Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

willkie.comClient Satisfaction

Amir H. Jahanguiri is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department and Co-Chair of the firm’s Project Finance Practice Group. Amir primarily focuses on the development and financing of energy, telecoms and infrastructure projects, public infrastructure projects and complex multi-tranched corporate and hybrid bank and capital markets debt financings. Amir regularly advises host governments, regulators, sponsors, contractors, off-takers, export credit agencies and lenders on the development, financing and restructuring of projects in the public and social infrastructure sectors, including seaports, roads, tunnels, airports, railways, urban mobility, infra tech, telecoms and hospitals among others. He also advises on major projects in the water, power, gas, petrochemical, industrial and metals and mining sectors, mainly in Europe, North and Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle-East.

Anne-Laure Barel

Anne-Laure Barel is a senior associate in the Public Law department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Anne-Laure has significant experience in the resolution of disputes arising from the performance of administrative agreements (mainly concession agreements and public-private partnerships). For instance, this past year, she has played a major role in a pre-litigation matter related to a urban motorway. Anne-Laure also has valuable experience in general public law. In this regard, she handles matters involving local governments or public / semi-public companies. Anne-Laure’s clients are both public (local governments or semipublicly owned companies) and private (public works companies and investment funds).

Annette Péron

Annette Péron is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department, focusing on private equity, mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buy-outs, and corporate finance. Annette regularly advises companies on cross-border joint ventures.

Antoine Bouzanquet

Antoine Bouzanquet is Partner in the Corporate and Financial Services Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. He focuses on the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, in France and abroad. Antoine advises a broad spectrum of market players, including sponsors (industrial sponsors and investment funds) and lenders (commercial banks and institutional investors), on complex greenfield and brownfield energy/infrastructure-related private equity, M&A or project development and financing transactions. Over the past few years, Antoine has been involved as main legal advisor in numerous high-profile transactions in the telecom, transport and energy sectors and has earned a reputation of problem-solving and success-oriented lawyer, with a combination of robust technical skills and strong business acumen. Before joining Willkie in 2015, Antoine worked as an associate at Mayer Brown where he advised on LBO and real estate transactions. He also gained experience in capital markets in a leading French bank. Admitted to the Paris Bar, Antoine graduated from the University of Paris 2 – Assas and the University of Oxford in business law. He also graduated from ESCP Europe, where he received a degree in management and finance. A native French speaker, Antoine is fluent in English.

Audrey Nelson

Audrey Nelson is counsel in the Business Reorganization & Restructuring Department. Ms. Nelson has significant experience handling out-of-court and cross-border restructuring matters on behalf of debtors, creditors and shareholders, as well as for investment and hedge funds. She has also worked on a number of LBO debt restructurings and lender-led restructurings. Ms. Nelson has advised clients in various industries including media, oil and gas, cosmetics and chemicals in high-profile insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A transactions. Additionally, she handles litigation aspects in connection with distressed company and insolvency matters.

Batiste Saint-Guily

Batiste Saint-Guily is a Partner in the Business Reorganization & Restructuring practice of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Batiste is regularly involved in in- and out-of-court restructuring matters, insolvency proceedings and various distressed transactions on behalf of debtors, creditors and shareholders as well as for investment and hedge funds. Admitted to the Paris Bar, Batiste graduated from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and holds a master degree (LL. M) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Brice Pommiès

Brice Pommiès is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and general corporate law matters. He has also acquired significant experience in corporate finance, with a specific focus on shipping financing. He was seconded to the New York office in 2009 and 2010.

Cédric Hajage

Cédric Hajage is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department, focusing on private equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions. In the area of private equity, Cédric has regularly represented private equity firms in leveraged buy-outs (including through competitive auctions and public-to-private transactions), build-ups and sales.

