-related cases). The team has an impressive record of representing clients in some of the most high-profile recent proceedings before the FCA and the national courts; Franck Audran and Laura Castex recently acted for several defendants in the bisphenol A cartel case (alongside the Brussels office), as well as for L’Oréal and Iveco in private enforcement actions. The firm also has a strong merger control practice, including handling multi-jurisdictional filings. Emmanuel Reille and Dimitri Dimitrov are the other leading figures in the practice, with experience across the full spectrum of EU and competition law.

Practice head(s):

Emmanuel Reille; Franck Audran; Laura Castex; Dimitri Dimitrov


Other key lawyers:

Elizabeth Gautier; Charles Terdjman


Testimonials

‘In-depth knowledge of the relevant authorities. Strong ability to strategize on cases. Availability to accept urgent cases.’

‘Franck Audran remains our reference point for dealings with the authorities, in particular the DGCCRF, thanks to his deep knowledge and ability to strategize.’

‘The main strength of Gide is of course its excellence in its areas of focus.’

‘We work with Franck Audran, who has become a real ally in our risk management and in our strategies. His mastery of his files leads us to rely almost entirely on him.’

‘Franck Audran has excellent expertise, a 360° overview of his cases, and is determined and committed.’

‘Elizabeth Gautier has excellent expertise and is an invaluable contact.’

Key clients

Affinity Petcare


Alibaba


Altaya Wines Ltd


Bureau Veritas


Legrand


Reworld Media


Rubis


TF1


Accor


Avril


BMW France


Bonduelle


BPCE


Coca Cola


Compagnie de Saint Gobain


Danone


Drouot Patrimoine


Eiffage Construction


Etam


Fedrus International


Iveco Group


Lacoste


L’Oréal


LVMH and affiliates


NRJ Group


Orange


Paris 2024


Phoenix Pharma


Saria


Savencia (Bongrain)


Spartoo


Stihl International


Vinci Energies


Work highlights


  • Representing six defendants, notably Bonduelle, in responding to a statement of objections issued by the FCA against companies involved across the supply chain of foodstuffs in containers that may include or have included bisphenol-A (or its substitutes).
  • Defending four Iveco Group entities in 71 damages claims proceedings initiated before the French courts, following the European Commission’s decision to fine several truck manufacturers for participating in a cartel.
  • Defending VM Building Solutions in a claim for damages for abuse of dominant position initiated by Rheinzink before the Paris Commercial Court.

Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins houses a comprehensive EU and competition law practice, with a particularly strong offering in the field of merger control, where the team has extensive experience in EU phase II clearances; its impressive recent caseload includes working alongside the Brussels office to advise Orange on a pending phase II merger review. The team’s expertise also extends to high-profile abuse of dominance and cartel investigations and related litigation, frequently representing clients in cases at the national and European levels. Jacques-Philippe Gunther, the vice-chair of the global antitrust and competition practice, is widely regarded as a market leader in merger control and contentious antitrust matters. Adrien Giraud, who divides his time between Paris and Brussels, and Mathilde Saltiel are also standout names in the team.

Practice head(s):

Jacques-Philippe Gunther


Other key lawyers:

Adrien Giraud; Mathilde Saltiel; Mathilde Ayel


Testimonials

‘The Latham & Watkins team delivers remarkable work: in-depth knowledge of the sector and its challenges, very good strategic sense and solid legal knowledge. The team is also very pleasant, which greatly facilitates interactions.’

‘Jacques-Philippe Gunther is a daring lawyer, a fine strategist who seeks (and finds!) the idea that no one had thought of.’

‘Mathilde Saltiel is very good technically and knows her files perfectly. Her interpersonal skills are also exceptional and she manages to communicate well with our operational teams.’

‘Mathilde Saltiel stands out for her understanding of our group’s activities and her responsiveness.’

Key clients

Orange


GRAIL


EssilorLuxottica


Canal+


Worldline


PAI Partners


SAUR


TDF


Ingram Micro


L’Oréal


Refresco


Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.


CMA CGM


Michelin


Thales


Work highlights


  • Advising Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. on its demerger with Renault and the setting up of a new collaboration scheme with Renault Group, as well as obtaining global merger control and FDI clearances in connection to its change of control within joint ventures with Renault Group.
  • Obtained a fine reduction of more than €40 million for Ingram Micro in its appeal to the Paris Court of Appeal against the decision of the French Competition Authority to impose a fine on Apple and its wholesalers Ingram Micro and Tech Data for agreeing on the allocation of clients of the two wholesalers.
  • Assisting Orange in the pending Phase II merger review in relation to the €18.6 billion JV with MásMóvil.

Linklaters

Linklaters fields a sizeable EU and competition law team, with deep expertise across the full spectrum of merger control cases, abuse of dominance and cartel investigations, state aid issues and follow-on damages litigation (where the firm has a growing practice, acting for both claimants and defendants). The group is well equipped to take on both French and EU law mandates, frequently joining up with the Brussels and other offices to handle multi-jurisdictional cases. Anne Wachsmann is well regarded for her broad practice, with significant recent experience in high-profile merger control matters, while Pierre Zelenko and Thomas Elkins have been active in major cases in the food and beverages, banking and automotive sectors, among others. Nicolas Zacharie and Matthieu Blayney provide key support. Charlotte Colin-Dubuisson left the firm in early 2024.

Practice head(s):

Anne Wachsmann; Pierre Zelenko; Thomas Elkins


Other key lawyers:

Nicolas Zacharie; Matthieu Blayney


Testimonials

‘The team is very business oriented and perfectly understands the client’s constraints and objectives in order to establish a personalized and relevant strategy. The team collaborates across multiple geographic regions, providing excellent support on complex and international issues.’

‘One of the best antitrust teams in Paris!’

‘The Linklaters Paris competition team is extremely strong with the capacity to deal with any French and European matters thanks to their size and expertise.’

‘Anne Wachsmann is one of the most respected and experienced antitrust lawyers in France. Her reputation is also excellent in Brussels thanks to her professional achievements. Issues can be discussed very openly and she is a brilliant problem solver. She is very reliable and pleasant to collaborate with.’

‘Very dynamic team which is available to its clients and has also been able to adapt to their expectations post-Covid.’

‘Thomas Elkins and Anne Wachsmann are competent, available, and have very good knowledge of the automotive industry.’

‘Thomas Elkins is pragmatic, responsive and on top of any developments in the market. We particularly appreciated his transparency and rigour when determining fixed fees.’

Key clients

Nestlé


Safran


Grand Vision


Intermarché


Engie


BNP Paribas


Plastic Omnium


Société Générale


Tarkett


Mc Kesson


GIP


LG Electronics


Stellantis


AirFrance


Sanofi


Parfum Christian Dior


Verallia


DP World Limited


Crédit Agricole


Saint Gobain


CSTB


Work highlights


  • Advised Intermarché in relation to merger control aspects of its acquisition of nearly 90 Mestdagh points of sale in Belgium (which involved successfully defending the clearance decision against Carrefour before the Brussels Court of Appeal) and the acquisition of nearly 200 Groupe Casino points of sale for €1.6 billion.
  • Advised McKesson Corporation on the merger control aspects of the sale of part of its European businesses to PHOENIX group.
  • Advised Stellantis together with worldwide electronic component supplier Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry group) on the merger control aspects of the creation of their 50/50 joint venture in the development, design and supply of semiconductors for the automotive industry.

Allen & Overy LLP

Allen & Overy LLP's strength in the technology, consumer goods, financial services and energy sectors is reflected in its impressive recent caseload, which includes representing Google in a high-profile abuse of dominance case before the FCA. The firm is well versed in the full range of EU and competition law matters, with expertise in merger control, antitrust investigations and litigation at both the French and European level, and follow-on damages claims. In particular, the team stands out for its experience in multi-jurisdictional cases, joining up with the Brussels, London and other offices. Florence Ninane is the leading figure for mergers, antitrust and state aid issues.

Practice head(s):

Florence Ninane


Other key lawyers:

Roxane Hicheri


Testimonials

‘Essential expertise in competition law, coupled with a pragmatic and results-oriented approach.’

‘Florence Ninane has unrivalled expertise in competition law, combined with an ability to meet the highest expectations of multinational companies. As well as being one of the best lawyers in the field, Florence is accessible and demonstrates calm and good humour under all circumstances. Having worked with Florence for many years, I have noticed that she supervises her teams of collaborators with talent and kindness.’

‘Excellent quality team. Their kindness, pragmatism and efficiency should also be noted.’

Key clients

Google


Scania


GE


Ipsen


Webedia


Samsung Electronics France


Assa Abloy


Chanel


Omnes Capital


Natixis


Work highlights


  • Assisting Google in the context of a landmark abuse of dominance case before the FCA and follow-on dealings with the monitoring trustee regarding its compliance with commitments accepted by the FCA, following complaints launched by news publishers and agencies for the payment of their newly created neighbouring rights.
  • Assisting Scania in the context of multiple follow-on matters in France after the trucks cartel decision rendered by the European Commission.
  • Advising GE on the merger control issues relating to the sale of GE Steam Power’s activities pertaining to nuclear power plants to EDF.

Ashurst LLP

Ashurst LLP is well regarded for its expertise in EU and competition law matters in the heavily regulated transport and energy sectors, counting leading French companies such as SNCF and Engie among its clients. Advising on complex state aid matters is a core pillar of the practice, which also has an impressive record in antitrust litigation (and in representing clients in large-scale cartel and abuse of dominance investigations by the FCA). Additionally, the team assists with merger control, including handling multi-jurisdictional filings alongside its international offices, and follow-on damages claims. Christophe Lemaire is well versed in behavioural, merger control and state aid matters.

Practice head(s):

Christophe Lemaire


Other key lawyers:

Guillaume Vatin


Testimonials

‘Competent team well versed in our issues relating to state aid law in particular. Strengths and assets are based on technical expertise and understanding of our environment and our constraints.’

‘Very good knowledge of the competition authority.’

‘Christophe Lemaire is a great specialist in the transport sector.’

Key clients

SNCF and various subsidiaries (Ouibus, VSC, Oui.SNCF, Sferis)


ENGIE and various subsidiaries


Storengy


Geomethane


TotalEnergies


Schindler


Bpifrance


Microport/Sorin


Imperial Tobacco


Bosch and Coup France


Aqualung


Babcock


Corsair


Mitsui


Conseil des notariats de l’Union Européenne


Optovue


AREVA


Caisse des dépôts et consignations


Work highlights


  • Acting for ENGIE before the FCA in relation to a complaint by Direct Energie regarding potential abuse of dominant position in the gas sector.
  • Acting for SNCF before the Paris Commercial Court in relation to a follow-on damages action regarding the distribution of train tickets.
  • Advising ENGIE in relation to the state aid notification of two renewable offshore windfarm projects.

Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie has strengthened its EU and competition law practice significantly at senior level with the hire of François Gordon from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in December 2022 and the promotion to counsel of Olivia Chriqui-Guiot in July 2023. The firm is active across the full range of merger control, antitrust investigations and litigation, compliance issues and follow-on damages claims, but particularly stands out for its experience in large-scale cartel investigations by the FCA and in multi-jurisdictional merger control filings and complex phase II investigations. At the head of the practice, Léna Sersiron counts a host of blue-chip French and international companies among her clients.

Practice head(s):

Léna Sersiron


Other key lawyers:

François Gordon; Olivia Chriqui-Guiot


Testimonials

‘The team has diverse skills, not only in terms of legal issues but also in IT, which was an asset for us in our case.’

‘Léna Sersiron, François Gordon and Olivia Chriqui-Guilot are very responsive and professional.’

Key clients

Adient


Alimak Group AB


Avis Budget


CGI


CNIEL


Crédit Agricole


Dalkia


Demeco


EDF


Embracer


Fédération Nationale de la Production des Semences de Maïs et de Sorgho


Fédération Nationale des Industries Laitières (FNIL)


Huissiers de justice parisiens


Laboratoires Servier


Lubrizol


LVMH


Mutualité de la Réunion


Nielsen IQ


Nyrstar


Service Now


Snacking Services (DAUNAT)


TDF


Yageo Corporation


Vinci


Wonderbox


L’Oréal


Work highlights


  • Advising Crédit Agricole in the context of the creation of a joint venture with Worldline, aimed at creating a leader in the merchant payment services sector in France.
  • Assisting Nyrstar France in connection with a damages claim brought by Rheinzink France against Umicore.
  • Advising Wonderbox in the context of its envisaged acquisition of Smartbox, which is currently undergoing a phase II review by the FCA.

Dechert LLP

Dechert LLP is highly regarded for its prowess in the life sciences sector, frequently acting for leading pharmaceutical companies in high-profile merger control cases and antitrust litigation; its impressive recent highlights include securing a victory for Roche before the Paris Court of Appeal in a challenge to a fine imposed by the FCA. The team is experienced across the board of EU and competition law matters, but is particularly noted for its expertise in cartel and abuse of dominance cases, where Mélanie Thill-Tayara (who also leads the global life sciences practice) has an excellent reputation. Laurence Bary and Marion Provost are also names to note.

