Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier has a strong understanding of publicly listed companies as embodied by its impressive client roster, which includes many of the country’s CAC 40 companies. The firm’s stock-market litigation practice is a perfect match to its leading M&A expertise as it is systematically retained to handle subsequent stock-market disputes relating to public M&A. The team is also entrusted to deal with sensitive shareholders’ conflicts and corporate governance issues, while its caseload also includes high-profile stock-market breach cases such as price manipulation and communication of false financial information. Matthieu Brochier and Nicolas Mennesson are both top-notch, while the M&A partners also regularly contribute. Associate Wenceslas Le Chevalier is also noted.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'We consider Darrois to be the leaders of the field in stock market litigation. As a firm, they have such a strong corporate practice and client base, stock market disputes is a real area of strength and an area that they naturally excel.'
'Matthieu Brochier is an outstanding litigator and a true leader in the field of stock market litigation.'
‘Highly knowledgeable, with great understanding of the regulatory landscape and good commercial, practical and strategic insight.’
‘Matthieu Brochier is a superb operator and deep thinker.’
‘Excellent, extensive experience in shareholder and stock-market disputes. Among the best in Paris’.
‘The team brings tremendous dedication to client service together with a collection of supremely committed and talented individuals. Their creativity, thoroughness, thoughtfulness and responsiveness distinguish them among their competitors. An excellent choice for M&A-related disputes in the French market.’
‘First-rate expertise in stock market law, whether in litigation or stock market transactions, and extensive experience in complex and international cases. The team of lawyers constituted for a case depends on the particularities of each case and may include lawyers from different departments of the firm who work in perfect symbiosis.'
‘Matthieu Brochier gives clear strategic advice in complex matters. He knows how to adopt an aggressive and effective defense strategy but also recommends transactional solutions when it is the right time.’

Key clients

Bouygues
BPCE
Capgemini
Crédit Agricole
Elior
Europcar
Korian
Lagardère SA
LVMH
Rubis
Safran
Suez
Tullett Prebon
Unibail-Rodamco Westfield
Vivendi
XPO Logistics
Tullett Prebon
Unibail-Rodamco Westfield
Vivendi
XPO Logistics

Work highlights

Advised the ad hoc committee of the EDF Board of Directors in connection with the 9 billion euros takeover announced in July 2022 by the French State.
Successfully represented Vivendi in a French class action before the Paris commercial court (“Tribunal de commerce de Paris”) for compensation for a stock market loss of more than 2 billion euros claimed by a hundred of investment funds and institutional investors.
Advised several entities of the Credit Agricole Group in a collective action brought by the ADAM (“Association de défense des actionnaires minoritaires”).