Flash infos

Flash infos

11/04/19

Classements LEGAL 500 EMEA 2019

Racine est classé dans 10 catégories du Legal 500 EMEA 2019.

Insolvency – ranked: tier 2/4  

« Racine has a strong practice and is regularly instructed by key stakeholders and debtors to handle major industrial and LBO restructuring cases. The team recently acted for leading newspaper and magazine distributor Presstalis in high-stake conciliation proceedings and advised LBO France on the sale of its majority stake in Karavel-Promovacances and Fram. The practice also assisted investors with asset takeover offers. The six-lawyer team, which can also draw from the firm’s banking and employment practices, is headed by highly regarded duo Antoine Diesbecq and Laurent Jourdan. Emmanuel Laverrière is also a key name in the team.« 

 

Employment – ranked: tier 2/4

Racine’s ‘highly proficient, available and reactive’ 17-lawyer team advises high-profile French and international companies across various sectors including insurance, energy, transportation, distribution and telecoms. The practice, which has ‘great knowledge of the banking sector’, also acts for several leading French banks. The firm was recently in high demand to assist with reorganisations including collective downsizing and litigation. The team also advised on the employment aspects of M&A transactions, managers’ incentives, insolvency and sensitive litigation including sexual harassment issues. It recently assisted Gefco with a major reorganisation project. Other clients include Isochem, BP France and Mediawan. Frédéric Broud, Carla Di Fazio Perrin, Alain Ménard and Sarah Usunier have considerable expertise. The ‘thorough and creativePhilippe Rogez, who is ‘excellent at handling collective and individual matters’ and is praised for his ‘strategic approach’, was a new arrival from Raphaël.

 

Real estate – ranked: tier 3 /4  (en progression par rapport à 2018 où nous étions en Tier 3/3)

Racine provides ‘excellent support in a very efficient way’. The firm’s wide-ranging expertise spans investment, lease, construction and litigation matters. It can rely on strong tax support and a large regional office network. It is sought out by high-profile luxury brands and asset manager clients to negotiate commercial leases including flagship stores. The practice also assists property investors including Tristan Capital Partners, which it assisted with the sale of a portfolio. The team is also advising on building and hotel construction and renovation work. KanAm Grund, Gecina, BNP Real Estate, Cartier and Icade are other clients. The 14-lawyer practice is led by Nicolas Boytchev, Carol Santoni, Jean-Philippe Lorizon and Nelson Segundo.

Dispute resolution: commercial litigation – ranked: tier 3 /4

Racine handles corporate, commercial and some arbitration cases. The firm acts for major companies and is notably involved in several individual and family shareholders’ disputes and international litigation. A number of partners are able to handle litigation within the firm, including the highly regarded Bruno Cavalié, who stands out for his ‘very strong business sense and skills’. Another key team member is Antoine Diesbecq, who notably represented the liquidator of Scop Seafrance in several disputes with Getlink (formerly Groupe Eurotunnel) and DFDS.

 

EU, competition and distribution – ranked: tier 3/5

The competition and antitrust team at Racine consists of three partners who were recently joined by associate Sabrina Ledda-Noël from CMSValérie Ledoux recently assisted Groupe Perle du Nord and the main producers of endives in their appeal against the FCA’s decision to fine them on the grounds of collusion and the maintenance of minimum prices. She also acted for Brandalley in its complaint to the regulator pertaining to an alleged foreclosure strategy implemented by competitor Vente-privée through exclusivity agreements with most high-end fashion suppliers. Bastien Thomas is also a name to note; he recently oversaw the conclusion of PSA’s joint venture with Japanese group Nidec for the design and manufacturing of electric automotive engines in France. The firm’s recent caseload also includes a number of national and European-level regulatory investigations.

Tax – ranked: tier 4 /5

Racine has ‘high-level expertise and enjoys good relationships with the French authorities’. The ‘available and business-oriented’ nine-lawyer team advises major companies, as well as significant property investment funds on transactional tax issues. It recently assisted Mediawan with its acquisition of EuropaCorp’s French TV business, and Deka Immobilien with the acquisition of Engie’s former headquarters. The firm also handles litigation and advises individuals. Eurotunnel, Infrared and Tristan Capital Partners are among its other clients. Fabrice Rymarz and Xavier Rollet  head the team in which counsels Rachel Dress and Aude Gary-Bally are also involved.

Industry focus: IT, telecoms and the internet – ranked: tier 4

Administrative and public law – ranked: tier 5

Mergers and acquisitions – ranked: tier 5 

The regions – ranked: tier 1  

Parisian firm Racine has strongly developed its regional network of offices and has a presence in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg, as well as in Brussels. The firm is highly regarded as an independent mid-sized firm in the market and fields a team of 200 lawyers.