Practice head(s):

Mélanie Thill-Tayara


Other key lawyers:

Laurence Bary; Marion Provost


Testimonials

‘Multidisciplinary team that knows how to work together and see all aspects of the same contract or the same problem.’

‘The strength of this team is its ability to understand the pharmaceutical market globally, with competition specialists and market regulation specialists. Women are well represented in the team and it works closely together. Good listening skills.’

‘Mélanie Thill-Tayara, Marion Provost and Laurence Bary all stand out.’

‘Highly competent team accustomed to working together which allows them to deliver very high-quality work, and they are also able to quickly have effective contact online, even when the person responsible for the file is absent.’

‘Mélanie Thill-Tayara stands out for her strategic approach to litigation and her very good knowledge of the mysteries of the competition authorities, and Laurence Bary for her great rigour and her very good technical skills.’

Key clients

Apple


ArianeGroup


Cathay Capital


Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A


Cora and Supermarchés Match


Deutsche Bahn AG


Mayoly Spindler


Roche


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Apple before the Paris Court of Appeal in challenging the highest fine ever imposed by the FCA against one single company, which was over €1.1 billion for Apple alone.
  • Successfully represented Roche in the context of its appeal before the Paris Court of Appeal against the more than €400 million fine initially imposed by the FCA for an abuse of collective dominance with Novartis, which was completely annulled.
  • Advised Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. in the merger control and FDI aspects of its US$1.4 billion acquisition of Amryt Pharma Plc., a UK-based company specializing in the development of treatments for rare diseases.

Fréget Glaser & Associés

Fréget Glaser & Associés has a stellar record in antitrust litigation before the French courts, with a particular emphasis on representing clients - including leading international players - in the pharmaceutical, digital, telecoms, media and energy sectors. The team's expertise in contentious matters also takes in high-value follow-on damages claims, while other areas of strength include merger control and state aid issues. Olivier Fréget, who is highly regarded for his expertise in cartel and abuse of dominance cases, leads the practice with Liliana Eskenazi, a specialist in EU law matters, and the team was strengthened further at partner level with the promotion of Antoine Labaeye in January 2023.

Practice head(s):

Olivier Fréget; Liliana Eskenazi


Other key lawyers:

Antoine Labaeye; Elsa Thauvin


Testimonials

‘The antitrust team is excellent in terms of the quality of the advice, timely responses and working relationship.’

‘Olivier Fréget and Liliana Eskenazi are excellent lawyers who provide top-notch advice. It is a pleasure working with them.’

‘The competition team has many assets: in-depth expertise in the pharmaceutical sector and creativity which allows us to find solutions that respect competition law. We appreciate our long-standing collaboration with this team, both in terms of advice and complex litigation.’

‘Liliana Eskenazi is rigorous, competent and responsive.’

‘The team is strong and very well rounded. They collaborate very well with the in-house team, and are truly committed to the case. They come up with creative ideas and defences and go the extra mile. The rates are reasonable compared to other antitrust firms. They deliver value for money!’

‘Olivier Fréget is the “professor” of the team – very strong on the legal side and in coming up with creative arguments.’

‘Experienced, responsive and creative.’

‘Olivier Fréget is very experienced, well connected in the French competition ecosystem, and creative.’

Key clients

Iliad/Free/Free Mobile


TotalEnergies


Transatlantis II Fund


Paris Mutuel Urbain


Johnson & Johnson


Novartis


Francaise De L’energie


Citeo


Groupe Canal Plus


Google


Leem


Octoplus


Jacob Douwe Egberts (JDE Peet’s)


Région Réunion


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Novartis in completely overturning on appeal the FCA’s decision imposing a combined EUR 444 million fine on Novartis and Roche.
  • Advised the French region of Réunion and Sematra in relation to the state aid and merger control aspects of the restructuring of Sematra’s previously wholly owned subsidiary Air Austral, involving EUR 119.3 million in public aid.
  • Successfully represented Free Mobile in litigation before the Paris Commercial Court against Bouygues Telecom regarding unfair competition practices, and obtained EUR 308 million in damages.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Demonstrating significant strength in the highly regulated energy, telecoms, transport and media sectors, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP houses a wide-ranging EU and competition practice encompassing merger control, behavioural and litigation, and state aid matters. On the merger control front, the team is particularly experienced in multi-jurisdictional cases (and related foreign investment control), while on the contentious side the team has recently appeared in high-profile proceedings before the FCA and the French courts, including successfully defending Volvo and Renault Trucks against follow-on damages claims before the Commercial Court of Lyon. Jérôme Philippe, who is based in Paris and Brussels, leads the team and also co-heads the regulatory practice. Charlotte Colin-Dubuisson was a new arrival in early 2024.

Practice head(s):

Jérôme Philippe


Other key lawyers:

Petya Katsarska; Charlotte Colin-Dubuisson


Key clients

Sony


Meta (Facebook)


EDF


Phoenix Tower International


Mediapro Sport France (Grup Mediapro)


Natixis


SGL Carbon


Volvo Trucks/Renault Trucks


Parker-Hannifin


Bongard


Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP

Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP stands out for its strong merger control offering, particularly with regard to cross-border cases; the team frequently advises both French and international clients on obtaining clearances from the FCA, the European Commission and other antitrust authorities worldwide, with recent examples of its work in this area including its advice to Veolia on merger control filings in Saudi Arabia and China regarding a new joint venture. The firm also has extensive experience in antitrust investigations and litigation. Eric Paroche leads the advice to clients across a wide range of sectors, with notable expertise in digital, energy, transport and financial services.

Practice head(s):

Eric Paroche


Other key lawyers:

Victor Levy; Céline Verney


Testimonials

‘The team has a broad antitrust and merger control practice. They’re customer focused and always willing to better understand how we operate in order to provide us with the best possible advice. The antitrust team is well integrated within a strong worldwide antitrust practice and the Hogan Lovells Paris office. This allows the team to work in coordination with other teams such as data/IT or the commercial team to provide us with cross-practice/country advice. ’

‘Hogan Lovells really works as a team with complementary skills – the junior lawyers are very detailed oriented and able to process data and information very efficiently, which gives more time to senior lawyers to provide strategic advice based on precise facts.’

‘My key points of contact are Eric Paroche and Victor Levy. Eric Paroche is very experienced. He’s always able to take a step back and see the global picture to find the best solutions. He provides strategic advice that is really tailored to our needs. Victor Levy is both responsive and sharp. Both of them are very easy to work with.’

‘Eric Paroche’s team is exceptional, available and professional.’

‘Eric Paroche is very experienced, strong and pragmatic.’

‘Professionalism, close relationships with clients, attention to detail, pragmatism.’

Key clients

Amazon


Aéroports de Paris (ADP)


Daher


Veolia


EDF


Saint Gobain


REEL International


Meraxis


Towerbrook Capital Partners


The Independents


Aleda


Spirax Sarco


Chequers Capital


Work highlights


  • Represented Amazon in a €800 million antitrust case against Canal+ and beIN before the Paris Court of Appeals.
  • Assisted ADP with the approval of its partnership with the Lagardère Group for the operation of the duty-free shops at the Paris airports (CDG and Orly) for the next ten years from the European Commission.
  • Obtained the FCA’s unconditional clearance for Daher’s acquisition of its direct competitor in the French market for aeronautics industrial services.

Jones Day

Jones Day fields a diverse EU and competition law practice which encompasses merger control, state aid, and antitrust investigations and litigation at the national and EU levels, with particularly significant experience in handling cases before the European courts. Leading French-based multinationals make up a key proportion of the team's client base, and it has notable strength in highly regulated sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, telecoms, banking and technology. Eric Barbier de la Serre is well regarded for his expertise in antitrust and state aid cases, particularly before the EU courts. Charlotte Breuvart (who is based in Brussels) and Eileen Lagathu are also noted.

Practice head(s):

Eric Barbier de la Serre


Other key lawyers:

Eileen Lagathu; Charlotte Breuvart


Testimonials

‘Jones Day has in-depth expertise in our field, and a flexible, pragmatic team capable of adapting to changes in the issues we were faced with.’

‘We worked mainly with Eric Barbier de la Serre. In addition to his excellent expertise and knowledge of the field of European and competition law, we particularly appreciated his ability to listen to and understand the very specific issues that we were facing and, consequently, the quality and relevance of the deliverables received from Jones Day. We highly recommend him.’

‘The team is extremely professional, available and very attentive. Their fields of activity are vast and make it possible to respond to various requests.’

‘The team is very competent and professional, and always attentive to the client’s requirements.’

Key clients

EDF


Swile


Suez


Noven


Sanofi


Ligue Nationale de Rugby


Teréga


IFPEN


ENEDIS


Orange


Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance


Work highlights


  • Advised EDF on successfully securing the complete dismissal of a complaint by the French Association of Energy Retailers (ANODE) before the FCA.
  • Representing Biocom, a major life sciences advocacy organization, in the seminal Illumina/Grail case before the EU Court of Justice, which raises major questions of principle concerning the European Commission’s jurisdiction to review concentrations that are not reportable at EU or national level.
  • Advised Swile, a worktech unicorn, on the antitrust aspects of the acquisition of Bimpli, a subsidiary of Groupe BPCE and leader in employee services and benefits in France.

Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown is widely recognised for its extensive experience of assisting clients in dawn raids and large-scale cartel investigations by both the French and European authorities, although the firm is also well versed in abuse of dominance cases. On the non-contentious front, the team frequently handles merger and foreign direct investment clearances (including before the antitrust authorities in French overseas territories) and advises on antitrust compliance programmes. Nathalie Jalabert-Doury is a specialist in the field of dawn raids; in a recent highlight, she and Jean-Maxime Blutel represented Intermarché before the European Court of Justice in a high-profile case challenging an inspection by the European Commission.

Practice head(s):

Nathalie Jalabert-Doury


Other key lawyers:

Jean-Maxime Blutel


Testimonials

‘The team is very well equipped and thorough when dealing with all compliance issues under the direction of Nathalie Jalabert, whose expertise goes well beyond competition law. They are very innovative because they are very familiar with the transport sector, and our internal processes and company methods. Willing to do part-time or full-time secondments. Very commendable.’

‘Nathalie Jalabert is a top expert in competition law and knows how to combine the in-house abilities of her team to bring all their strength to serving the client’s objectives, in the way expected by the client. Jean-Maxime Blutel provides helpful support.’

Key clients

AGPM


Cummins


ENEDIS (EDF)


Vinci Construction (Vinci)


GeoPost/DPDgroup (La Poste group)


Intermarché/Les Mousquetaires


La Française des Jeux


Mediawan


Pernod Ricard


Veolia


Work highlights


  • Assisted Intermarché in challenging the antitrust inspections carried out by the European Commission at its premises and achieved the annulment of the inspection decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
  • Assisted Veolia with the merger control aspects of the acquisition of Suez, a major transaction which resulted in the creation of a French-based global leader in the water, waste and energy management solutions sector.
  • Advising La Française des Jeux on the merger control issues in connection with its acquisition of ZEturf group, a competitor of FDJ in the online sports betting market.

Peltier Juvigny Marpeau & Associés

Merger control is a significant strong suit of the EU and competition practice at Peltier Juvigny Marpeau & Associés, which has an impressive record of involvement in complex cases before the European Commission – including recently advising Vivendi on its takeover of Lagardère – in addition to handling a high volume of merger control proceedings before the FCA. The team is also well versed in antitrust litigation at both the national and European levels, and has represented clients in a growing number of follow-on damages claims. At the head of the practice, Thibault Reymond and Ning-Ly Seng are skilled in both contentious and non-contentious competition matters.

Practice head(s):

Thibault Reymond; Ning-Ly Seng


Testimonials

‘Very responsive and keep in close contact with their clients.’

‘Ning-Ly Seng builds close relationships with clients and has complete mastery of her subject. She has a very business-oriented approach and keeps the client’s requirements in mind.’

‘PJM has one of the very best competition practices in Paris and the continent. They are client focused and very knowledgeable about the relevant industries and governmental authorities. PJM’s competition practice provides extraordinary solutions with global, top-notch expertise paired with the advantages of a boutique such as direct attention from the top partners.’

‘Ning-Ly Seng is a superb lawyer, with unparalleled and extensive knowledge of competition law and related regulatory issues in Europe. Even more impressive is her client-focused approach: she understands her clients’ businesses and is highly responsive to their requirements. She solves difficult problems effectively and elegantly and makes it all look so much easier than it really is.’

‘Thibault Reymond stands out for his rapid and cross-disciplinary understanding of the client’s issues.’

Key clients

Casino (including Monoprix and C-Discount)


Bolloré


Vinci


Vivendi


Servier


Boehringer Ingelhiem


Orpéa


Snetor


Almaviva


Compagnie des Alpes


Abeille Assurances


Apax


RedBull


LVMH


McDonald’s


Gerflor


Bbifrance


Axplora


Ellisphere


AbbVie


Work highlights


  • Advised Vivendi on its strategic takeover bid over Lagardère, which was approved by the European Commission following a phase II procedure.
  • Represented Casino in proceedings before the European Court of Justice seeking to annul the decision of the European Commission to authorise dawn raids on the client’s premises.
  • Assisting Bolloré SE with obtaining approval from the European Commission for its strategic sale of Bolloré Logistics to CMA CGM.

