Employment | Europe

August Debouzy has a market-leading team that covers a wide range of employment mandates. The firm is highly skilled in assisting both French and international clients, including CAC 40 companies, with employee litigation, company reorganisations and collective redundancy plans. The group demonstrates additional expertise in dealing with matters concerning workplace discrimination and assisting with inspections by French authorities. The department has further experience in whistle-blowing policies and issues surrounding foreign secondment.

Bredin Prat is a highly reputed firm advising on the employment law aspects of high-value M&A transactions. The department offers particular expertise in social security matters as well as representing companies in employee litigation, including collective lawsuits. The practice houses additional strength in internal reorganisations and collective mutual termination agreements.

Capstan Avocats is a top-tier team dedicated solely to employment law with recommended abilities in social security issues. The team frequently assists both French and international clients across the retail, technology and manufacturing sectors with disputes, mass dismissals and reorganisations. The law firm provides additional experience in employee representation issues, individual terminations and working time agreements.

CMS houses a strong practice group drawing valuable multidisciplinary support from the firm's extensive network to advise on a range of employment matters. The team frequently assists with mass dismissals, remuneration disputes and social security issues, with additional expertise in M&A-related advice, including employee transfer. The department brings further experience in litigation and employment-related criminal law.

Flichy Grangé Avocays is an outstanding French firm renowned for its dedication to employment law. It offers a full range of expertise for both domestic and international clients. The department frequently assists with employee litigation, redundancy schemes and collective agreements. Additionally, the team is involved in handling the labour aspects of M&A transactions and also advises clients on health and safety issues and social security matters.

Actance operates a well-reputed practice group offering experience in individual and collective relations, health and safety issues, and criminal labour law matters. The department provides support on disputes and social security. The team further acts on employee shareholding and stock options. The law firm houses additional experience in employment matters arising from M&A and corporate restructuring, as well as personal data protection.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is widely acknowledged for its work on the employment aspects of high-value M&A transactions, often with a cross-border focus. The firm's client roster comprises numerous banking and finance clients. The practice offers further assistance with individual employee litigation, corporate restructurings and collective redundancy plans. The team also advises on the set-up of employee representative bodies.

Gide Loyrette Nouel houses a well-established team assisting with mass redundancies on restructuring mandates and in employee disputes. The law firm advises on relations with staff representative bodies, including works councils and trade unions. The practice displays further strength in employment-related litigation, including discrimination and harassment disputes.

The firm operates a well-reputed group that assists with the employment aspects of high-value M&A transactions and offers additional skill in redundancy plan mandates. The department benefits from the strength of its international network to assist with cross-border matters. The team also acts in market abuse claims and represents companies in collective litigation proceedings concerning working time and bonuses. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

ærige avocats, formerly brl avocats, houses a strong practice group offering expertise in a variety of employment law matters, including social plans and working time agreements. The department is experienced in employment issues connected to company mergers. Well versed in disputes concerning issues such as misconduct, the team is also experienced handling the set-up of staff representative councils and has expertise in union negotiations.

Baker McKenzie's employment law team demonstrates extensive experience in transaction-related employment advice, supporting clients with employee transfers and post-M&A integration, as well as the implementation of social plans. With additional strength in the redundancy aspects of restructuring mandates, the department's expertise also covers disciplinary measures. The practice has a strong track record of representing clients from the pharmaceutical sector.

Chassany Watrelot & Associés is a well-regarded employment boutique handling litigation, collective agreements and reorganisations, including employee transfers and social plans. The practice also handles mass redundancy and employment protection plans. The firm's client roster includes French blue-chip corporates and financial institutions.

Clifford Chance boasts proficiency in restructuring mandates, covering collective redundancy procedures and health and safety matters. The department is well versed in negotiations with trade unions and works councils. The team defends clients in litigation stemming from unfair dismissals, with additional experience handling claims relating to discrimination and back pay.

A strong practice group acting on various domestic and cross-border employment law mandates, Fromont Briens advises on collective redundancy, company takeovers and employee litigation, with additional proficiency in corporate restructurings. The practice advises on social security issues and expatriation policies, with further experience handling class action litigation.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe assists with collective dismissals, employee transfers and executive-level departures. The practice is experienced in individual and collective litigation concerning discrimination and employee representative bodies. The team also advises on labour issues following M&A transactions and company reorganisations, such as voluntary redundancy plans and integration issues.

Bird & Bird is a well-established firm offering expertise in company reorganisations, employee litigation and social plans. Additionally well versed in collective and individual terminations, the practice boasts a strong client base hailing from the technology sector. The team is experienced in consultations with works councils.

With notable areas of expertise including employee litigation and workplace harassment cases, Dechert is skilled in the labour aspects of M&A transactions and reorganisations, such as redundancy plans and employee transfers. The department is further experienced in handling working conditions and working time matters.

DLA Piper represents clients in a range of employment matters, such as social plans, employee litigation and collective dismissals. The group boasts further experience in post-acquisition labour mandates, including integration plans, reorganisations and transfers of employees. The team additionally assists with harassment and discrimination cases.

With a well-reputed practice group adept at advising on the employment aspects of M&A transactions, Hogan Lovells benefits from cross-border expertise, drawing on its international network. The group also handles employee litigation and mass redundancies. The team is further experienced in assisting with profit-sharing agreements and professional elections.

LPA Law advises on company reorganisations, redundancy plans, and health and safety concerns. The practice boasts additional experience acting on site closures. Assisting with collective agreements and negotiations with employee representatives, the group encompasses further experience advising on criminal liability issues and international mobility matters.

"Ogletree are adept at managing sensitive employment issues and contentious negotiations. They provide practical guidance and I am very impressed with their responsiveness, generally answering emails on the same day despite time zone differences. The service level is also excellent: they follow through, providing detailed advice summaries that are very useful and facilitate business decisions."

Proskauer Rose represents clients from the finance, TMT and automotive fields. The group frequently assists with a range of employment matters, including collective disputes and employee transfers. Well versed in cross-border mandates, and advising both domestic and international clients, the team also assists with redundancy plans and negotiations with trade unions. Further, the department routinely advises on discrimination and harassment issues.

Racine is a solid French firm assisting clients with the negotiation of collective agreements and the implementation of redundancy plans, including in the context of insolvency proceedings. The team additionally handles individual litigation. The practice is particularly proficient in advising on social security mandates as well as health and safety issues.

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei handles a wide range of employment mandates, with a particular focus on issues linked to restructurings and insolvency processes. The practice has further expertise in implementing social protection plans, voluntary redundancy plans and transfers of employees. The firm's client roster boasts well-known domestic companies from the energy and hospitality sectors.

Jeantet frequently represents clients from the pharmaceutical, retail and technology sectors on a range of employment law mandates. The team's areas of expertise include pension schemes and collective bargaining agreements. Handling collective litigation and employment protection plans, the group further advises on issues pertaining to working time policies.

Jones Day acts on M&A-related employment issues, such as redundancy plans, employee transfers and communications with employee representatives. The group possesses additional strength in harassment and discrimination claims as well as matters concerning occupational disease.

Latham & Watkins offers expertise in a broad range of employment matters, including employment issues arising from M&A transactions and restructurings. The department also advises on compliance issues, corporate governance and employee litigation. The team additionally assists with redundancy plans and negotiations with employee representatives.

UGGC Avocats is sought after by clients for its strong capabilities and knowledge in the French employment market. The team is particularly active in implementing social protection plans and policies, as well as negotiating with trade unions and works councils. The firm is also adept at handling labour disputes and harassment cases.