Le 16 Law

Partners: Benoît Barré, Morgan Gizardin, Anne-Claire Hans, Jean-Luc Larribau, Samuel Sauphanor, Julie Spinelli, Alexandra Szekely
Of Counsel & Law Professor: Denis Mouralis
Number of partners: 7
Number of lawyers: 20
Number of years of experience: 15+
Number of matters handled: 300+
Languages: French, English, Spanish, Dutch, German

Firm Overview
Le 16 Law is a leading independent law firm based in Paris with a compelling track-record both in resolving complex disputes through litigation, arbitration and ADR, and in supporting the tech industry.

The firm assists its clients in devising successful strategies to anticipate, prevent and mitigate risks, secure contractual relationships, resolve disputes and control crisis situations, including regulatory investigations.

The firm acts formarket-leading industry and technology players, financial institutions and sovereign States on high-end mandates.

Trained both in civil law and common law jurisdictions, the firm’s lawyers offer a combination of technical expertise, innovative thinking and strong advocacy skills. All driven by the same fighting spirit, the firm’s lawyers are high performers who act with preciseness and discretion.

The firm prides itself in being recognised by peers, clients and professional observers as offering ‘excellent cutting-edge legal skills’ and ‘unmatched client service and attention’.

Main Areas of Practice

Corporate Disputes
The practice is led by Jean-Luc Larribau, Anne-Claire Hans, Alexandra Szekely and Samuel Sauphanor, and assists corporate clients with:

• Shareholders’ disputes
• Shareholders’ activism
• M&A disputes
• Directors’ liability
• Crisis management

Lead contact: Jean-Luc Larribau, [email protected] , +33 6 21 82 37 69

Stock-Market Litigation
The practice is led by Jean-Luc Larribau, Anne-Claire Hans and Samuel Sauphanor, and assists financial institutions with:

• Securities litigation
• AMF and ACPR regulatory investigations and disputes (market abuses, …)
• Financial services litigation
• Banking disputes (first demand bank guarantee, performance bond, …)

Lead contact: Anne-Claire Hans, [email protected] , +33 1 86 95 57 90

Restructuring & Insolvency Proceedings
The practice is led by Alexandra Szekely and assists distressed companies, creditors, shareholders and directors with:

• Cross-border insolvencies
• Out-of-court restructurings ( ad hoc mandates and conciliation)
• In-court restructurings (safeguard and reorganization proceedings)
• Purchase of distressed assets or businesses
• Shareholders and directors’ liability

Lead contact: Alexandra Szekely, [email protected] , + 33 6 77 80 40 08

Criminal Law & White-Collar Crime
The practice is led by Samuel Sauphanor and assists private and corporate clients with:

• Directors’ / top executives’ / politics’ criminal charges (influence peddling, corruption, tax fraud laundering, …)
• Internal investigations (harassment, corruption, fraud, …)
• Inside trading / market abuses

Lead contact: Samuel Sauphanor, [email protected] , +33 1 86 95 57 90

International Arbitration & Alternative Dispute Resolution
The practice is led by Julie Spinelli and Jean-Luc Larribau, and advises and represents corporate clients and sovereign States in:

• Commercial and investment international arbitration proceedings both ad hoc and under the major institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, SCC, ICSID)
• Pre- and post-arbitral litigation proceedings before French courts, such as expedited proceedings to seek interim relief or provisional attachments, and proceedings for the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards

Lead contact: Julie Spinelli, [email protected] , + 33 6 82 94 33 98

International Sanctions & Compliance
The practice is led by Alexandra Szekely and assists corporate clients with:

• International sanctions
• Compliance and control audits
• Codes of conduct
• ABC policies
• Compliance programs

Lead contact: Alexandra Szekely, [email protected] , + 33 6 77 80 40 08

Real Estate Transactions & Disputes
The practice is led by Morgan Gizardin and assist with:

• Real estate transactions (leases, property sales)
• Real estate litigation (due diligence, risk assessment)
• Commercial financial and criminal litigation relating to real estate investments

Lead contact: Morgan Gizardin, [email protected] , +33 1 86 95 57 90

Industrial Risks & Product Liability
The practice is led by Jean-Luc Larribau and Anne-Claire Hans, and assists with:

• Product-related crisis management (recalls, withdrawals, …)
• Product liability litigation
• Court-ordered expert determination
• Contractual and tort liability
• Product safety

Lead contact: Jean-Luc Larribau, [email protected] , +33 6 21 82 37 69

Civil & Commercial Disputes
The practice is led by Samuel Sauphanor, Alexandra Szekely, Jean-Luc Larribau, Julie Spinelli, Anne-Claire Hans and Morgan Gizardin, and assists with:

• Wrongful termination of negotiations
• Unfair competition
• Follow-on claims
• Contractual and tort liability
• Significant imbalance cases
• Termination of contractual relationships
• Contract renegotiations

Lead contact: Samuel Sauphanor, [email protected] , +33 1 86 95 57 90

Digital
The practice is led by Benoît Barré and assists clients with:

• Regulatory (electronic communications, digital assets, AI, cloud, SaaS, data protection, platform regulation, …)
• Transactions (BtoB, BtoC, IP, Data, etc.)
• Prevention and management of complex disputes in the field of new technologies

Lead contact: Benoît Barré, [email protected] , + 33 6 08 03 83 55

International Outreach
Most of the matters handled by the firm involve cross-border issues and include foreign components. In order to support its strong international activity, the firm has established a network of trusted partners around the world, with which it forms tailored teams where the matter demands it.

The firm is also entrusted to acts as the French desk of foreign law firms for recurring orad hocassignments.

Offices
Le 16 Law
16 rue de l’Elysée
75008 Paris
+33 1 86 95 57 90
[email protected]