VGG & Associés

Number of partners: 4

Number of associates: 7

Languages: English, French

Firm Overview:

VGG & Associés is an independent law firm founded in 2013.

The firm assists its clients, in France as well as abroad, in connection with strategic and complex transactions. It is recognised as one of France's leading independent law firms in the areas of corporate, tax and competition law.

The firm is organized around compact teams, ensuring the direct and continuous involvement of partners whose expertise is widely recognized on the market in their respective fields.

Main Areas of Practice:

Mergers & Acquisitions:

M&A transactions are at the heart of VGG & Associés’s expertise. The firm is recognised as a market-leading firm in respect of public and private M&A transactions as well as in respect of related tax and antitrust matters. The scope of the firm’s expertise encompasses acquisitions, takeover offers, mergers, as well as joint ventures. The firm has equally developed leading expertise advising family-owned groups, which it supports at all stages of their development.

The complementarity between its partners enables the firm to act with the same level of expertise and quality in respect of public transactions (public tender offers or public exchange offers) as well as in respect of private transactions (including private equity deals).

Recently, the firm advised:

■ Stellantis in its acquisition of 2L group of companies

■ Calida Group on the sale of Lafuma Mobilier

■ a bidder in the context of the proposed acquisition of Medik8

■ the sellers on the sale of Faste (Ile-de-France-based specialist in building envelope solutions) to the SMAC group of companies

Private Equity:

The firm advises investment funds as well as management teams in respect of corporate and tax issues arising in the context of buy-outs or subsequent build up transactions, including with respect to the implementation of management packages and investment schemes.

Recently, the firm advised:

■ Geneo Capital Entrepreneurs on the leveraged acquisiton of Seiven (GP Granit)

■ Bpifrance (a long-term shareholder of ADIT) in the context of the reorganization of the company's capital structure (5th LBO).

■ Bpifrance on the acquisition (alongside Ardian, MACSF and management) from Sagard of a majority stake Aprium Pharmacie

■ Abénex Capital in its reinvestment in Group Blanchon

Capital Markets:

VGG & Associés’s practice spans every aspect of capital market transactions: initial public offering, equity capital increases, issue of convertible bonds and private placements.

The firm has advised:

■ Stellantis, majority shareholder of Aramis Group, in connection with the IPO of Aramis Group on Euronext Paris

■ La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in the context of its privatisation by IPO on Euronext Paris

■ Preatoni Group on its listing on Euronext Access+

■ La Française des Jeux (FDJ) on its inaugural 1.5 billion Bond issue

Corporate Governance:

The firm has a strong reputation in connection with day-to-day assistance to listed companies in respect of corporate governance and financial market regulation. As such, it assists companies which are members of the CAC 40 and SBF 120 indexes in respect of regulatory requirements as well as in respect of the preparation and holding of board and shareholders’ meetings.

Tax Matters:

VGG & Associés has a leading practice and experience in respect of tax issues associated with M&A, corporate restructuring and LBO transactions.

The team works closely with the M&A partners on domestic and cross-border transactions and has extensive experience in the structuring of M&A deals including the negotiation of pre-transaction rulings from French tax authorities in the context of complex and innovative transactions.

The team also provides tax advice on all aspects of individual and patrimonial taxation for family-owned groups and their shareholders as well as for entrepreneurs and investors, including management incentive plans.

In keeping with the firm’s tradition of combining advisory and litigation practices, the team assists its clients during tax audits and investigations, as well as in pre-litigation and litigation matters before tax authorities and state courts.

Competition - Distribution:

VGG & Associés has a market leading practice and experience concerning antitrust and distribution law matters.

The team handles matters in merger control, competition investigations, cartels, abuse of dominance, and damages claims in proceedings before the French Competition Authority, French courts or the European Commission.

The team also represents clients in matters involving distribution law, and restrictive trade practices.

The team assists French and international companies active in various sectors.