Our Paris office provides a special combination of both transactional and litigation skill, which is increasingly a key part of the strategic advice that clients seek today.

Our lawyers in Paris advise leading companies in France and throughout Europe on a wide range of :

• Cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions
• Debt and equity capital markets
• Corporate governance
• Litigation and antitrust matters

Since establishing our Paris office in 1962, we have developed relationships with the French government and with many French financial institutions and companies.

We also have extensive experience advising U.S. and international clients undertaking transactions in France as well as investment banks in deals involving French companies. By combining our prominent U.S. law and cross-border practice with French law capabilities, Davis Polk offers a single, comprehensive team of lawyers to advise clients on all French, English,  U.S. and cross-border legal issues.

Our Paris-based lawyers are recognized as market leaders in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, global securities offerings and other complex financings, litigation and restructurings. All of our partners in Paris are Avocats à la Cour.

• Chambers Europe – “Davis Polk is one of the world’s premier law firms.”2016

M&A

• Chambers Europe – “Known for skillful work in highly complex matters that are critical to clients, the firm offers substantial breadth and depth across all of their practices.” 2016
• Chambers USA Awards – “Corporate/M&A Team of the Year,” 2016
• Leaders League/Décideurs – Davis Polk Paris was ranked “Excellent” in M&A for transactions above €500 million and Complex Operations, 2016

Capital Markets

• Chambers Europe – A client comments: “Fantastic: Hugely proactive and efficient, which guarantees a smooth process.” 2016
• Chambers Global
  • “What the team is known for: Superb reputation for managing high-value equity and debt capital markets deals.” 2016
  • Debt and Equity Capital Markets: Band 1, one of only four firms worldwide to be so ranked, 2016
• Bloomberg – 1st as issuers counsel on EMEA IPOs by volume, 2016
• Legal 500
  • “Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has an impressive track record in assisting its diverse client base with high-profile offerings worldwide.” 2016
  • “Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has a stellar reputation in the field of capital markets, and (…) it advises some of the world’s biggest issuers.” 2016
• Law360 – “Capital Markets Practice Group of the Year,” 2016 

Litigation and Arbitration

• Legal 500:
  • Mergers and Acquisitions – “The 13-lawyer team also stands out for its ability to deal with highly sensitive M&A-related litigation issues.” 2016
  • Davis Polk is seen as a “…‘safe pair of hands’ by clients engaged in bet-the-company securities litigation.” 2016
• Chambers Global:
  • A client comments: “The quality of lawyering is superb. I’ve dealt not just with the partners, but also the associates – an excellent group of folks.” 2016
  • “Exceptional US practice, leading in white-collar criminal defence, as well as banking and securities regulatory matters. Also gaining significant strength in Asia, where its Hong Kong office is known for its work regarding regulatory and anti-corruption investigations. On these matters it regularly works in tandem with the firm’s offices in London and Paris.” 2016
• Benchmark Litigation – “Davis Polk is on everybody’s shortlist and should be. In big, commercial oriented matters that involve the serious bucks, they are a top choice.” 2016

Our lawyers in Paris are dedicated to serving the public good and providing pro bono legal services to those who cannot otherwise obtain legal representation. We are committed to offering the highest caliber of service for all such representations. 

In this respect, we have partnered with Alliance des Avocats pour les Droits de l’Homme (AADH), a nonprofit legal service association that provides assistance notably to NGOs, associations and institutions. AADH was the recipient of the 2017 Special Pro Bono Award from the Paris Bar.

Recent Representations

• Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A. ($3.9 billion – 2017). Advised on the recommended tender offer by Novartis for Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A.
• Genuine Parts Company (€2 billion – 2017). Advised on the acquisition of Alliance Automotive Group from private equity funds managed by Blackstone and AAG’s co-founders
• Solvay (€1.6 billion – 2017). Advised on the sale of its Polyamides business to German chemical company BASF
• Natura Cosméticos (€1 billion – 2017). Advised on the acquisition of The Body Shop from L’Oréal
• A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S ($7.45 billion – 2017). Advised on its $7.45 billion disposal of Mærsk Oil to Total S.A.
• Starwood Capital (€185 million – 2017). Advised on the sale of Starwood Capital’s majority ownership in luxury crystal manufacturer Baccarat to Fortune Fountain Capital
• NBC News (value undisclosed – 2017). Advised on its strategic partnership with Euronews
• Suez ($3.4 billion – 2017). Advised on its acquisition of GE Water & Process Technologies from General Electric
• Millicom (value undisclosed – 2016/2017). Advised in connection with various M&A transactions in Africa
• TechnipFMC ($17 billion – 2017). Advised Technip on its merger of equals with NYSE-listed FMC Technologies
• Valeo (€320 million – 2017). Advised on its tender offer for the shares of Ichikoh, a Japanese manufacturer listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
• LOSC (value undisclosed – 2017). Advised Mr. Michel Seydoux on the sale of the LOSC (Lille football club) to Mr. Gérad López
• Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC) (€220 million – 2016). Advised in connection with its agreement with Veolia Environnement for Veolia’s withdrawal from Transdev Group
• Comcast (value undisclosed – 2016). Advised on its acquisition of French video start-up StickyAds TV, one of the largest acquisitions of a French start-up
• Solvay ($6.4 billion – 2015). Advised on its acquisition of Cytec Industries
• Starwood Capital (€1.3 billion – 2015). Advised on the sale of Groupe du Louvre and Louvre Hotels to Jin Jiang International Holdings Co., Ltd
• LVMH (€6 billion – 2014). Advised on the distribution to its shareholders of its stake in Hermès
• Club Med (€939 million – 2014). Advised the Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC) on the tender offer by Fosun/Ardian for Club Med and on the counter-tender offer by Andrea Bonomi

Recent Representations

• TechnipFMC ($17 billion – 2017). Advised Technip on its merger of equals with NYSE-listed FMC Technologies
• ArcelorMittal:
  • (up to €1.5 billion/up to $5.1 billion – 2016/2017). Advised dealer managers in connection with multiple cash tender offers by ArcelorMittal
  • ($3 billion – 2016). Advised underwriters on an SEC-registered rights offering
• Société Générale ($15.75 billion – 2013/2017). Advised dealers on multiple notes offerings (senior/senior non-preferred/Tier2/AT 1 debt)
• Crédit Agricole (€3 billion/£500 million/$19.1 billion) – 2013/2017. Advised dealers on multiple notes offerings (senior/senior non-preferred/Tier 2/AT 1 debt)
• BPCE ($17.32 billion – 2013/2017). Advised underwriters on multiple notes offerings (senior/senior non-preferred/Tier 2 debt)
• Eramet (€1.790 billion – 2013/2017). Advised on multiple notes offerings (including its 2016 equity-linked notes issuance) and on the tender offer on bonds due 2020
• Advanced Accelerator Applications ($225 million – 2015/2016). Advised on its IPO and SEC-registered follow-on offering of American Depositary Shares
• DONG Energy ($2.6 billion – 2016). Advised on its IPO and listing on the NASDAQ Copenhagen
• Pernod Ricard ($600 million – 2016). Advised initial purchasers in connection with a Rule 144A/Regulation S
• Delta Lloyd (€650 million – 2016). Advised on its rights offering and admission of new ordinary shares to trading on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels
• NXP ($1 billion – 2015). Advised on a notes offering (senior debt)