Viguié Schmidt & Associés

Viguié Schmidt & Associés has a commendable record in contentious EU and competition law matters; the team frequently represents clients in cartel and abuse of dominance investigations by the FCA and in high-profile antitrust litigation before the French courts of the highest levels, in addition to handling complex follow-on damages claims. Merger control is also a key area of activity for the team, which advises on notifications to both the FCA and the European Commission. Iñaki Saint-Esteben leads the practice, drawing on extensive experience in the full range of merger control, antitrust litigation and distribution law.

Practice head(s):

Iñaki Saint-Esteben


Other key lawyers:

Laëtitia Faivre


Testimonials

‘Iñaki Saint-Esteben and Laëtitia Faivre work closely with their clients, which facilitates exchanges and understanding of cases and the environment.’

‘Very great expertise, close to their clients, great teachers, business oriented.’

‘Iñaki Saint Esteben has very in-depth knowledge of competition law.’

‘Reactivity, professionalism and great rigour of legal reasoning.’

Key clients

Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France


Vinci Energies France


Groupe M6


Domino’s Pizza France


Réunionnaise du Rhum/GIE Rhums Réunion


Andros


Valade


Mirova/Natixis


NextStage


Sibelco


Work highlights


  • Advised Valade in the context of the investigation led by the FCA regarding an alleged anticompetitive agreement between producers of processed fruits packaged in cups and pouches and of the appeal against the FCA’s decision.
  • Advising beverage suppliers Brasserie du Pacifique and Société de distribution de Polynésie in proceedings before the Polynesian Competition Authority.
  • Successfully defended Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France against a private damages claim filed by Carrefour following a decision rendered by the FCA with respect to the home and personal care products industry.

Vogel & Vogel

Specialising in competition, distribution and consumer law, Vogel & Vogel is frequently called upon by leading French-based multinationals – particularly in the telecoms, automotive, media, retail and energy sectors – to handle high-profile mandates. The team has a wide-ranging practice, spanning antitrust investigations and litigation, merger control and private enforcement actions, with a notable strong suit in distribution-related disputes. The highly regarded Joseph Vogel, who has a strong recent track record in merger control cases, leads the sizeable team; Juliette Blouet and Fernanda de Abreu, who head the antitrust telecoms and media practices, respectively, Laurence Boudailliez and distribution law specialist Cécile Assémat are also noted.

Practice head(s):

Joseph Vogel


Other key lawyers:

Louis Vogel; Laurence Boudailliez; Fernanda de Abreu; Cécile Assémat; Juliette Blouet; Mathieu Pagnoux; Pétronille Noël; Margaux Vicaire


Testimonials

‘The team is excellent and highly specialized in competition law. They combine in-depth legal knowledge with a mastery of the economic aspects. The firm is also at the forefront of political battles aimed at defending the interests of their clients, both at the European level and at the local level. They are also very innovative in their communication and the information they provide to their partners.’

‘Joseph Vogel and Juliette Blouet stand out for their strength, responsiveness, creativity and honesty about the strengths and weaknesses of each file.’

‘They are all very responsive, attentive, courteous and discreet, always giving the client control of their decisions while offering them options and even strategies. They also manage the use of specialists from other sectors with which they work. Internationally, they work with a network of medium-sized firms which have the same specialties as them and can thus intervene on transnational files.’

‘Joseph Vogel shows humility, availability and pragmatism. Pétronille Noël is very responsive and pragmatic, and has the ability to play the role of a business partner.’

‘Joseph Vogel and Margaux Vicaire are responsive, involved and have good knowledge of the company and the operational reality.’

‘Joseph Vogel, Fernanda de Abreu and Cécile Assémat are experts and have very good knowledge of our sector.’

Key clients

Astre


Accor


Audi


Alcyon


Banette


Beaumanoir


Biolandes


Birkenstock


BMW


Bolle Brands


Bouygues Immobilier


Bouygues SA


Bouygues Telecom


Bouygues Travaux Publics


Bugatti


BUT


Cafés Richard


Ceva Santé Animale


Chevrolet


Christian Dior


Clear Channel


Club Med


Colas


Comité National Olympique


Daimler AG


DAF Trucks


Dassault Systems


Digicel


Engie


Euro Disney


Eurofins


Evobus


Forbo


Ford


Galliance


General Motors


Hyundai


Ilec


Iseki


Kia


Ligier


L’Oréal


Lotus


Mattel


Mercedes Benz France


Miele


Opel


Peter Hennen


Pierer e-bikes


Pierre Cardin


Pomona


Porsche


Primagaz


Rapido


Renault


RTE


Schneider Electric France


Stellantis


Stade de France


Terrena


Temsa


TF1


Toyota


Twitter


Vaillant Group


Veolia


Volkswagen


Volkswagen Bank


Wane Group


Yamaha


Work highlights


  • Advised Schneider Electric France on a vertical agreement inquiry undertaken by the FCA which led to dawn raids and hearings in coordination with the French criminal authorities.
  • Successfully represented Digicel before the Supreme Court in a private enforcement case against Orange for anti-competitive practices in the mobile telephony market in the French West Indies and French Guiana.
  • Advised Beaumanoir Group on the merger control aspects of the acquisition of sole control of Sarenza.

White & Case LLP

White & Case LLP impresses with the breadth of its EU and competition offering, with strong recent experience in high-profile merger control cases and antitrust investigations and litigation at both French and European level. The team has significant expertise in the digital sector, where it counts several major multinationals among its clients, and is also widely recognised for its distribution law practice, which is the first port of call for many key players in the retail sphere. Yann Utzschneider has a particularly strong record in antitrust litigation and follow-on damages claims. Jérémie Marthan and Mickaël Rivollier are also well-regarded members of the sizeable team, which was further bolstered at senior level with the promotions of Anouk Clamens and Alexandre Martin (to partner and counsel, respectively) in January 2024.

Practice head(s):

Yann Utzschneider


Other key lawyers:

Jérémie Marthan; Mickaël Rivollier; Anouk Clamens; Costanza Mussi; Alexandre Martin; Rahel Wendebourg


Testimonials

‘Jérémie Marthan and Rahel Wendebourg stand out for their responsiveness and pragmatism.’

‘Their great mastery of procedural rules makes Yann Utzschneider’s team a formidable opponent in litigation. The sense of rigour and boldness in handling files is highly appreciated.’

‘Yann Utzschneider provides excellent advice and always provides valuable insight into our files. Mickaël Rivollier is, in my opinion, one of the best lawyers on the market in competition, consumer and distribution law.’

‘The team is well rounded and equipped for complex and transnational procedures. Innovative in terms of billing. Exceptional ability of the entire team to understand a new sector in a limited time.’

‘Jérémie Marthan stands out for his pragmatism in the advice provided to the client, and his availability, and Rahel Wendebourg for her drafting skills.’

‘Jérémie Marthan has a responsive and very available team, which is attentive to the constraints of its customers.’

‘Jérémie Marthan is a highly available and proactive lawyer.’

‘An indispensable team for competition law. There is nothing Yann Utzschneider doesn’t know about competition law and he is a key figure in his field. Costanza Mussi is also very competent.’

Key clients

Casino Group


RTL Group


BPCE Group


Aéma Group


EPEX SPOT


Crédit Agricole


Nestlé/Nespresso


Fédération Bancaire Française (FBF)


BSH Electroménager and BSH Hausgerate GmbH


Atlas Arteria


Air Austral


Meta (formerly Facebook)


Free Mobile


ALD Automotive


NTN


Groupement les Mousquetaires/Intermarché/Intermarché Casino Achats (Inca-a)


GreenYellow


Daussan Refrakter Anonim Sirketi


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Intermarché Casino Achats (Inca-a), the joint purchasing venture of Intermarché and Casino, before the Court of Justice of the European Union and secured the annulment of the European Commission’s decision following its dawn raids on the client’s premises.
  • Assisting RTL Group, Europe’s largest broadcaster, in the context of the merger control process before the FCA of the attempted merger between Groupe TF1 and Groupe M6 (controlled by RTL Group).
  • Represented Nespresso France SAS and Nestlé Nespresso SA in a follow-on damages action brought against in based on a decision by the FCA.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Merger control is the cornerstone of the EU and competition law practice at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, which frequently handles cases before the FCA and the European Commission (including complex phase II reviews), in addition to coordinating multi-jurisdictional merger filings alongside its Brussels and other international offices. The team particularly impresses with its advice to leading French private equity firms, but its client base also includes key players in the aviation, shipping and retail sectors, among others. In addition, the firm assists with antitrust investigations and state aid issues. Faustine Viala is leading the Paris team's advice on a host of high-profile merger control cases.

Practice head(s):

Faustine Viala


Other key lawyers:

David Kupka


Testimonials

‘The Willkie Farr & Gallagher competition team combines technical expertise, strong involvement in their files, rigour and communicative dynamism. Faustine Viala must be a good manager and teacher because all the members of her team have the same qualities: empathy, expertise, availability and rigour.’

‘A file managed by Faustine Viala is a file that is moving forward! Faustine Viala takes charge of the matter and provides everything necessary for a good outcome: detailed analyses, compliance with deadlines, leadership with potential partners and knowledge of regulatory contacts. In addition, she communicates easily with operational teams and helps mobilize them.’

‘The team’s strengths are its responsiveness, technical ability, competence, and an efficient international network that can be mobilized quickly, with very good quality teams outside France.’

‘This team combines great technical mastery of the subject matter with an ability to propose concrete solutions. It is for me a benchmark in Paris.’

‘Faustine Viala has a great capacity for analysis and above all for proposing solutions to potential problems detected.’

‘Very committed and innovative team – it offers training to its clients in line with their needs and sectors of activity.’

‘Deep expertise in EU competition law, with a great insight into the trends they are seeing across the market and in their interactions with regulators. Their work is thorough and comprehensive, and their entire team, from top to bottom, is very responsive and knowledgeable. ’

‘Faustine Viala combines very strong technical skills and an ability to provide innovative and reliable solutions while putting herself at the level of a non-lawyer client.’

Key clients

KKR


ICG


Ethypharm


Air France


CDC


Ardian


Bel Group


Bpifrance


CMA CGM


Elior Group


Arkema


Casino


PAI Partners


Kuehne + Nagel


Lagardère Group


Latour Capital


Materne


Insight Partners


IK Investment Partners


Saint Gobain


Air Liquide


Bureau Veritas


Naval Group


Mecachrome


Syntagma


Waterland Private Equity


OpenGate Capital


EuroTorp


Work highlights


  • Advised Ardian on an in-depth phase II investigation by the FCA regarding the acquisition of sole control over Société du Pipeline Rhône-Méditerranée (SPMR).
  • Advising Air France KLM on the merger control aspects of a 10-year strategic partnership between its cargo division and the newly launched CMA CGM Air Cargo.
  • Advised PAI with regards to the merger control aspects of the acquisition of IFF’s Savory Solutions Group, which required notification to the competition authorities of Mexico, Canada and the EU.

AYACHE

AYACHE has an active merger control practice, frequently advising on notifications to the FCA and the European Commission, with a notable emphasis on advising French and international investment funds. The team is also experienced in antitrust litigation before the domestic courts and competition authority, and has additional expertise in follow-on damages claims; practice head Frédéric Fuchs is currently acting for a claimant in private enforcement proceedings relating to the trucks cartel case. Fuchs also provides general competition law advice to a range of foreign and domestic clients.

Practice head(s):

Frédéric Fuchs


Testimonials

‘A highly competent team with expertise in each area.’

‘Frédéric Fuchs provides an impeccable quality of service, is very clear on complex matters and responsive.’

‘Ayache has a skilled and well-respected competition team that is able to navigate complex issues. The seamless interaction with other departments within Ayache is impressive.’

‘Frédéric Fuchs stands out for his business focus as well as for his concise and precise communication – he gives clear advice that is easy to understand. He is a great lawyer and a pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

TransAtlantis


Towerbrook Capital Partners


Intermediate Group Capital (ICG)


TDF


Syndicat National de l’Edition (SNE)


Groupe All


Work highlights


  • Advised TransAtlantis on the scope of its claim for damages before the Commercial Court of Lyon against the main trucks manufacturers fined by the European Commission in the trucks cartel case.
  • Advised Towerbrook on the notification to the European Commission of its acquisition of joint control over The Independents, which is active in the marketing communications services.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is well versed in high-profile merger control cases at both French and European level, while on the contentious side it has a strong track record of representing clients in cartel investigations and in significant antitrust and distribution litigation. The firm particularly stands out for its impressive experience in the telecoms, media and technology sectors, where it acts for well-known domestic and international clients. Julie Catala Marty is a go-to adviser on the full range of EU, competition and distribution matters.

Practice head(s):

Julie Catala Marty


Other key lawyers:

Rémi Beydon


Testimonials

‘Excellent level of skills combined with an understanding of business issues. Able to make the very technical subject of competition law understandable to non-lawyers. Availability, responsiveness and expertise.’

‘Quality team both professionally and interpersonally – very attentive to its customers and very pragmatic and innovative in its work. It is a team that knows how to adapt to all situations/requests, both on an administrative level and in its style of working.’

‘Julie Catala Marty, Rémi Beydon and the team are excellent.’

