Jones Day’s ‘proactive and responsive’ environmental group is regularly instructed by multinational corporations, government entities and public bodies for its advisory, transactional, and contentious support. Core areas of expertise include the handling of matters relating to chemical substances and product safety, environmental crisis management, and assisting with the development of renewable energy projects. Françoise Labrousse heads the team and focuses on environmental, crisis management, and health and safety-related mandates. Additional key contacts include Armelle Sandrin-Deforge and Elodie Simon, who major on environmental-related M&A and health and safety issues, respectively.

The group at King & Spalding LLP is led by the ‘pragmatic and responsive’ Joëlle Herschtel, who garners strong praise from clients. Herschtel specialises in environmental and toxic tort litigation, and has demonstrable experience appearing before the French administrative, civil, and criminal courts. The team’s expertise also extends to advisory mandates such as the management of polluted sites, assistance with environmental audits and infrastructure projects, and regulatory advice.

The public and environmental team at A&O Shearman is routinely retained by corporations seeking advice on the regulatory challenges to the transition to a sustainable economy. Contaminated land and waste matters, transactional and contentious mandates are core strengths. Practice head Romaric Lazerges offers public law expertise, while Arthur Sauzay, who was promoted to partner in May 2023, majors in ESG matters and climate litigation.

At David Desforges, Avocat à la Cour, environment law specialist David Desforges is well-versed in a broad range of matters, including those relating to air emissions, waste and water management, the storage of dangerous substances, and contaminated sites and soils. Desforges is regularly instructed by major corporate clients in the retail, automotive and infrastructure segments seeking support with transactional and regulatory matters.

The environment group at FIDAL, which boasts a team of lawyers stationed across twelve French offices, specialises in matters involving water and land contamination, waste management, industrial risk management, and renewable energy. Paris-based national practice director Christophe Puel majors on contaminated sites and soils and chemical products mandates. Deputy national director Thibaut Geib is noted for his experience in environmental industrial law and environmental issues that affect brick-and-mortar assets.

The practice at Fieldfisher is routinely instructed by public and private companies, sponsors, and insurance firms seeking assistance with litigation and advisory environmental matters. Among the group’s core areas of strength are circular economy and waste management matters, renewable energy projects, and urban planning mandates. Practice head Marie-Léonie Vergnerie specialises in land management and waste recovery processes, while Emmanuel Paillard focuses on environmental authorisations. Paul Peyret is another key contact.

The expertise of Atmos Avocats’s environment group spans environmental, public, construction and real estate law, covering both contentious and non-contentious mandates. Waste management, renewables, and pollution are core areas of strength. The practice is jointly led by multidisciplinary practitioners Alexandre Moustardier and Marie-Pierre Maitre; both boast advisory and contentious credentials, and frequently advise large industrial groups, SMEs, developers, and institutions.

Baker McKenzie’s group handles a range of environmental matters, among them waste management, environmental risk management, and environmental audits. A trio of partners leads the practice, comprising: Arnaud Cabanes, who majors on contracts work and industrial site decontamination; public and environmental law specialist Francis Donnat; and Emmanuel Guillaume, who is well-versed in administrative law.

The environment group at CMS Francis Lefebvre is regularly instructed by constructors, developers, constructors, banks, and investments funds for its expertise in waste management, circular economy and renewables matters. The team supports clients on transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. Céline Cloché-Dubois steers the practice and specialises in environmental regulatory mandates, and has additional expertise in the real estate space.

The environmental and ecological transition team at Kalliopé specialises in the drafting of environmental contracts, real estate transactions and developments, and environmental litigation. The practice is co-led by Jocelyn Duval, who splits his time between Paris and Valence and handles both environmental regulatory matters and disputes; and Lorenzo Balzano, who majors on waste management and the rehabilitation of polluted sites.

The practice at PARADIGMES demonstrates particular strength in waste management, as well as handling industrial environmental regulation and environmental taxation matters. Department lead Evguenia Dereviankine is well-versed in waste management, clean-up measures and environmental taxation, and is also noted for her wider environmental, customs and logistics expertise.

The practice at Soulier Avocats is frequently retained by domestic and international corporations seeking support with French and EU environmental requirements, the sale, transport and distribution of hazardous products, and waste management issues. The group demonstrates particular strength in the chemical and pharmaceuticals spaces. Seasoned partner Jean-Luc Soulier leads the team; Laure Marolleau is an additional key contact.