Charles-Antoine Erignac

Charles-Antoine Erignac is a Special European Counsel in the Public Law department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Charles-Antoine has renowned experience in administrative agreements such as public procurements, concessions and public-private partnerships, mainly in the infrastructure and energy sector (such as rail, renewable power and social infrastructures). Charles-Antoine has as well significant experience in economic public law. He has specific knowledge regarding foreign investments in France, State aid, privatisations and regulated sectors (particularly in the aeronautical sector). In this regard, he supports Willkie’s other departments whenever their matters include public law aspects or regulatory aspects (especially in M&A transactions or restructuring operations). He recently worked for various investment funds on their French operations.

Christophe Garaud

Christophe H. Garaud is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Mr. Garaud specializes in private equity and mergers and acquisitions transactions across multiple industries. He is actively involved in representing private equity funds in their acquisitions, build-ups and dispositions of targets for both public and private companies both in France and internationally. Mr. Garaud has acted on some of the most significant transactions closed in France.

Daniel Hurstel

Daniel Hurstel is senior counsel in the Corporate & Financial Services Department. He serves as a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Mr. Hurstel has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions/capital markets, group restructurings, joint ventures, IPOs, corporate governance and the creation of a wide variety of financial instruments. Mr. Hurstel represents French and foreign companies in France. His clients include large French and international corporate and financial institutions and LBO funds.

David Kupka

David Kupka is Partner in the Antitrust & Competition Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Brussels. Focusing on European and French competition law, his main areas of practice encompass anticompetitive practices (cartels, vertical restrains and abuse of dominant position) and merger control issues. He practices in French and English.

Dominique Mondoloni

Dominique Mondoloni is a partner in the Litigation Department. He handles general commercial litigation and arbitration, including shareholder disputes and merger and acquisition-related disputes, and white-collar criminal investigations. Litigation Mr. Mondoloni has over 28years experience as a trial lawyer, representing French and foreign clients before the Courts of France in a variety of civil and commercial disputes. Mr. Mondoloni has significant experience handling merger and acquisition related disputes. Arbitration Mr. Mondoloni regularly acts as Counsel to French and foreign companies in ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings and regularly advises clients in proceedings before national courts to enforce or set aside arbitration awards. Mr. Mondoloni is regularly appointed as arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations. White Collar Criminal Investigations and Defense Mr. Mondoloni acts as Counsel to plaintiffs in white collar criminal investigations conducted in France and as defense counsel to companies and their directors and employees in connecting with white collar criminal investigations. Mr. Mondoloni has handled a large number of investigations for US and French companies in connection with allegations of foreign corrupt practices.

Eduardo Fernandez

Eduardo Fernandez is a partner in Willkie's Corporate & Financial Services Department in Paris. Eduardo focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. He is co-head of Willkie's European Committee and co-managing partner of Willkie's Paris office. A native New Yorker, Mr. Fernandez commenced his career as an associate in Willkie's New York office. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish. Mr. Fernandez has extensive experience advising both privately held and publicly listed companies on cross border acquisitions and dispositions, corporate venture investments and strategic alliances in a broad range of industries, including business services, consumer products, education, food and healthcare services. He regularly represents some of Europe's most prominent private equity sponsors on leveraged buy-outs (LBO), leveraged recapitalizations and late stage growth capital investments and has acted on several of the most prominent LBO and growth capital transactions in recent years on the French market. Eduardo Fernandez also regularly advises family-owned professional long term investors on a variety of matters.

Faustine Viala

Faustine Viala is a partner in the Antitrust & Competition Practice Group. Faustine has experience in European and French competition law. Her main areas of practice encompass merger control, anticompetitive practices (anticompetitive agreements and abuse of dominant position) and distribution law. Faustine advises French and international companies mainly active in the fields of media, sports, chemical industry, aeronautic, cosmetics and telecoms, focusing both on counseling and litigation.

