France

Overview

Sheppard Mullin’s French Desk Team advises French clients with respect to U.S. law. Our Team is comprised of a large number of French-speaking attorneys who assist clients with their U.S. based matters in French. The legal services provided by "Sheppard Mullin French Desk" are of two types:

Comprehensive support of French companies in their investments, M&A and growth in the United States provided by U.S. qualified French-speaking attorneys (who are based in New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco, and are French speakers, French and U.S.-law educated and U.S. qualified attorneys); and

Comprehensive practice of European law, especially in competition law from the firm’s Brussels office (European law practice led by an attorney admitted to practice law both in France and Belgium, and backed by four French-speaking lawyers admitted to practice in France and/or Belgium).

U.S. Law by French-Speaking Lawyers for French Clients

The Team consists of attorneys who specialize in U.S. business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and securities offerings (debt and equity), general corporate and fund formation matters, commercial contracts, licensing and distribution across various industries, including tech, cloud, software, biotech, life sciences and pharma. The firm also handles litigation, regulatory, tax, competition, intellectual property, labor and other specialty matters.

The Team delivers highly effective representation in U.S. law for France-based and U.S.-based companies, venture funds and other investors with cross-border interests. Clients consist of French companies conducting business in the U.S., including those already operating or desiring to start their U.S. subsidiaries, acquiring or investing in existing U.S. businesses or selling their products in the U.S., as well as U.S. companies conducting business in France or desiring to invest in France, too.

With several French-speaking attorneys, the Team is dedicated to strengthening the ties between the French and U.S. business communities.

Key U.S. Law Services for French Clients

Mergers and Acquisitions.
IPOs, capital raising (equity and debt) through capital markets, securities offerings or private placements.
Investment funds formations.
General corporate matters.
Formation of joint ventures, partnerships and strategic alliances.
Distribution and marketing of products.
Antitrust matters in the U.S., European Union and around the world.
International tax structures.
Filing and protection of patents and trademarks in the U.S. and around the world, and helping our clients protect their valuable intellectual property assets.
Resolution of international disputes.
Compliance with Federal and State regulations (including under the FCPA and similar anti-corruption statutes, cyber security, CFIUS, FDA and others).
Advising clients in connection with the wide range of compliance and enforcement issues relating to the export and re-export of products and information under regulations promulgated and administered by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and State, as well as the economic sanctions rules of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Providing sophisticated immigration strategies for securing, preparing and filing applications for in bound business visas, work permits, permanent residence and citizenship.
Labor, employment and union matters, including advice and counseling, disputes and litigation with employees and international mobility.

Our attorneys work with foreign counsel, accountants and advisors to ensure that there is proper coordination among all professionals to ultimately attain the client’s goals.