Key clients

Altice


CMS Francis Lefebvre

CMS Francis Lefebvre is noted for the strength of its distribution law practice, with a wealth of experience in advising both suppliers and retailers on mergers, disputes and investigations, and also has significant expertise in EU regulatory matters. In addition, the team routinely advises on merger notifications to both the FCA and the European Commission and is increasingly active in foreign investment control proceedings. The experienced trio of Nathalie Pétrignet (an expert in distribution law), Claire Vannini and Denis Redon leads the practice.

Practice head(s):

Nathalie Pétrignet; Claire Vannini; Denis Redon


Other key lawyers:

Vincent Lorieul


Testimonials

‘A perfect mastery of competition law and commercial law, particularly in the field of distribution and customs. A perfect knowledge of our group and its sectors of activity. Very high level of responsiveness and great courage. Clear and wise advice. When working as a team with other firms, their efficiency is clearly higher.’

‘The team stands out for the significant reputation and quality of the lawyers. They handle important cases.’

‘Very good knowledge of the law and case law and insight into draft laws. Very good knowledge of the FMCG sector, allowing them to deliver opinions adapted to our needs.’

Key clients

Nissan Group


Alstom


General Electric Energy Power France


Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Football Club


Trigano


Der Grüne Punkt GmbH and PRO Europe


Work highlights


  • Advising Nissan on its exit from Russia and compliance with existing European regulations.
  • Advising Trigano on numerous mergers in the distribution of leisure vehicles sector.
  • Acting for GE Energy Products France in major litigation relating to restrictive competition practices brought by the Minister of the Economy.

DLA Piper

Advising on multi-jurisdictional merger control cases is a key pillar of the practice at DLA Piper, which frequently handles notifications to the FCA, the European Commission and antitrust authorities worldwide. The team also plays a prominent role in FCA investigations, particularly in relation to complaints of abuse of dominant position. Its client base includes a host of French multinationals, with notable strong suits in the digital, automotive and life sciences sectors. Practice head Edouard Sarrazin is skilled in both contentious and non-contentious EU and competition matters.

Practice head(s):

Edouard Sarrazin


Other key lawyers:

Céline Espesson; Julie Brousseau


Testimonials

‘Great responsiveness and availability. Very good awareness and understanding of the company’s needs.’

‘Céline Espesson is strategic in her advice, and shows great responsiveness and clarity of analyses.’

‘Expertise in merger control relating to foreign transactions, excellent interpersonal skills, sound advice, availability.’

‘Edouard Sarrazin is an expert in competition law.’

Key clients

Doctolib


Guerbet


DERET


Cube


CRITEO


Ecolab


FORVIA


Groupe Louis Wane


Michelin


GAZ DE BORDEAUX


RENAULT


Société Générale


MEDTRONIC


ROLLS ROYCE


SODEXO


Work highlights


  • Advising and assisting Gaz de Bordeaux in the context of the FCA investigation concerning an alleged abuse of a dominant position following a complaint by the French energy regulator.
  • Advising Doctolib in the context of the FCA’s investigation related to possible concerns of abuse of dominant position.
  • Advising Michelin and Forvia in relation to the merger control aspects of the investment of Stellantis into Symbio.

Grall & Associés

Competition and distribution law boutique Grall & Associés stands out for its strong track record in cartel and abuse of dominance investigations by the FCA and European Commission, and in high-profile antitrust litigation before the national courts, where the team has recently handled several appeals against fines imposed by the FCA. The firm also has a busy transactional practice, with experience of advising on merger control cases at both the French and European level. Charles-Henri Calla, Thomas Lamy and Jean-Christophe Grall cover the full spectrum of competition law matters.

Practice head(s):

Charles-Henri Calla; Jean-Christophe Grall; Thomas Lamy; Nathalia Kouchnir-Cargill


Other key lawyers:

Patrice Boulkeroua


Testimonials

‘It is an available and extremely efficient team.’

‘Thomas Lamy stands out. He is very business oriented. He is truly interested in his clients’ problems. He is proactive and an excellent teacher.’

‘Excellent knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector, and deliver innovative solutions in project structuring.’

‘Thomas Lamy has remarkable expertise, to-the-point advice, and availability and rigour in his handling of files and response times.’

‘Responsive and consistent team.’

‘Charles-Henri Calla is efficient and easy to understand and is also a pragmatic lawyer. We have from time to time worked with Patrice Boulkeroua, who has the same level of expertise and quality of services as Charles-Henri.’

‘One of the best competition law boutiques in France. In several aspects they are at the level of the large international offices.’

‘Charles-Henri Calla is an excellent lawyer – very experienced, very technically sound, with an exceptional level of service.’

Work highlights


  • Advised a client on securing the approval for an acquisition from the European Commission following a phase II investigation.
  • Acting for a client in an appeal against a decision by the FCA to impose a fine for abuse of dominant position before the Paris Court of Appeal.
  • Assisted a client with obtaining a reduction in a fine imposed by the FCA in a case before the Paris Court of Appeal.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP fields a broad EU and competition practice covering merger control, antitrust litigation and investigations, distribution agreements and competition compliance programmes, acting for a sizeable portfolio of French-based multinationals across the energy, financial services, automotive and technology sectors, among others. The firm has a particular strong suit in handling complex multi-jurisdictional merger control cases (and is noted for its expertise in filings with the CEMAC Commission). Sergio Sorinas is well versed in merger control and antitrust litigation at both French and European level.

Practice head(s):

Sergio Sorinas


Other key lawyers:

Marie Louvet


Testimonials

‘Excellent team with in-depth knowledge of the market, a practical approach to the subject matter and proposals for innovative solutions, and very proactive and always available. The billing in relation to the service provided is excellent.’

‘Sergio Sorinas is excellent: he provides sharp analysis of competition law, and practical, effective advice. He regularly keeps us informed of legislative changes that could impact us.’

‘Very friendly, ultra-competent and pragmatic team.’

Key clients

Cellnex


Nexity


Groupe Up


Crédit Mutuel


Diageo


Renault


Amarenco


Perenco


United Group


Work highlights


  • Advising Cellnex on the merger control aspects of the acquisition of French tower company Hivory from Altice France and Starlight Holdco (KKK), and the subsequent sale of sites in France to Phoenix Tower International.
  • Advising Nexity, France’s leading integrated real estate group, on the merger control aspects of its acquisition of a 55% stake in the Angelotti group.
  • Assisting Groupe Up in an appeal against the FCA’s decision to impose a fine of €45m for alleged anti-competitive practices in the market for meal vouchers.

Magenta

Competition and regulatory-focused boutique Magenta has a particularly strong presence in the telecoms sector, although its client base extends across several highly regulated industries, including energy, transportation and healthcare. Representing clients in antitrust investigations by the FCA, European Commission and Polynesian Competition Authority is a core area of expertise for the team, which is also active in merger control, private enforcement actions and distribution disputes (where Gaël Hichri has a thriving practice). Sylvain Justier and Vincent Jaunet are the other leading figures in the practice.

Practice head(s):

Sylvain Justier; Vincent Jaunet; Gaël Hichri


Other key lawyers:

Morgane Silhol


Testimonials

‘Great technical skills, availability and accessibility. Excellent understanding of our group’s internal issues/internal policy. Pragmatic and efficient. Excellent strategic vision.’

‘Sylvain Justier and Moragne Silhol are very competent, available and efficient. They have excellent communication skills and know how to explain complex subjects to new internal decision-makers. Great sense of customer interest above all else.’

‘Young, dynamic, available team that produces quality work.’

‘The team is very responsive, accessible, practical, pragmatic and concise. They are innovative in their ideas and in their breakfast webinars.’

‘It is a pleasure to work with Gaël Hichri thanks to his ability to listen, adaptability, pleasant approach, good humour and good advice. He knows how to balance risks and really advise the client.’

‘Gaël Hichri is very responsive, very accessible and an excellent professional. I would recommend him without hesitation.’

‘The Magenta team stands out due to knowing the regulated sectors extremely well. The firm has the enormous advantage of having very detailed technical knowledge of competition law and also of being able to give in-depth advice on economic subjects. Magenta also demonstrates great responsiveness to our requests which are sometimes made at the last minute.’

‘I particularly appreciate the fact that no memo or procedural document leaves Magenta without a final review by Sylvain Justier, who knows each file like the back of his hand, including any additional documents. The result of this approach is exceptional work.’

Key clients

Adista


Bausch & Lomb


Carac


Carrefour


Haier Group (Candy Hoover)


Ipsen


Wana Corporate


ONATi


OPT


Organon


Pléiade Investissement


SFR/SRR/Outremer Telecom (Altice Group)


SPIE


Work highlights


  • Assisting Haier during an antitrust investigation opened by the FCA related to the distribution of white and brown goods in France.
  • Advising Wana before the Moroccan National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) in relation to an historical fine imposed in an antitrust investigation targeting Maroc Telecom (IAM).
  • Representing Carrefour in a landmark procedure, based on French distribution law and the regulation of restrictive competition practices, related to retaliatory practices implemented by a major food supplier to impose its prices on the client.

Orrick

Orrick has a stellar reputation in antitrust litigation and follow-on damages claims, frequently representing clients before the FCA and the French courts of the highest levels; its recent caseload includes acting for the claimants in high-profile private enforcement actions against Google and Orange. The team also advises on FCA investigations, merger control (including multi-jurisdictional filings) and complex state aid issues, where Marie-Laure Combet  is considered a go-to adviser. The highly experienced Patrick Hubert and Malik Idri, an expert in follow-on damages claims, are also noted.

Practice head(s):

Patrick Hubert


Other key lawyers:

Marie-Laure Combet; Malik Idri


Testimonials

‘Expertise and high level of skills.’

‘Marie-Laure Combet stands out for her empathy, skill and availability.’

‘The team’s in-depth expertise makes them unique – in particular, in contrast to a number of other law firms, they are truly collaborative across the different practices and offices. This means that they are able to provide outstanding quality advice to clients.’

‘I’ve always been incredibly impressed by Marie-Laure Combet. In particular, she has outstanding expertise in state aid matters and is a go-to name in the Paris market for advice on the most complex state aid matters. Marie-Laure works exceptionally hard to provide her clients with the highest quality legal advice. She is also outstanding at communicating complex legal matters in a very easy and clear manner.’

‘Excellent team! Patrick Hubert and Malik Idri stand out.’

Key clients

Ardian


AXA REIM France


iQera


GS1


Randstad


Royal Mail Group Ltd


SFR


Dalkia


Biogaran (Servier Group)


Chantiers de l’Atlantique


Saint-Gobain


Figec


Safran


Terreal


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Saint-Gobain Isover in an investigation by the FCA regarding an allegation of anticompetitive practices, resulting in the complete dismissal of the case.
  • Representing Smart AdServer SAS in a damages claim against Google following the €220 million fine imposed by the FCA.
  • Represented SFR in an approximately €3 billion damages claim against Orange for anticompetitive practices, following a decision of the FCA, in a landmark case before the Paris Commercial Court.

Paul Hastings LLP

Paul Hastings LLP's Paris team has an excellent track record of handling high-profile, cross-border merger control mandates alongside its international offices, advising on notifications to the FCA, European Commission and other foreign antitrust authorities. The team, which also assists with foreign direct investment and regulatory filings, particularly stands out for its advice to private equity firms. Representing major French and international clients in FCA investigations and state aid cases are also growing areas of strength. Camille Paulhac is a key name for both merger control and antitrust cases.

Practice head(s):

Camille Paulhac


Other key lawyers:

Juliette Hua


Testimonials

‘The European law, competition and distribution team at Paul Hastings demonstrates in-depth expertise and an unfailing commitment to serving its clients.’

‘Camille Paulhac is a key player in his field. He combines great analytical finesse with a pragmatic and educational approach.’

‘Great pragmatism. Strong responsiveness.’

Key clients

Google


Five Arrows


Motion Equity Partners


STG Partners


Malakoff Humanis


Crédit Mutuel Arkéa


Galileo Global Education


First Brands Group


SD Biosensor


FCDE


Keysight Technologies


LG Energy Solutions


Work highlights


  • Advised Keysight Technologies on the global merger control and foreign direct investment notifications of its acquisition of a 50.6 per cent stake followed by a tender offer on the entire share capital of listed company ESI Group.

Racine

Racine significantly strengthened its offering in March 2023 with the addition of Guillaume Fabre, who brings notable expertise in merger control and high-profile antitrust litigation to the team, from his own practice. The firm is renowned for its expertise in state aid, where it advises on complex cases relating to technology and green energy projects, but has broad experience across merger control, antitrust cases, follow-on damages claims and distribution law (a specialist area for Sophie Pasquesoone). State aid specialist Bastien Thomas and Valérie Ledoux-Tömek are also key figures.

Practice head(s):

Bastien Thomas; Valérie Ledoux-Tömek; Sophie Pasquesoone; Guillaume Fabre


Other key lawyers:

Estelle Leclerc; Anne Rogez


Testimonials

‘One of the best teams in France for European state aid law.’

‘Bastien Thomas is a remarkable lawyer and always keeps in touch.’

‘Valérie Ledoux is a good practitioner with great instincts on these subjects.’

