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.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘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.