Gabriel Flandin

Gabriel Flandin is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions involving public and private companies, including both private equity and strategic acquirer transactions, as well as bankruptcy-based asset sales. He also regularly advises on corporate governance issues and joint venture structuring. Gabriel is a lecturer on corporate law topics at the Université de Montpellier, where he provides several courses on LBO structuring. He served for one year as external general counsel for Deutsch Group in New York.

Grégoire Finance

Grégoire Finance is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department. His practice is focused on advising French and international financial institutions and corporate clients on complex international M&A transactions, private equity and leveraged buyouts transactions, bankruptcy sales and recapitalizations as well as corporate governance, commercial and strategic matters.

Grégoire Bertrou

Grégoire Bertrou is a partner in Willkie's Litigation Department in Paris and the Co-Chair of the Firm Arbitration Practice Group. Grégoire has more than 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer representing clients before French courts and arbitration tribunals. He has acted in more than 50 international arbitration proceedings, both as counsel and arbitrator. His practice focuses on domestic and cross-border litigation and dispute resolution, particularly with regard to M&A transactions, corporate law and general commercial matters. Grégoire also regularly represents clients in complex compliance and enforcement matters, including internal investigations and the resolution of administrative and enforcement proceedings involving either French authorities (Public Prosecutor, AMF, CNIL, DGCCRF, etc.) or foreign authorities (DOJ, OFAC, etc.). Grégoire co-authored Chapter 14, ‘France’s Anticorruption Legal Framework’ in Martin Weinstein, Robert Meyer and Jeffrey Clark (eds.), ‘The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Compliance, Investigations and Enforcement’.

Grégory de Saxcé

Grégory de Saxcé is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. A graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques Paris (Sciences-Po Paris) and Université Paris II – Panthéon Assas, he has spent his entire professional career at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP within our leading Private Equity practice. Mr. de Saxcé focuses on private equity transactions, with a particular focus on cross-border matters and the negotiation of complex incentive packages for rollover management (notably in competitive auctions), in the context of which he regularly advises both corporate clients and private equity funds.

Hugo Nocerino

Hugo Nocerino is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Hugo is mainly involved in French and international M&A and private equity transactions, for listed or non-listed groups or investment funds. Admitted to the Paris Bar, Hugo graduated from a Professional Master 2 in Business Law and Tax from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne / HEC and of a Professional Master 2 in Financial Management and Tax from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Lionel Spizzichino

Lionel Spizzichino is a partner in the Business Reorganization & Restructuring Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris and co-Chair of the European Restructuring Group. He has extensive experience in Lender-led and complex cross-border restructurings as well as French pre-insolvency and insolvency matters, including amicable restructuring, insolvency proceedings, restructuring litigation and distressed mergers and acquisitions. Lionel also advises regularly on mergers and acquisitions with a particular focus on cross border acquisitions and complex carve-outs. His clients include companies, creditors or investors in a wide range of sectors such as airlines, aircraft, media, chemical, financial services and automotive. He also advises investment funds, recovery funds and hedge funds. Lionel has been involved in some of the most significant pre-insolvency proceedings, bankruptcy proceedings and high-profile M&A and distressed M&A cases in France.

Nathalie Duguay

Nathalie Duguay is a partner in the Asset Management Department and has been a practitioner in the area of asset management and in particular the area of private equity fund formation for over 20 years. Nathalie's practice focuses on private equity investment funds (buyout funds, mezzanine funds, distressed funds, debt funds, venture funds, property funds, funds of funds, infrastructure, etc.) and related transactions. She assists clients in the creation of worldwide private equity investment funds and in establishing regulated portfolio management companies. She also advises investment funds and international institutional investors on their portfolio investments and divestments (secondaries).

Paul Lombard

Please see http://www.willkie.com/professionals/l/lombard-paul

Philippe Grudé

Philippe Grudé is special European counsel in the Tax Department, focusing on the tax aspects of IPOs, LBOs, mergers and acquisitions and other reorganizations of businesses. Philippe regularly handles complex tax issues relating to mergers and acquisitions and other high-profile transactions. He has significant experience in the areas of tender offers, stock or asset purchases and private offerings of securities.