‘Sophie Pasquesoone stands out for her situational intelligence, speed and understanding of the issues, particularly the subtle balance between legal elements and context.’

‘Bastien Thomas is a leader in state aid matters, along with his entire team.’

‘The team is technically excellent and very responsive. They are also very pragmatic and available. Their proactivity in processing files is impressive. They always try to understand the objectives pursued in order to advise intelligently and strategically. They charge very reasonable fees.’

‘Guillaume Fabre is truly excellent both technically and strategically. He also has very in-depth knowledge of our market sector. I call him regularly to discuss issues together and he allows me to resolve our legal issues very effectively.’

‘Guillaume Fabre is technically excellent and already has a strong track record.’

Key clients

Airbus


Dassault Systèmes


Constellium


Orano


Dailymotion (Vivendi Group)


X-Fab


Cafeyn Group


IN Group


Knauf


Teledyne


Elogen GTT


RX France


Suez


Symbio


RATP


Maïsadour


Stellantis


TotalEnergies


Work highlights


  • Advising aircraft manufacturer Airbus on the approval by the European Commission of state aid for the R&D of a microelectronics project.
  • Acting for Ellisphere, an information provider concerning risk management and data marketing, in the context of an investigation conducted by the FCA into alleged anti-competitive practices in this sector.
  • Advising TotalEnergies (formerly Total) on its notification to the European Commission regarding state aid for a project consisting of developing a green hydrogen production plant for industry and mobility end users in France.

Cabinet Renaudier

Boutique competition and distribution law firm Cabinet Renaudier is well versed in merger control cases (where it is increasingly active in handling notifications to the New Caledonian Competition Authority) and also has robust experience of assisting clients in abuse of dominance and cartel investigations and related litigation. The firm is noted for its strong suit in distribution law, with particular expertise in advising large domestic clients in the retail sector. The experienced leadership team is made up of Richard Renaudier, Muriel Perrier and Violaine Ayrole.

Practice head(s):

Richard Renaudier; Muriel Perrier; Violaine Ayrole


Testimonials

‘Cabinet Renaudier is a firm on a human scale so it is easy for the client to get to know all the partners, at least. That has been the case for me. Each of the partners knows the company and the group for which I work well. It is also easier when new matters are entrusted to them – there is no need to redo the introduction to the company. The thing that particularly impresses me is the pragmatic side of their analyses and responses, which gives me great strength.’

‘I have known and worked with Richard Renaudier for many years – many years of trust. The relationship with a law firm should be on a personal basis – this is completely the case for Cabinet Renaudier as far as I am concerned.’

‘Advises on both in litigation and in consulting. Listens to the customer. Availability, pragmatism, expertise.’

Key clients

Alain Afflelou


Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC)


Coopérative U Enseigne


Cuenet Group (New Caledonia)


Derichebourg


Espace Emeraude


Kingfisher/Brico Dépôt/Castorama


Philips Domestic Appliances/Versuni


Rougnon


TP Vision


Work highlights


  • Advised Kingfisher (Castorama and Brico Dépôt) on all the competition law aspects of the creation of an alliance between Kingfisher France and Mr Bricolage to jointly offer new services to DIY product suppliers.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Romain Ferla leads the practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, which is frequently active in French and EU merger control proceedings, with an emphasis on advising domestic and international private equity firms. The team is particularly well equipped to handle cross-border transactions and merger control filings in multiple jurisdictions. In addition, the firm has played a prominent role in antitrust litigation and private enforcement actions; its current caseload includes representing one of the defendants in follow-on damages claims stemming from the floor coverings cartel.

Practice head(s):

Romain Ferla


Testimonials

‘They quickly understand the issues and give pragmatic and actionable advice.’

‘Romain Ferla is our main contact. He is extremely accessible, available, non-nonsense and pragmatic. He is supported by a good team.’

‘An extremely accomplished and experienced group who have the benefit of being able to seamlessly tap into Weil’s worldwide network of practices across the world.’

‘They are across all the issues and leave you in no doubt they have things covered.’

‘Knowledge of the law, creativity, adaptability.’

‘Romain Ferla has top knowledge of his files, shows great flexibility in difficult conditions, and is excellent at explaining the issues to third parties.’

Key clients

Advent


Apax


Ardian


CNP/Sienna


CVC


Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC)


Chequers


Genstar


FILMM


Groupe Casino


Interflora


Kartesia


Luxempart


Montagu


Omers


SNCF


SRS


Work highlights


  • Advised CNP and Sienna on the EU merger control procedure relating to the acquisition of ECT group, a leader in the French waste treatment sector.
  • Representing Kaléi, a French trade association of manufacturers of flooring products, in an antitrust private enforcement case brought against the client and three of its members by approximately 300 French hospitals using PVC flooring products.
  • Advising Advent on the merger control aspects of the sale of Cobham Aerospace Communications to Thales (involving filings in multiple jurisdictions).

Wilhelm & Associés

Wilhelm & Associés has an enviable client base in the media, entertainment and retail sectors, advising key players in the French market such as Vivendi and Groupe Canal + on high-profile merger control, antitrust litigation, and distribution and franchising issues. The firm has a robust skill set in contentious matters, with strong experience in abuse of dominance cases (including follow-on damages claims) and distribution disputes. Pascal Wilhelm, whose practice spans both merger control and litigation, and Emilie Dumur are the names to note.

Practice head(s):

Pascal Wilhelm


Other key lawyers:

Emilie Dumur


Testimonials

‘It is a responsive and very competent team, which brilliantly supported us in our case. They are ahead of others in their approach to diversity.’

‘Pascal Wilhelm has extensive experience in both litigation and mergers. His team is used to working on high-stakes files.’

‘The team stands out for its exceptional leadership in the person of Pascal Wilhelm, who combines all the qualities of a truly talented lawyer, with a great capacity for dialogue and innovation.’

Key clients

Vivendi


Veolia


Groupe Canal +


Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, WM Holding, But (Mobilux)


Betclic


Amadeus


Fnac Darty +


Work highlights


  • Advised Vivendi on the merger clearance of its acquisition of Lagardère before the European Commission.
  • Advised Groupe Canal+ in relation to a dispute with TF1 Group over the terms and conditions of the renewal of the distribution agreement between the TF1 Group and GCP relating to the TF1 Premium offer.
  • Advised Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, WM Holding, But (Mobilux) on the clearance of its acquisition of Conforama France before the FCA.

ADVANT Altana

ADVANT Altana has a growing merger control practice, and as part of a wider association with firms in Italy and Germany, is well positioned to advise on multi-jurisdictional transactions. Its breadth of expertise also extends across cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, state aid issues, and private enforcement litigation, including defending Renault against stand-alone damages claims. Frédéric Manin, who stands out for his experience in the insurance sector, and Marie Hindré lead the practice.

Practice head(s):

Marie Hindré; Frédéric Manin


Other key lawyers:

Lucie Giret


Testimonials

‘Rapid understanding of our business and the market. Relevant analysis.’

‘One of the best competition teams I have ever had the opportunity to work with. They are pragmatic, business and customer oriented, and look for solutions.’

‘Marie Hindré and Lucie Giret are versatile, agile and reliable. Very expert but also and above all very attentive to the client’s constraints and issues.’

‘The team understands the characteristics of a new market and industry very quickly, which minimises onboarding time and costs for the client. The collaboration between the diverse team members clearly benefitted the project and resulted in a positive outcome.’

‘Frédéric Manin and Lucie Giret have been stellar legal counsels. Their responsiveness and friendliness was perfect. The team works as professionally as it gets and there is no doubt we would engage them again.’

‘The Altana team is not only professional but studies the subject in depth to build the best arguments for the case. The partners in the Paris office are available and attentive. They work collaboratively and give regular feedback on the progress of the file.’

‘Frédéric Manin and Lucie Giret are two advisors with great personal qualities and flawless availability. They challenge arguments and simplify their reports without losing their meaning. It is a pleasure to work with them.’

‘Very good skills in competition law and distribution law, good listening skills and a good understanding of business issues. They provide litigation solutions and tactics. Open to fee negotiation.’

Key clients

AG2R LA MONDIALE


AXIANS


BLIZZARD (MICROSOFT GROUP)


COVEA


CSRP


DUCATI


EUREDEN


EURAPHARMA


GROUPAMA


INTERFEL


MATMUT


RENAULT


SOPRA STERIA


SODICO


UGI Corporation/Antargaz Finagaz


URIAGE


VINCI GROUP


WIENERBERGER


Work highlights


  • Advising the Wienerberger Group on the French merger control filing of the acquisition of Terreal.
  • Acting for the Vinci Group within the context of complex abuse of dominant position litigation against SNCF before the Paris Court of Appeal.
  • Advising the AG2R La Mondiale group, one of the most prominent insurers and pensions providers, on the clearance of its merger with Mutuelle Bleue.

Aramis

Aramis is particularly active in merger control cases before the FCA, in addition to advising French companies on the coordination of multi-jurisdictional filings. The firm also assists with competition law compliance and distribution matters, and has experience in antitrust litigation and investigations. Aurélien Condomines leads the practice, predominantly advising clients in the agri-food and retail sectors, although his industry-specific expertise also covers luxury goods, defence and banking.

Practice head(s):

Aurélien Condomines


Other key lawyers:

Pierre Galmiche


Testimonials

‘The team is not very large but is extremely agile, providing feedback within very short deadlines.’

Key clients

Grohe


Bimpli


Hermes


Firmenich


Cromology


Henry Schein


InVivo


La Poste


EDF


La Française


Work highlights


  • Advised InVivo, France’s biggest union of cooperatives, on the coordination of merger filings in several jurisdictions for its acquisition of United Malt Group.
  • Assisted Docaposte, the digital subsidiary of La Poste Groupe, with the merger filing of its acquisition of Maincare Solutions, one of the leaders in supporting the digital transformation of hospitals in France.
  • Assisted BPCE Lease, a subsidiary of the BPCE banking group, with the merger filing of its acquisition of Groupe Eurolocatique, a specialist provider of solutions to finance medical equipment.

August Debouzy

August Debouzy has a broad EU and competition practice in Paris, with experience acting for French-based and international clients, particularly in the fashion and retail sectors, and further strengthened its offering in June 2023 with the launch of its Brussels office. Renaud Christol is well versed in merger control (including notifications to the European Commission and antitrust authorities worldwide), competition law compliance and litigation, while Alexandra Berg-Moussa is an expert in distribution law.

Practice head(s):

Alexandra Berg-Moussa; Renaud Christol


Testimonials

‘Very competent, welcoming team, always ready to help and provide the technical means to move forward and gain efficiency.’

‘Alexandra Berg-Moussa stands out due to her ability to understand and translate all the complexities of our operations into legal language. Very good listening skills and adapt to meet customer needs. Great negotiator who allows you to move forward in complex situations.’

‘The team is pragmatic and flexible, ready for discussion and always looking for practical solutions.’

‘Renaud Christol has lots of experience, is pragmatic and available, and has a great understanding of our business model.’

‘The strengths of the competition team are its remarkable responsiveness which gives the client a sense of security, good listening skills and knowledge of the client’s activities, and its availability. The differentiating feature of the team is that it is business oriented – the advice is always pragmatic and effective.’

‘The team is of a high level. The partners get personally involved in the files.’

‘Renaud Christol has a great understanding of our operations which makes his advice and interventions extremely effective and relevant.’

Key clients

Czech Media Invest (Daniel Kretinsky company)


Adveo Group


TotalEnergies


Nike


Orange


Costo Wholesale


DDB Omnicom


Sagemcom


Lafarge Holcim


Transcovo (Kapten/FreeNow)


Recommerce Solution


Petit Bateau


Becton Dickinson


Genvia


Havas


Bertelsmann


Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC)


Brittany Ferries


Schlumberger


Argos Wityu


Microsoft


Colas and its subsidiaries


Work highlights


  • Assisting Czech Media Invest, a Daniel Kretinsky company, with the clearance of its acquisition of Editis before the European Commission, as well as the framework of the Vivendi/Lagardère deal, which included an obligation for Vivendi to divest Editis.
  • Assisting Argos Wityu, an investment fund, with the clearance of its acquisition of TKH France and its subsidiaries before the FCA, the Moroccan Competition Authority and the General Authority for Competition of Saudi Arabia.
  • Assisting Adveo Group with the distribution aspects of its acquisition of certain assets of the Top Office retail network and the creation and structuring of a new franchise network throughout the entire French territory.

Borrel d’Arche

Litigation is the forte of competition and distribution law boutique Borrel d’Arche, which has an impressive track record of representing clients in large-scale cartel investigations by the FCA and in unfair competition and distribution-related disputes. Notable areas of expertise include agri-food, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and aeronautics. Laurence Borrel-Prat, who has a wealth of experience in antitrust litigation, damages claims, merger control and distribution law, leads the team with Quitterie d’Arche.

Practice head(s):

Laurence Borrel-Prat; Quitterie d’Arche


Testimonials

‘Niche firm, with a tailor-made, expert, high-end service.’

‘Great technical and personal qualities. The fact that Laurence Borrel has both worked in large firms and then as legal director gives this firm an intuitive vision of the client’s expectations, allowing it to meet these expectations as only few firms are able to.’

