Linklaters
Linklaters has a very strong bench that allows the firm to handle a wide range of matters, from public and private M&A to strategic partnerships and corporate reorganisations. The firm has a strong domestic practice and is also adept at handling cross-border deals. It advises a prominent French and international client base of companies and investment funds. The team has a core focus on the large-cap market and regularly advises on strategic transactions, spanning sectors including insurance, automobile, retail and infrastructure. The practice is headed by Bruno Derieux, who will be joined in summer 2024 by Hubert Segain from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP. The team also includes Pierre Tourres, Pierre Thomet, Nicolas Le Guillou and Alain Garnier. Mehdi Boumedine was promoted to partner in 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Availability, expertise and experience’
‘Excellent team, ultra professional and sharp. In-depth understanding of the situations to be managed and informed advice. Smooth collaboration, total availability in case of need/emergency.’
‘Pierre Tourres is absolutely exceptional.’
‘Strong business orientation and competence across the entire chain from M&A to completion, including financing, intellectual property or competition law. Very good availability.’
‘The team has an excellent level of expertise to carry out complex operations.’
‘Nicolas Le Guillou demonstrates formidable efficiency in complex negotiations with great responsiveness.’
‘Effective. Proactive.’
‘Nicolas Le Guillou: commercial and deal orientated, helpful in driving process forward and highlighting key issues for the client without getting bogged down in smaller points.’
Key clients
- LeasePlan
- Nexans
- Stellantis
- Hillenbrand
- Plastic Omnium
- Groupement Les Mousquetaires
- Aptar Group
- Genfit
- Unibel
- Alliance Electronics
- Acrotec
- Sanofi Aventis Group
- Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance
- CACEIS
- Barclays
- Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring
- Caisse Fédérale du Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe (CFCMNE)
- Vauban Infrastructure Partners
- NW Storm
- DP World
- Atlas Arteria
- Otium Capital
- Kouros Investment
- Qatar Investment Authority
- Peninsula Capital and Florac
- Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
- EQT Infrastructures
- Extendam
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of LeasePlan, a TDR-led consortium, on its successful combination with ALD, Société Générale's car leasing division, for €4.8bn.
- Advised Nexans on its entry into exclusive negotiations with Syntagma Capital to acquire its Telecom Systems division.
- Advised Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance and Stellantis on the signing of a binding agreement for the acquisition of 6 European subsidiaries of ALD and LeasePlan.
Lawyers
Rising stars
Leading individuals
Head of the Corporate/M&A practice in Paris, Bruno advises corporates, financial sponsors and banks on a wide range of complex, cross-border corporate transactions, including public and private M&A, private equity law.
Pierre advises corporate clients on public and private M&A transactions and corporate restructurings. Pierre is co-head of the firm’s automobile sector and has significant experience in the pharma sector.