Sophie-Jeanne Laroche

Counsel, Sophie-Jeanne Laroche represents French and foreign clients before national courts in a wide range of complex financial, commercial and corporate litigation (in particular shareholder’s and post-acquisition disputes) often in an international context. She provides strategic advices in pre-litigation or litigation phases for companies handling complex crisis and sensitive disputes. Sophie Jeanne advises her clients on prevention and anticipation conflicts and is actively involved in the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as mediation. Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2006, Sophie Jeanne received a Master’s Degree (DEA) in Droit Privé Général from University of Paris II Panthéon- Assas and a second Master’s Degree (DEA) in Droit des Affaires et de l’Economie from University Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne. Sophie Jeanne joined the firm in 2006 and became counsel in 2015. She has been lecturer on civil law at Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne.

Thierry Laloum

Thierry Laloum is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department and head of the Public & Environmental Law practice of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris. Mr. Laloum has a wealth of experience in economic law (e.g. privatisations, foreign investments in France and financing of local governments), public contracts (concession agreements and public private partnerships), planning law (building permits and expropriation procedures), public domain and regulated sectors. He also advises his clients in high-profile pre-litigation issues (negotiations between the parties, discussions before Experts Committees) and on litigation issues before the administrative judge. Mr. Laloum advises both public (public bodies, local governments, semi-publicly owned companies) and private entities (mainly financial institutions, investment funds and public works companies). Significant projects he has handled include the development of underground trains, high speed railway lines, motorways, ports, hospitals, airports, stadiums, and waste treatment facilities among others, including in the context of Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

Thomas Binet

Thomas Binet is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department, focusing on banking and finance. Mr. Binet has extensive experience in the areas of structured finance, debt restructuring and corporate finance. He regularly acts as counsel to lenders, borrowers, sponsors, senior, mezzanine and unitranche arrangers for such financing activities.

Tiana Rambatomanga

Tiana Rambatomanga is a partner in the Asset Management Department in Paris. Tiana’s practice covers all segments relating to private funds, with a particular focus on private equity, infrastructure, renewable energies, debt and real estate funds. She specializes in advising investment managers on legal, regulatory and commercial matters relevant to the creation and fundraisings of private funds and investment platforms. Tiana’s experience covers a broad range of products and strategies, from large private funds to smaller market players and bespoke products in particular regarding « retailization » of private markets. Ms. Rambatomanga has extensive experience in particular concerning the formation of general and sector-based French, Luxemburg and pan-European it regulated and unregulated funds, including LBO funds, mezzanine funds, venture capital funds, funds of funds, secondary funds, master/feeder structures. She regularly acts for LPs in relation to their funds’ investments and advises on secondary transactions. Ms. Rambatomanga also advises portfolio managers and institutional investors throughout their business development, including co-investments, joint-venture, club-deals, spin-offs, set-up of French approved management companies and investment advisers. Ms. Rambatomanga is a member of Level 20, a European association that promotes the presence of women in the private equity industry and is a member of the legal committee of France Invest. She regularly lectures on investment funds and GP/LPs relationships in France and the UK (Master ESCP Paris, MBA Oxford University) and has been involved in student mentoring programs to promote equal opportunities. In 2022, Ms. Rambatomanga lectured a virtual Masterclass "Finance Sociale et Durable/Sustainable Finance" session at Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers on the ESG Revolution: Regulatory framework and key benefits for Private funds. Ms. Rambatomanga also authored an article in CF – Le Courrier Financier on the FCPR Evergreen funds dedicated to unit-like insurance policies, as she’s the first practitioner on the French market to have structured this type of new private equity products.

Virgile Chanel

Public Law

Legal 500

Our Team

FAQs

Marketing Resources

Newsletters

Contact us