‘Laurence Borrel shines with her ability to steer the client’s boat through rough waters.’

‘A very professional team that handles intricate matters with concise and tailored advice.’

‘In addition to their skills, Quitterie d’Arche and Laurence Borrel are absolutely trustworthy and very diligent.’

‘Quitterie d’Arche’s commitment is remarkable.’

‘Laurence Borrel and Quitterie d’Arche specialize in distribution, commercial litigation and competition. Excellent interpersonal skills, great spontaneity and serious work characterize the Borrel d’Arche firm.’

‘Quitterie d’Arche has great technical skills. She is very serious and very involved in cases. Laurence Borrel is a very well-known figure in the world of law in Paris, and has great intuition.’

Dentons

With experience in the automotive, retail, food and beverages, and life sciences sectors, among others, Dentons is frequently active in merger control cases, handling notifications to the FCA and the European Commission. Other strong suits of the firm include antitrust and consumer law investigations, competition compliance and audits, and the establishment of distribution networks and agreements. Emmanuelle van den Broucke is the key contact in the practice.

Practice head(s):

Emmanuelle van den Broucke


Other key lawyers:

Margaux Serra


Testimonials

‘Emmanuelle van den Broucke provides succinct, clear, and practical advice and guidance on French competition and distribution law.’

‘Emmanuelle van den Broucke is our go-to partner for French commercial matters. She is very responsive and able to distill what other lawyers may claim is too complicated into clear and practical guidance rather than providing a treatise on the Civil Code or other applicable laws.’

‘Dentons has a strong network allowing it to react with great responsiveness in most countries. Dentons’ expertise is impressive in the field of European, competition and distribution law. The firm is notably capable of following any antitrust filing procedure in any European country.’

‘Emmanuelle van den Broucke is a consummate professional with immense experience in the fields of European and competition law, which allows her to respond in an immediate and responsive manner to any antitrust topic.’

‘Excellent support, partners and teams.’

‘Emmanuelle van den Broucke understands our requirements.’

Key clients

Sportsdirect


Avis


BNI


Gojo (Purell Group-USA)


Komatsu


Septodont


STEF


Zuru Inc.


Groupe Maurin


Centigon


Emil Frey


Amplitude


Groupe Grim


Work highlights


  • Advised SportsDirect on the attempted purchase of the Go Sport group, including a full audit of the distribution model of Go Sport in France and abroad.
  • Assisted STEF with all the antitrust aspects of the sale of its subsidiary La Meridionale (specialized in maritime transport) to CMA CGM, including merger control filings and procedures before the Moroccan and French competition authorities.
  • Advising several major distributors of French and foreign automotive brands, such as Groupe Maurin, Groupe Bernard, Groupe Grim, Groupe Jean Lain, Groupe Pellet and Groupe Amplitude, on merger notification processes before the FCA.

Deprez Guignot Associés

Deprez Guignot Associés stands out for its representation of clients in the media, digital and retail sectors, most notably advising Groupe M6 on the phase II investigation of its proposed merger with TF1 by the FCA. In addition to merger control, the firm has experience in contentious matters, including cartel and abuse of dominance cases, follow-on damages claims and distribution-related disputes. Philippe Bonnet, who has expertise across the board of competition law, leads the practice.

Practice head(s):

Philippe Bonnet


Other key lawyers:

Pierre Deprez


Testimonials

‘Very available, very efficient, very rigorous team.’

‘Extremely responsive. Excellent technical skills. Perfectly adapted to our expectations.’

Key clients

INTERMARCHÉ


GROUPE M6


MISTERAUTO


TEDIBER


GOOGLE


CAFEYN


BOULANGER


ASFA


Work highlights


  • Advised M6 on all antitrust aspects of the proposed merger between M6 and TF1, including on an in-depth phase II review.
  • Assisted United.b (Boulanger, Electro Dépôt), a major player in the field of specialised distribution, on the merger control aspects of its acquisition of Recommerce.
  • Acting for M6 in a contractual dispute with video on demand platform Molotov involving commercial distribution and competition issues.

DWF (France) AARPI

DWF (France) AARPI's practice covers the full range of merger control, antitrust litigation, state aid and distribution law. In particular, the firm benefits from the niche expertise of its department heads - Emmanuel Durand is well recognised for his expertise in competition matters in the sports and media sectors, as well as in advising major retailers on distribution issues, while Nicole Coutrelis has a wealth of experience in litigation before the ECJ (including representing the European Commission).

Practice head(s):

Emmanuel Durand; Nicole Coutrelis


Testimonials

‘A competent and professional team. They know the law and the issues related to various pieces of legislation and the members of the team have a great capacity to understand the specific matter that the client is dealing with at the client’s level. Great ability to adapt to questions that arise during negotiations or the implementation of new projects.’

‘I mainly work with Emmanuel Durand. He is a brilliant lawyer who perfectly understands the sports, media and marketing sphere. His legal expertise, particularly in competition law, is a valuable asset when dealing with complex issues.’

‘Cross-functional team that is growing and offers companies a varied panel.’

Key clients

Dr. Oetker France


Carrefour


Comité d’Organisation des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024


Les Cinémas Pathé Gaumont


Eurokera


Ligue de Football Professionnel


Club des Opticiens


French Tennis Federation


TCL Europe


Willemen Groep


CAA Eleven


Ayolab


Dr. August Oetker (Germany)


European Commission


Interbev


Cofco International


Varenne Gastronomie


Dimitriaki


FIDAL

FIDAL is noted for its sizeable team, based in offices throughout France (and in Brussels), enabling it to provide a full service to large national companies across an array of sectors. The firm has particular strength in advising retail, food and healthcare industry clients on distribution law matters, but its broad practice covers merger control, cartel and abuse of dominance cases, state aid issues and competition compliance.

Practice head(s):

Philippe Vanni


Other key lawyers:

Guillaume Pezzali; Laurent François-Martin; Pierre de Gouville; Nicolas Gransard; Marie Koehler de Mountblanc; Frédéric Puel; Boris Ruy; Hélène Leung; Perrine Plouvier-Masse; Simon Hotte


Testimonials

‘Great skill and technical expertise. Different profiles and billing levels, which is much appreciated.’

Key clients

SMABTP


Aubret


Solvadis


PepsiCo


SNCF


Communauté d’Agglomération du Boulonnais


Tereos


Roullier


Federation of Enterprises and Entrepreneurs of France (FEEF)


Work highlights


  • Assisted Roullier (as the former parent company of Charcuteries Gourmandes) in a hearing before the Paris Court of Appeal relating to the FCA’s decision in the charcuterie cartel.
  • Advised Pepsico on the competition law aspects of its compliance programme in France.

HW&H

HW&H's signature strength is its ability to advise German companies and their French affiliates on competition and distribution matters, in addition to acting for French and international groups. The firm has an emphasis on distribution law, assisting with the establishment of distribution networks and with disputes relating to distribution contracts. Practice heads Dominique Heintz and Maria Bagate are also skilled in merger control and cartel and abuse of dominance cases.

Practice head(s):

Dominique Heintz; Maria Bagate


Testimonials

‘The special feature of the team is their ability to speak German and their capacity to plead in Germany. It is also very diversified in terms of skills in order to address all the problems of our company. Responsiveness and professional competence are the common qualities of the entire team.’

‘Dominique Heintz has great knowledge of the law and procedures, is able to bring in optimal support from economists, and has an immense ability to defend and support the interests of his clients.’

Key clients

Metro


La Française des jeux


Tel and Com


Tismi


Linvosges


Work highlights


  • Acted for Dutch operator Tismi in a dispute resolution procedure before the regulatory authority for telecoms, postal services and print media distribution (ARCEP) to obtain a contract with Orange at market conditions.
  • Acting for Tel and Com, a distributor of mobile and internet services, in proceedings against Bouygues Telecom relating to the termination of their distribution relationship.
  • Representing Metro in various cases relating to the termination of distribution relations.

Jeantet

Competition and distribution law is a longstanding pillar of Jeantet's practice. The firm has notable expertise in litigation before the national and European courts and competition authorities, with experience in antitrust and distribution-related disputes and in follow-on damages claims. The team also advises on merger control cases and EU regulatory issues. Practice head Florent Prunet assists clients across the TMT, transport, energy and utilities sectors, among others, with competition, distribution and consumer law issues.

Practice head(s):

Florent Prunet


Other key lawyers:

Clarisse Moreno


Testimonials

‘Availability, close relationships with clients, responsiveness, openness to negotiation.’

‘Florent Prunet stands out for his responsiveness and availability, intellectual honesty and expertise.’

Key clients

Eni Gas & Power


Joffe & Associés

Olivier Cavézian, who has wide-ranging expertise in EU, competition and distribution matters, leads the practice at Joffe & Associés, which is particularly active in handling merger control notifications to the FCA (and related foreign direct investment filings), with an emphasis on advising private equity firms. The firm's recent experience also covers private enforcement litigation, distribution issues and advice on competition compliance programmes.

Practice head(s):

Olivier Cavézian


Testimonials

‘Responsive and competent team. Accessible to clients. Good ability to explain the ins and outs to French and foreign clients.’

‘What makes this practice unique is the team’s legal knowledge and expertise, and also its responsiveness to clients.’

‘The partner I worked with is Olivier Cavézian. I found him to be very knowledgeable in the legal matter I needed help with. He was also very personable and responsive, and I appreciated that very much.’

KPMG Avocats, France

The Paris and Brussels-based team at KPMG Avocats, France has a strong compliance and EU regulatory practice, advising large French and international clients in the retail, automotive, transport, logistics and financial sectors – to name but a few – with the establishment of competition compliance programmes and distribution law issues. In addition, the firm assists with merger control notifications. Virginie Carvalho and Jean-Marc Tchernonog are the key contacts in the practice.

Practice head(s):

Virginie Carvalho; Jean-Marc Tchernonog


Key clients

Macif/Mondial Pare-Brise


Carrefour/Cora/Match


Valeo


Forvia


Publicis


La Guadeloupéenne de Distribution


Mobilians


Railcoop


CBM


CA-CF


Axiome Group


L’Empereur Group


Work highlights


  • Advised Macif on the merger control issues relating to its acquisition of MPB, as part of the merger of PHE and D’Ieteren Group, and notifications to the FCA and European Commission.
  • Assisted Carrefour on the competition law aspects of its acquisition of 60 Cora hypermarkets and 115 Match supermarkets.
  • Assisted Natixis on setting up a group cross-border competition compliance programme.

McDermott Will & Emery AARPI

McDermott Will & Emery AARPI's EU and competition team is skilled in merger control cases and antitrust investigations and litigation at both the French and European level, drawing on the support of its Brussels office. The team also has notable strength in distribution cases and in advising major pharmaceutical sector clients on competition law issues. Frédéric Pradelles leads the Paris team, with support from Jacques Buhart (who is based part time in Brussels).

Practice head(s):

Frédéric Pradelles


Other key lawyers:

Jacques Buhart


Testimonials

‘Very good team. Pragmatic and professional.’

‘Frédéric Pradelles stands out.’

Key clients

GEFCO


Mars


Capgemini Service/Altran Technologies


Ardian


LBO France Gestion


MML Capital


Duomed


Radiall


Mitsui & Co


Work highlights


  • Acted for Mars PF France in litigation against Carrefour (one of its distributors) and pre-litigation proceedings against all major French retail groups (including Leclerc, Système U and Auchan) in the context of price renegotiations linked to the massive inflation and the war in Ukraine.
  • Represented Altran Technologies (now Capgemini Engineering) in an investigation by the DGCCRF for infringement of the French law on payment terms.
  • Advised Mitsui & Co and KDDI, two major business conglomerates in Japan, on the clearance by the FCA of the merger of their subsidiaries, Relia Inc and KDDI Evolva.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Representing major French and international clients in the pharmaceuticals, energy, food and beverages, and financial sectors, Norton Rose Fulbright demonstrates strength in cartel investigations and litigation before the French and European courts and competition authorities. The team also handles merger control notifications (including to the Moroccan Competition Council) and advising on distribution and compliance issues. An expert in the life sciences sector, Marta Giner Asins leads both the French and Moroccan competition teams.

Practice head(s):

Marta Giner Asins


Other key lawyers:

Arnaud Sanz; Michel Pflieger


Testimonials

‘The team is professional, pleasant and collaborative.’

‘Very competent, available and agile. They know when to involve the different members of the team depending on the different stages of a file, particularly in terms of seniority. Billing on a fixed price basis which allows for effective cost control. Furthermore, the involvement of each member of the team makes it possible to optimize costs.’

Key clients

Pfizer


HSBC


Sanofi


TotalEnergies


Microsoft


Yazaki


Medtronic


Moët Hennessy


Carlsberg


Roche Diagnostic


Work highlights


  • Acted for HSBC before the European Court of Justice in the landmark Euribor cartel case.
  • Representing Carlsberg and its French subsidiary Kronenbourg in the context of ongoing proceedings before the FCA for alleged participation in an anticompetitive agreement with numerous other companies and professional organizations not to communicate on the absence of bisphenol A (BPA) in their products.
  • Assisting Microsoft’s EMEA competition law team with competition compliance issues.

