Gide Loyrette Nouel - Who's Who Legal 70

What is the Who's Who Legal 70?

The firm is represented 27 times in this book and is the most prominent of the French-origin law firms. All but two lawyers we feature are based in the Paris office.

Project Finance
Four partners are featured from the firm's "incredibly successful" global project finance group. The team has advised the Citélum Group on the successful negotiation of a scheme for the comprehensive management of urban lighting in Kunming Municipality, Yunnan Province. This urban lighting public-private partnership is the first of its kind in China, and includes a strong commitment to meet significant energy saving targets. Gide has also counselled the French state on the construction of the new embassy in Beijing. Emmanuel Fontaine is a specialist in project finance and maritime law and appears in both chapters in this book. He is in charge of a team of 30 lawyers practising in these areas. Fontaine has advised the Principality of Monaco on the financing of a land extension of more than 15 hectares and the IFC and a commercial bank for the financing of the thermal power station of Cap de Birches in Senegal. John Crothers has "an amazing knowledge of different international needs". He has advised the Belgrade city council in setting up a public-private for the collection of domestic refuse and the operator regarding operating and toll equipment supply agreements for the first motorway in Jamaica. Funding of oil, gas and mining transactions is the focus for "energy expert" François Krotoff. Hicham Naciri was a "top choice" in Morocco and has been involved in a large number of projects in the country including advising Wana Corporate for the financing of its telecommunications project and advising the government on the funding of a power plant.

Banking
Gide Loyrette Nouel has a further three nominees in the banking chapter including Xavier de Kergommeaux who has been a managing partner since 2004 and specialises in cross- border securitisations for commercial credit, bank loans and leases and trade receivables. The "top-tier practitioner" Eric Cartier-Millon was recommended for his structured finance work and described as a "financial all-rounder". Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville D'Herouville is an "outstanding" bank regulatory lawyer and has advised the French government on banking and financial regulations.

Intellectual Property
The firm has a combined intellectual property practice, which includes practitioners who specialises in patent law, trademark law, designs and models and copyrights. The "distinguished" Arnaud Michel is an active member of a number of trademark associations and "one of the top practitioners in France". His colleague Grégoire Triet specialises in infringement and validity disputes and is also "very well regarded". Triet was also a popular choice in the patent chapter and represents national and international clients.

Insolvency and Restructuring
Two partners from the firm's bankruptcy and insolvency practice are featured in this guide: the "prominent" Olivier Puech and the "excellent" Jean-Michel Lucheux. Puech assists companies in financial difficulties in ad hoc assignments or mediation proceedings and also works with the creditors. He also advises companies in takeover bids and acted for Carrefour in the Montlauer buyout. Lucheux specialises in reconciliation and has recently worked on the restructuring and negotiation of a continuation plan for French TV channel La Cinq.

Disputes
Carole Malinvaud is a "very good lawyer who is well liked". She acts in ad hoc proceedings as well as institutional arbitration proceedings as counsel and arbitrator. Malinvaud also appears in the commercial litigation chapter. Her colleague, Christian Camboulive, is said to be "on the ball" and has acted as counsel in numerous international arbitrations, particularly under ICC, French Arbitration Association, ICSID and UNCITRAL regulations. In the commercial litigation chapter, Malinvaud has an "excellent reputation across the world" and is known for her contract work. Founding partner, Philippe Nouel is "very well respected" and an "experienced member of the team".

Real Estate and Construction
The "very well known" Frédéric Nouel focuses on real estate, financing and private equity. He recently took a leading role in the creation of the OPCI (France's newly created collective property investment scheme). Eric Martin Impératori is "dedicated and professional" and has been involved in numerous large-scale projects including retail centres, outlet villages and high-rise buildings from conception and design through to completion and marketing. Bruno de Cazalet specialises in infrastructure construction projects. He is "well known" for his public private partnerships for the water, power and transport sectors.

Other practice areas
Youssef Djehane specialises in M&A transactions and was also a popular choice in the corporate governance chapter. Djehane advised Société Foncière Lyonnaise in its offer for Sophia and Seagram in its merger with Vivendi and the creation of Vivendi Universal. A "star in Europe", Antoine Choffel represents French and foreign corporations before local and European competition authorities as well as in domestic jurisdictions. He assisted the Hungarian government in reforming legislation on consumer protection and the Russian government in its reform of national policy and legislation on monopoly control. Richard Beauvais manages Gide Loyrette Nouel's corporate tax department and was described as an "experienced tax all-rounder". Olivier Prost from the firm's Brussels office is an "excellent litigator" and appears in the trade and customs chapter. He has been involved in settling a number of disputes before the World Trade Organization. Laurent Deruy is "famous for his environmental administration work" and Philippe Desprès came "highly recommended" in the management labour and employment chapter.