Parthema
PSpecialist Expertise
- Cross-border mergers and acquisitions
- Restructuring and Investments
- Assistance of investors for equity stakes in an international context
- Bankruptcy Law
- Legal and Tax follow-up of French companies on behalf of foreign groups
- International HR and Employment Matters
- Employment Law Advice
- International Commercial Contracts
- Distribution Networks
- International Litigation and Arbitration
- Cross-border Tax Matters
PRelevant Experience
- Advised a Portuguese group for the acquisition of a French competitor
- Drafted annual legal corporate documentation as regards French subsidiaries intended to foreign management boards
- Advised a French investor considering the opportunity of being part of a joint venture based in the USA
- Drafted and assisted with negotiations of a distribution agreement between a US company and a French company in the health sector
- Drafted an international commercial agreement targeting French and Asian markets in the nuclear industry
Dedicated team
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Sébastien Miara has been a French Avocat at the Paris Bar since 2003. He graduated from the University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas) with a Master's degree in Employment Law and holds a Doctorate in Private law. He joined Parthema as a Partner in January 2015, and practices in employment law. He advises international groups / companies and their managers on the various aspects of labor law (individual and collective relations / advice and litigation). He has developed particular expertise in restructurings, business sales and transfers, staff representative bodies, disciplinary procedures and health and safety issues in the workplace. Before joining Parthema, Sébastien worked nearly 10 years as a Knowledge Management lawyer thus as an associate in the EPB (Employment, Pensions and Benefits) department of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Paris. He also teaches Labor Law at the University of Paris II (Master in Law and Practice in Labor Relations) and regularly writes for Labour Law reviews.
Languages / French, English
Business sectors
Industrial groups, automotive industry, Transportation and Logistics, Complimentary Health Insurance, Software edition, Clothing industry, Construction industry, Tank design and manufactory.
Member
Cercle de Droit Social de l'Entreprise.
RESTRUCTURING & COMMERCIAL LAW
Grégory STRUGEON joined PARTHEMA as a partner in 2011. Grégory graduated from the University of Rennes with a Master's degree in Commercial and Business Law (DJCE). In charge of the commercial and restructuring department, Grégory has developed particular expertise in restructurings, litigation and contract law. Grégory assists French and foreign underperforming companies in restructuring plans in out-of-court or judicial contexts. He also assists companies, funds and investors in the acquisition or investments in targets which are ailing, in bonis or subject to a disposal plan. Grégory negotiates, reviews and drafts contracts in both English and French, including distribution agreements, industrial agreements, research and development, internet and new technologies, and technology transfer agreements. Grégory assists French and foreign companies in their daily issues and litigation in legal proceedings and in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): mediation, negotiation, arbitration, amicable resolution in particular for breach of contract or termination of commercial relationships, unfair practices on the French market, and post acquisition litigation.
Languages / French, English
Business sectors
Industrial groups, Aeronautic industry, Agro food industry, Transport, Software edition, internet services, health.
Member
IFFPC (French Institute for restructuring practitioners) AARO, Member of the Jury in International arbitration competition of CMAP (Paris Chamber of Commerce).
TAX LAW
The university education of Laure PAYET started in Germany, where she graduated with a German-French Master of Law organized by the Universities of Cologna and Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne. After her degree in Paris and a specialization in Tax Law at the University of Strasbourg, Laure began her career in an international accounting firm in Düsseldorf, Germany. She practiced tax law for four years in Germany in the international tax department of this “big Four”. She was engaged to develop a French partnership in Germany, but her competencies focused at that time on international restructurings, corporate tax, financial products and derivatives under German Tax Law. Fluent in German and English, Luxembourg was a natural choice for her after her experience in Germany. The international environment of Luxembourg allowed her to develop her competencies in international restructuring, capital markets, personal income tax issues in cross-border situations. Laure came back to France in 2004 and began working for the law firm of PwC, in the Tax Department of Strasbourg. An active member of the national “German Business Group” of this firm, 75% of her clients in tax matters had an international feature: assisting the German tax managers of a multinational group active in the steel production and present in France with about 30 subsidiaries, for corporate tax, restructuring or transfer pricing issues, explaining the French Tax system to foreign investors, representing the permanent establishment of a Swiss public entity or of a Japanese industrial group with the French Tax Authorities in tax audits, helping Foreign HR departments in expatriates tax issues, was her daily job as the director of the tax department. Laure was also active in personal income tax issues like declaration of Foreign bank accounts to the French Tax Authorities, or impatriation and expatriation tax issues of individuals. Laure is specialized in indirect taxes (such as VAT) and customs issues are a great part of crossborder deals. Laure has also a specific focus on “e-tax”: the new obligation of the French electronic accounting file, the VAT treatment of immaterial and e-services, the tax qualification of new types of business models, the international transfer of added value, are all domains that Laure loves exploring. After 12 years in Strasbourg, Laure joined Parthema in March 2016, in order to develop the Corporate Tax Department.
Languages / French, German, English
Business sectors
Industrial groups, Software edition, catering
Member
DeutscherAnwaltsVerein (DAV) Strasbourg, CANAAFA.
CORPORATE LAW
Sophie Merlet is specialized in the field of mergers and acquisitions. Her practice includes a very broad spectrum of matters, including cross-border transactions for French and international corporate clients, acquisitions of unlisted companies, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. She also advises companies on their key governance and shareholder relations issues. Sophie Merlet heads the Corporate Department of Parthema Law Firm together with Rodophe Pesneau and Quentin Perbet-Verniau. Sophie Merlet is a graduate of the University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne (Maîtrise in business and international law) and of Audencia School of Management. She is also a graduate from Tulane Law School (LL.M. in 2006). She was admitted to the New York Bar in 2008 and Paris Bar in 2009. Before joining Parthema Law Firm at the beginning of 2022, Sophie Merlet practiced for 15 years at French law firms in Paris.