Osborne Clarke

Osborne Clarke's recent caseload includes assisting clients in the high-profile phase II investigation into the proposed merger of M6 and TF1 and in a number of large-scale investigations conducted by the FCA. The team is also skilled in unfair competition and distribution-related disputes and in advising on competition compliance. Alexandre Glatz, who has a particularly strong client base in the retail and technology sectors, leads the practice.

Practice head(s):

Alexandre Glatz


Other key lawyers:

Thibaut Marcerou


Testimonials

‘Excellent team!’

Key clients

Union des Marques


ContextLogic


BMVirolle


Symphony EYC


Ansys


Autodesk


Work highlights


  • Assisted Union des marques in defending the interests of French and international brands before the FCA in the context of the envisaged merger between TF1 and M6.
  • Advising Context Logic (the online marketplace Wish) on negotiations with the DGCCRF and litigation in the first case of the delisting of a marketplace.
  • Acted for BMVirolle, a French logistics group, in the appeal proceedings and negotiation of the payment of a fine in the parcel delivery cartel case.

Reed Smith

Reed Smith stands out for its strength in litigation, representing major domestic and international clients in proceedings before the French and European courts and competition authorities, with a particular emphasis on handling cartel investigations. In addition, the team is experienced in follow-on damages claims and distribution-related disputes, and, on the non-contentious side, compliance and merger control issues. Marc Lévy, who has a focus on antitrust litigation, leads the team with Paris managing partner Natasha Tardif.

Practice head(s):

Marc Lévy; Natasha Tardif


Testimonials

‘Professionalism, expertise, availability and business knowledge.’

‘Marc Lévy’s knowledge and technical expertise, his great understanding of our business and his strategic analysis make him a counsel whose work is of very high quality.’

‘The excellent level of technical expertise, responsiveness and in-depth knowledge of the on-the-ground realities of companies constitute the team’s strengths. It is rare and valuable to receive work that perfectly meets your expectations for each request.’

Reinhart Marville Torre

Reinhart Marville Torre‘s practice was bolstered in November 2023 with the addition of the highly experienced Virginie Viallard from Viguié Schmidt & Associés. The growing practice has expertise across merger control cases, antitrust litigation and follow-on damages claims, state aid matters and distribution law, acting for key players in the food and beverages and media sectors. Distribution-focused Antoine Dérot and Alexandre Rios, who is well versed in the full range of EU and competition law, lead the team.

Practice head(s):

Antoine Dérot; Alexandre Rios


Other key lawyers:

Virginie Viallard


Testimonials

‘The team’s lawyers are always available, technically excellent, rigorous, pragmatic and always looking for a suitable solution for their client.’

‘Alexandre Rios is undoubtedly a remarkable lawyer, with a keen sense of strategy in litigation.’

‘Excellent team – technical and inventive.’

‘The RMT competition team seems to me to be very innovative and very shrewd in its strategic approach, with a much better level than competing teams, even from leading firms.’

‘In my opinion, Alexandre Rios is a very talented lawyer – a very fine jurist who never loses sight of the practical issues for his clients.’

‘RMT’s competition team stands out for its strong responsiveness, as well as its ability to offer often innovative technical solutions, with an excellent understanding of the company’s business challenges.’

‘Alexandre Rios has very rare technical and drafting abilities. He stands out for his ability to always find a solution in the interest of his clients. He is extremely rigorous, determined and forceful.’

‘Alexandre Rios and Antoine Dérot stand out for their professionalism, responsiveness, calm, availability, attentiveness and pragmatism.’

Key clients

Roquette Freres


Groupama


Bonduelle


NRJ Group


Syndicat des Editeurs de la Presse Magazine


Heineken


Cerelia


LIDL


Mr Bricolage


Laboratories Vivacy


Work highlights


  • Representing a major player in the food industry in several cartel damages claims brought by Carrefour and Casino before the Commercial Courts of Paris and Lille.
  • Advising Groupama on its co-reinsurance pool project in the French agricultural sector and represented the client in proceedings before the French government and competition authorities.
  • Advising Roquette Frères (a European leader in the starch sector) regarding state aid to assist with the decarbonisation of part of its industrial activities, which is subject to the European Commission’s prior approval.

Simmons & Simmons

With a strong focus on the life sciences, technology and FMCG sectors, Simmons & Simmons is well versed in merger control and foreign direct investment clearance (including multi-jurisdictional cases), in addition to advising prominent medical device and pharmaceutical companies on competition and distribution matters. The team is also increasingly active in contentious cases, including representing clients in FCA investigations. Ombline Ancelin, who also co-heads the cross-border competition group, leads the team.

Practice head(s):

Ombline Ancelin


Other key lawyers:

Florent Barbu


Testimonials

‘The best competition law team in my opinion. Led by Ombline Ancelin, whose availability and skills are remarkable, the team deals with matters within difficult deadlines and offers in-depth, pragmatic and measured legal advice and assistance, with a level of discourse adapted to the client, whether they are legal management, general management, sales. The approach adopted in the analysis of the files proves to be fair and detailed, and the advice solid and reassuring.’

‘Ombline Ancelin handles files with all the necessary attention, showing great listening skills and detailed and rapid analysis, making it possible to adopt a pragmatic and solid approach to the case that is adapted to the risks. Her rhetorical abilities and natural authority ensure the attention and commitment of all the stakeholders she deals with.’

‘Great insights and overview of pharma-related subjects.’

Key clients

Sandoz


Upsa


Esso SAF


Brookfield


Government of the United Kingdom


Work highlights


  • Assisted Brookfield in the French merger control and FDI filings of its acquisition of Data4.
  • Assisted the Government of the United Kingdom with a request for the prior authorisation of a foreign investment in France in connection with the merger of French satellite operator Eutelsat with British company OneWeb.
  • Assisted Esso SAF in the context of Commercial Court proceedings filed by a Corsican distributor on the grounds of abuse of economic dependence and breach of contractual good faith.

Tactics

Formed in January 2022 with the arrival of Loraine Donnedieu de Vabres-Tranié, Thomas Picot and Florent Vever from Jeantet, Tactics has rapidly established a broad EU, competition and distribution practice. The team has extensive experience in merger control (with notable expertise in advising on notifications to the Polynesian Competition Authority) and also has a strong reputation for representing clients in FCA investigations and follow-on damages claims, including defending Lactalis in the ongoing dairy products cartel case.

Practice head(s):

Loraine Donnedieu de Vabres-Tranié; Thomas Picot; Florent Vever


Testimonials

‘Carefully selected and specialized team.’

‘The Tactics team is hyper responsive and available, both in person and by video conference, even during vacation periods and even if the time zones are different and sometimes restrictive.’

‘Loraine Donnedieu de Vabres has long and valuable expertise in competition and merger law, coupled with an approach that takes into consideration all the specificities and constraints of the client, in order to defend and support their interests forcefully. She has great personal qualities.’

‘Tactics has very strong expertise in its field and a good sense of customer service. Always attentive and ready to innovate with the solutions proposed.’

‘Florent Vever stand out for his expertise, his ability to listen to the needs of the company and his very pragmatic approach, and Loraine Donnedieu de Vabres-Tranié for her exceptional advocacy skills and her relationships with clients.’

‘The team is particularly focused on French and European competition law, and therefore offers a tailor-made service, with excellent value for money. They are business oriented and also understand the issues related to payment deadlines well.’

‘Thomas Picot is a great specialist in competition law. Good follow-up, consistent case management and invoicing.’

Key clients

Lactalis


Lidl


Biogroup


Alten


IAM (Itissalat Al Maghrib)


Action Logement Groupe, Action Logement Services and Action Logement Immobilier


Systra


Brasserie de Tahiti


Société de Navigation Polynésienne (SNP)


Viti


Also


Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)


Descours & Cabaud


Plastic Omnium


Value Relail


Veolia


Dalkia


Trainline


Pellegrin


SKF


SNEF


Umicore


HCAP


Staedtler France


Entreprises du Voyage (EDV)


Candilidis


Work highlights


  • Advised Umicore concerning an action for damages brought by a competitor following a decision of the FCA.
  • Advised IAM (Maroc Telecom) in connection with an investigation by the Moroccan National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) concerning compliance with unbundling injunctions.
  • Advised Brasserie de Tahiti on obtaining approval by the Polynesian Competition Authority to purchase la Société de Distribution et d’Exploitation Commerciale, TOA Distribution and Société de Gestion d’Approvisionnement et de Marketing.

UGGC Avocats

UGGC Avocats' practice runs the gamut of EU and competition law, with a particularly strong presence in cartel and abuse of dominance cases - including recently defending clients in litigation stemming from the meal voucher and charcuterie cartels - and in distribution law matters, from negotiating distribution contracts to unfair competition claims. The team also assists with compliance and EU regulatory issues. Corinne Khayat, Michel Ponsard and Malka Marcinkowski jointly head the practice.

Practice head(s):

Michel Ponsard; Corinne Khayat; Malka Marcinkowski


Other key lawyers:

Benjamin de Savin; Maïja Brossard


Testimonials

‘In short, the team is very diverse – especially in recruitment. As a woman I really appreciate this aspect. The competition team also includes high-level specialists in litigation and unfair competition law, which is not always the case among competitors.’

‘I would like to particularly mention Michel Ponsard and Malka Marcinkowski. Michel is an excellent negotiator and can navigate any difficult situation in a pleasant manner while achieving his goals. I appreciate Malka for her intellectual and analytical abilities and her knowledge of distribution law.’

‘I have worked with the competition and distribution practice of UGGC for many years. It is very reliable. The members of the teams are very skilled, with a very high level of technical preparation. They are absolutely outstanding.’

‘I have worked mainly with Michel Ponsard and Malka Marcinkowski. They have worked together as a team for many years. They are very competent and it is a real pleasure to work with them.’

‘The team stand out for their network, their understanding of state services and the Competition Authority, their great command of files and their ability to handle cases for a set fee.’

‘Strong advice. Knowledge of the transport sector.’

Key clients

Sodexo France


Solinest


CA Animation


European Gambling and Betting Association (EGBA)


The Corsican Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry


Kindred Group/Unibet


Veolia Environnement S.A


SEIU


Bodyhit


Mercedes-Benz


Monin


Buesa


Work highlights


  • Representing Sodexo Pass France in pending proceedings before the Paris Court of Appeal against the decision of the FCA regarding anticompetitive practices implemented in the meal coupons sector.
  • Assisting the CA Animation Groupe in pending proceedings before the Paris Court of Appeal against the FCA’s decision in the charcuterie cartel case.
  • Representing the European Gambling and Betting Association in the European Commission’s state aid proceedings against Française des Jeux.

Bird & Bird

Strong in the TMT sector, Bird & Bird's competition practice is particularly active in antitrust proceedings before the FCA and the French courts. The team, which counts a number of large multinationals among its clients, also advises on merger control, competition compliance and distribution law. Thomas Oster heads the practice.

Practice head(s):

Thomas Oster


Testimonials

‘The team in Paris is great. We have worked with them on a number of behavioural and contentious issues. They are very strong.’

‘Thomas Oster is excellent. We have full confidence in his advice. He is very professional and thorough.’

‘Responsive team with highly motivated and skilled people and advanced digital solutions to support clients.’

‘Thomas Oster stands out from others because I can give him a ring and have a ten-minute discussion with him to get his view as a sparring partner right away and off the clock.’

‘Thomas Oster’s team of lawyers is very competent and professional. It stands out for its expertise, rigour, responsiveness and commitment to its clients. More generally, the entire Bird & Bird Paris office also stands out for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is reflected in the composition of the teams.’

‘I am a regular client of the team and am very satisfied with their services. Thomas Oster is an exceptional lawyer. He is very competent in his field and has in-depth knowledge of the laws and regulations. Thomas is always attentive and very quickly understands the legal issues that our company specifically faces. This is particularly appreciated and reassuring on the client side, because we are assured that the advice provided by Thomas and his team will be of a high quality.’

‘Navigating the TMT sector is like navigating a maze of complex contractual terms and ever-changing regulations. This is where Bird & Bird really shines. The team’s deep understanding of the TMT sector in France and ability to communicate complex legal issues in a clear and concise manner is truly remarkable.’

‘What sets the individuals working at Bird & Bird apart is their extraordinary commitment, expertise and an innate ability to exceed expectations.’

Key clients

Réseau Gaz de Strasbourg


Conserves France


Groupe Caisse des Dépôts


Limagrain


SOMFY


Groupe SEB


Samsonite


L’Oréal


Manitowoc


Karl Lagerfeld


Exotec


Cosmobilis


AXA Xl


Beckman Coulter


Work highlights


  • Representing Conserves France in an appeal before the Supreme Court of the decision of the Court of Appeal of Paris to reduce the amount of the fine imposed on the parties in the compote cartel.
  • Assisted Groupe Caisse des dépôts in relation to a merger control analysis and filing for the creation of a joint venture in the telecoms infrastructure sector.

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés

Thierry Titone and Matthieu Dary are the key contacts at De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés, bringing particular expertise in distribution law (including setting up distribution networks) and competition compliance to the practice. In addition, the firm advises on merger control and investigations by the FCA and DGCCRF.

Practice head(s):

Thierry Titone; Matthieu Dary


Testimonials

‘Team are available and proactive in handling their clients’ issues.’

‘Thierry Titone stands out for his great availability. Matthieu Dary goes further than just answering the question asked by taking into account the context of the client’s activity and being proactive.’

‘De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés’ lawyers’ fees are reasonable and practical. The lawyers are abreast of the news on consumer issues such as pricing and misrepresentation and have good insight into competitors’ activities and also regulatory body investigations. As a foreign company trading in France, this law firm supports our company with navigating French rules and regulations regarding business.’

Key clients

AJINOMOTO ANIMAL NUTRITION EUROPE


ALSTOM


ANDROS


BAHLSEN


BELAMBRA


BOSCH SIEMENS ELECTROMENAGER (BSH)


CAISSE D’EPARGNE ILE DE FRANCE


CAISSE DES DEPOTS ET CONSIGNATIONS


CEGEDIM


CELIO


CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES


COLGATE


CULLIGAN


DIAMANTA


EMBRYOLISSE


GROUPE TF1


MEILLEURSAGENTS.COM (AXEL SPRINGER GROUP)


MY RETAIL BOX («DAY BY DAY» AND «LE GRAND MARCHÉ DU VRAC»)


NEXITY


PEARL


PIERRE FABRE


ROBERT BOSCH


SIPA-OUEST FRANCE


SKECHERS


TEKA


THOM (HISTOIRE D’OR ET MARC ORIAN)


TOTALENERGIES


Eversheds Sutherland

Eversheds Sutherland (France) LLP stands out for its strength in the retail sector, where the team frequently advises on distribution contracts and networks. Assisting with merger control and competition compliance issues is also a core area of expertise for the practice. Dan Roskis is a key contact for retail, e-commerce and media sector clients.

Practice head(s):

Dan Roskis


Other key lawyers:

Thomas Strange; Chloé Charbeaux


Testimonials

‘The various cases that we entrust to them demonstrate the expertise of Dan Roskis’ team in competition and distribution law. In particular, Dan Roskis and his team have taken on board our operational specificities, which allows them to offer us pragmatic recommendations and solutions.’

‘Dan Roskis stands out for his advanced expertise in distribution law and competition law. Extremely available and responsive, he perfectly grasps the specificities of his clients’ activities to offer adapted and innovative solutions.’

‘We are very happy with the services provided by Eversheds Sutherland in France. Dynamic team, always attentive, excellent advice and takes into account our needs.’

‘Dan Roskis stands out for his clarity and availability.’

Key clients

Parker Hannifin


France Télévisions Publicité


Wolverine Worldwide


Ricoh


Patagonia


Acciona


Fieldfisher

Fieldfisher has recently seen strong activity in advising clients with regard to dawn raids by the FCA and European Commission, as well as assisting with general competition law issues and distribution agreements. Anne-Laure-Hélène Des Ylouses has extensive experience in regulatory, compliance and distribution law issues.

Practice head(s):

Anne-Laure-Hélène des Ylouses


Other key lawyers:

Franck Veisse; Clément Hubert


Testimonials

‘Anne-Laure-Hélène des Ylouses and her team have long experience in competition and distribution issues and European law. They have a great understanding of the client’s problem from the first explanation and carry out a conscientious search for the means necessary to deal with the client’s case. The competence demonstrated by the firm is reassuring for the client. The relationship is very smooth and the work is realistic.’

Key clients

Akkodis


CNCJ (Chambre Nationale des Commissaires de Justice)


Effy


Enedis


Hub One


Ibasis


IGN


MyBestPro


FTPA

Under the leadership of Lise Damelet, whose clients include a number of major French multinationals, FTPA's growing competition law practice has been active in merger control filings and antitrust litigation before the FCA and the national courts (in addition to demonstrating notable expertise in high-profile follow-on damages claims).

Practice head(s):

Lise Damelet


Other key lawyers:

Yann Davie


Testimonials

‘The main trait of this team seems to me to be the involvement of everyone, whatever their status, the quality of their assistance and the excellent working atmosphere at the same time as its very serious attitude.’

‘I have had the opportunity to work with Lise Damelet several times and I can attest to her deep involvement in the cases, her dynamism, her great skills and the innovative and well-founded nature of her analyses. I was also impressed by the quality of Yann Davie’s work.’

‘Highly competent team with very in-depth knowledge of issues in all areas of competition law.’

‘Lise Damelet shows great inventiveness in relation to the legal difficulties that arise. She is very responsive and keen to share analyses with the team and the client.’

‘We were particularly impressed by the FTPA team’s mastery of this complex subject, the way they listened to and analysed the problem encountered, and the solutions they proposed, all in a very friendly environment.’

‘Lise Damelet was very helpful and she knows her subject like the back of her hand. The solution we arrived at was completely masterfully managed.’

‘Very competent, innovative, pragmatic and concise. Very good team spirit between its members.’

‘Lise Damelet, Yann Davie and the team are all excellent lawyers with a mastery of their subject and clarity in their explanations which are greatly appreciated. It was very pleasant to work and interact with them. Their mastery of the subject without leaving aside pragmatism was what we needed.’

Key clients

Alstom S.A.


Auchan Group


Casino Group


SNCF S.A.


Valeo Group


Veolia S.A.


Vinci S.A.


Warner Bros. Group


Worldwide Flight Services Group


Groupe Dubreuil S.A.


Work highlights


  • Representing Vinci S.A. in an appeal to the French Supreme Court in a landmark case regarding the liability of the parent company in relation to the infringement of competition law.
  • Representing a client in the energy sector in the context of a complaint before the FCA for abuse of dominant position.
  • Representing two large French groups in the context of follow-on claims in the trucks cartel.

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP‘s has considerable expertise in antitrust litigation and follow-on damages claims before the French courts, but is also noted for its experience in investigations and merger control filings before antitrust authorities in other jurisdictions. Distribution specialist Marie Davy leads the team. Since research concluded, Marco Plankensteiner has left the firm.

Practice head(s):

Marie Davy


Other key lawyers:

Pauline Dessèvre


Testimonials

‘The team is available and precise in its answers. Responsive and pragmatic.’

‘The team demonstrated quality expertise and great rigour in our competition law case. The team is dynamic and friendly.’

‘Efficient, dynamic and competent team.’

Key clients

Crédit Lyonnais – LCL


Crédit Agricole SA


Luxottica Group SpA


CEVA Santé Animale


Trodat/Trotec Group


Eiffage Construction SA


EES Clemessy


Eiffage Infrastructures


APRR


Canal+


IBSA


Crearity


Scheuch GmbH


Work highlights


  • Successfully represented Crédit Agricole and its subsidiary in the proceedings before the Supreme Court relating to the check multilateral interbank fees case.
  • Representing LCL in a class action initiated by UFC Que Choisir in connection with the substitution of mortgage loan insurance.
  • Advising Canal+ on merger control and antitrust issues related its co-investment with Mediawan in connection with the acquisition of Côte Ouest Audiovisuel.

Lext Avocats

Based in Paris and Le Mans, Lext Avocats has a robust distribution law practice, which includes advising on the setting up of distribution agreements and networks, and also assists with EU regulatory issues relating to food and tobacco products. Sylvain Beaumont, Anne Bourdu and Gaëlle Leroy jointly lead the team.

Practice head(s):

Sylvain Beaumont; Anne Bourdu; Gaëlle Leroy


Testimonials

‘We highly recommend Sylvain Beaumont. He has extensive experience in distribution law and competition law, but also a overview of other areas of law (such as corporate, restructuring, intellectual property, etc.) which enriches his practice. He is also excellent in distribution litigation. He has great personal qualities and listens to his clients and colleagues.’

‘The team of lawyers comprises exceptionally skilled, qualified, and esteemed professionals, who are poised to navigate intricate cases not only within France but also in international contexts. The team work relentlessly to study and understand their client’s business. They advise and support clients in extremely sensitive and disruptive disputes. They have a formidable depth of expertise in highly sophisticated matters and offer innovative advice and strategies to clients from a number of different industries.’

‘I would like to highlight Sylvain Beaumont. Sylvain’s client service and general level of service, level of sophistication and commercial awareness and vision are very strong. His dedication, focus and willingness to support his clients to be successful is what makes him special. Sylvain’s ability to understand the issues and find solutions is incredible. He always puts his best effort into everything that he does, which is what makes him stand out.’

Maulin Avocats

With expertise spanning the pharmaceutical, food, retail, automotive, logistics, construction and financial sectors, boutique firm Maulin Avocats counts an array of French-based multinationals among its clients. The team's broad practice covers merger control, FCA investigations, distribution matters and competition compliance. Firm founder Romain Maulin is the name to note.

Practice head(s):

Romain Maulin


Key clients

Crédit Agricole


Association des Industries des Produits de Construction (AIMCC)


Ovoko


Colgate-Palmolive


Essilor Luxottica/GrandVision


A.P.C.


Rassemblement des Opticiens de France (ROF)


Dailycer


Work highlights


  • Represented Crédit Agricole SA in proceedings before the FCA arising out of the creation of a joint venture in the automotive sector.
  • Successfully represented Associations des Industries de Produits de Construction (AIMCC) before the FCA in the context of opinion sought by the French Minister of the Economy on prices regulation for construction materials.
  • Representing Ovoko, a leading marketplace for automotive spare parts, in the context of an ongoing abuse of dominance investigation initiated by the FCA.

Niddam-Drouas Avocats

Specialist competition law firm Niddam-Drouas Avocats is particularly skilled in FCA investigations and litigation before the French courts, in addition to handling follow-on damages claims, merger control and distribution matters. Marie de Drouas leads the team, which has notable strong suits in the telecoms, energy and retail sectors.

Practice head(s):

Marie de Drouas


Testimonials

‘Very efficient and pragmatic team, respecting deadlines and invoicing.’

Key clients

Carrefour


AOTA (Association of Alternative Telecommunications Operators)


ANODE (National Association of Energy Retail Operators)


Caisse des dépôts et consignations


Qair


Crédit Agricole


Work highlights


  • Acted for the National Association of Energy Retail Operators (ANODE) before the Paris Court of Appeal in an appeal against the FCA’s decision to reject ANODE’s complaint and request for interim measures against Electricité de France (EDF) for an abuse of dominant position in the electricity sector.
  • Acting for the Association of Alternative Telecommunications Operators (AOTA) before the FCA in proceedings against Orange.

Osmose

Mélanie Comert leads the team at Osmose, which has a strong focus on distribution law, primarily advising prominent French and international clients in the food and beverages and consumer goods industries. The team assists with distribution contracts and the establishment of Europe-wide distribution networks.

Practice head(s):

Mélanie Comert


Other key lawyers:

Capucine David-Pastre; Mégane Salaün


Testimonials

‘A team that is always available, extremely professional and up to date with all the latest legislative and case law developments, and which adapts them to your business in a relevant, pragmatic and fair way.’

‘Mélanie Comert is a first-rate partner who we have trusted for many years. She is always available, who knows our business by heart and adapts to our problems. She has wise and always very relevant advice. She informs us of any developments and provides an analysis.’

‘The team’s strengths are its legal and operational expertise, experience in commercial negotiations, responsiveness, and ability to work with operational staff directly.’

Key clients

Anne & Valentin


Bel Group (La Vache Qui Rit, Babybel, etc.)


Bledina


Bolton Food (Saupiquet)


Bolton Solitaire


Caudalie


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


Danone Eaux France


Danone Produits Frais France


DIM


Mousline


Dermway


Nutricia Nutrition Clinique


Essity


Royal Talens


The Cookware Company


Delpeyrat


SBM


Whirlpool


Sony Interactive France (Playstation)


Work highlights


  • Advised Caudalie on the monitoring of its selective distribution network within the European Union.
  • Advised the different business units of Danone Groupe on the negotiation of distribution agreements with retailers.
  • Advised DIM Brands International on its negotiations with retailers.

Taylor Wessing

Taylor Wessing focuses on distribution law, advising clients from the pharmaceuticals, hospitality, retail and catering sectors on their French and international distribution networks. The team also assists with antitrust investigations and compliance issues. Life sciences specialist Evelyne Friedel and Grégoire Toulouse, who concentrates on distribution law, head the practice.

Practice head(s):

Evelyne Friedel; Grégoire Toulouse


Other key lawyers:

Axel Ferly; Fanny Levy; Annabelle Lebaudy


Testimonials

‘This team has solid knowledge in its areas of expertise. They know how to adapt to the specific needs of their clients, in terms of responsiveness, communication and even invoicing.’

‘Evelyne Friedel and Annabelle Lebaudy stand out.’

‘Grégoire Toulouse’s team knows our company’s set-up by heart and communicates directly with the business for greater efficiency. His recommendations are clear, precise and practical!’

Key clients

Auchan


Enterprise


Frans Bonhomme


Laboratoires Thea


Ladurée International


Lenôtre


L-Founders


Marriott


Rossignol


Subway


Symrise – Diana


Tommy Hilfiger


Work highlights


  • Assisted Ladurée with the international expansion of its distribution network.
  • Assisted L-Founders with the negotiation and conclusion of its distribution agreements with major food retailers.
  • Assisted Symrise with the negotiation and conclusion of its commercial agreements subsequent to the EGalim 2 reform of distribution law.