Languages / French, English
CORPORATE LAW
Thomas is a practicing Attorney at Law since 2002 currently registered before Nantes Bar, and graduated from the University of Toulouse 1 with a master degree in general business law (DJCE – DESS droit des affaires) – specialization certificate in corporate law. After a first experience for an independent law office focused on corporate law, general contract drafting and business litigation follow up, he followed his career in 2006 into the corporate department from one of the “Big Four” firms. Thomas joined Parthema in 2013 with aim to counsel and assist any groups, companies or local investments funds with respect to their corporate law issues and M&A transactions (portfolio’s follow-up consisting in mid-level domestic or foreign customers). Furthermore Thomas’ expertise includes providing legal assistance as regards to corporate and structuring matters. He notably helps his interlocutors in choosing the most appropriate corporate status, optimizing their internal functioning and implementing any restructuring, fundraising and/or acquisition projects. Thomas is also in charge of a specific law course intended to future company managers provided by IAE, a master degree supported by Nantes’ Law University.
Languages / French, English
Business sectors
Aeronautic, Innovative startup companies, Industrial groups, Software edition.
Member
Medef 44 (Commission création et transmission d’entreprises), NAPF (Nantes Place Financière), sponsor Partner of SAMOA Nantes («Quartier de la Création – Cluster Creative Factor Cercle de droit social de l'entreprise.
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Emmanuelle de Bonneval advises HR and legal Managers on labour-law issues concerning both individual and collective status on a daily basis as such as on complex operations. She also assists clients both during pré-litigation counsel and in court litigation procedures. Her intervention may imply international actors and issues. Emmanuelle de Bonneval graduated from ESSEC MBA in 2010. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Private Law and a Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property Law both from Université Paris II ASSAS. She also holds an Associate’s Degree in French & German Law from Université Paris X. She began her career in a French law firm in 2011 before joining Parthema in 2018.
Languages / French, English, German
Business sectors
IT services, software edition, magazines and books retail, accredited collection organisms (OPCA), insurance and pharmaceutical industry.
Member
ESSEC ALUMNI.
CORPORATE LAW
Quentin is a practicing Attorney at Law since 2013 currently registered before Nantes Bar, and graduated from Skema Business School with a master degree in management and a master degree in business law. He had first experiences for law offices focused on corporate and tax law, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and LBO.
Quentin joined Parthema in 2016 to counsel and assist companies, groups, funds, start-up and early stage companies with respect to their corporate law issues especially in fundraising and M&A transactions. Quentin also provides legal assistance in corporate and structuring matters. He notably helps his interlocutors in choosing the most appropriate corporate status, optimizing their internal functioning and implementing any restructuring, fundraising and/or acquisition projects.
Languages / French, English
Business sectors
Innovative startup companies, Industry, ecological habitat.
Member
Referring member of Skema Alumni in Nantes/Rennes Area.
DISTRIBUTION & COMMERCIAL LAW
Celine MARANDET joined Parthema in 2017. She integrated an Anglo-French Business law Degree 2013 and graduated in 2016. In the mid-time, she received an LLM in International Commercial Law from the University of Exeter (UK). She also graduated from a French Business Law Master (in French, “DJCE”). During her studies, she participated to an entrepreneurship competition and won the Agro-food innovation prize. She graduated from another Master, in Agriculture development and entered the legal department of one of the biggest French farming cooperative. She developed an expertise in distribution law, drafting and negotiating contracts, in particular in the context of large retailers. She now works on distribution issues, either at a national scale or at an international one including commercial agents, retailers, franchise...Celine also works on litigations following commercial relationship (between associates, franchisee/franchisers, commercial agents…). Those litigations might imply international actors.
Languages / French, English
Business sectors
Consumer Goods and Retail, Agro-food industries, Industrial and Manufacturing, Technology.
COMMERCIAL LAW
Philippine AUDOUSSET is a practicing Attorney at Law since 2016 and currently registered before Nantes bar. She graduated both from Nantes University with a master degree in Business Law and from Cardiff University with an LLM in European Legal Studies. Her first experiences were in international law firms in Paris and in the French Polynesian Competition Authority. She joined Parthema in 2021. Philippine reviews and drafts contracts in both English and French, including distribution agreements, sales intermediary agreements, sales documents (general terms of purchase or sale, online terms, promotional operations, etc.), documents in relation to software development and distribution, manufacturing, outsourcing and supply agreements. She assists French and foreign companies in their daily issues related to commercial law (e.g. breach of contract or termination of commercial relationships with a French partner, unfair practices on the French market), as well as in their broader development strategies in France and abroad (e.g. choosing and setting up a distribution network). In addition, Philippine is involved in commercial litigation and resolution of cross-border disputes.
Languages / French, English
TAX LAW
Mathias is a practicing Attorney at Law currently registered before Nantes Bar, graduated from the University of Poitiers with a French Business Law Master’s degree (DJCE). He had first experiences in law offices focused on corporate and tax law, and in legal department of one of the biggest French theme parks operating companies before joining Parthema in 2022, where he decided to focus on Tax law. As part of the Parthema’s Tax team, he advises and assists on corporate tax issues (VAT, corporate income tax...) and on wealth tax issues for individuals, managers and shareholders of companies (income tax, inheritance tax, real property tax issues).