Baker McKenzie’s IP department provides specialised expertise at both domestic and multi-jurisdictional levels, addressing a wide range of advisory and contentious issues across various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life sciences, luxury, retail, lifestyle, and entertainment. Led by IP agreement specialist Virginie Ulmann, the copyright team possesses extensive knowledge of the French implementation of the new EU copyright directive. They regularly offer counsel to major tech companies on cutting-edge copyright matters arising from this directive, particularly in the realm of neighbouring rights of press publishers and intermediary liability. The team also excels in advisory services for both contentious and non-contentious matters, covering areas like copyright protection in digital media, collective management and enforcement, acquisition, migration, and disposal of copyright assets, alongside expertise in complex copyright litigation cases, bolstered by the experience of litigator Nathalie Marchand. Other key figures at the firm include Pauline Celeyron.

Armengaud Guerlain has cultivated a formidable standing in IP law, championing the causes of blue-chip companies, SMEs, and individuals. The firm navigates both contentious issues before the French courts and transactional matters, showcasing prowess in due diligence. Co-led by its founders, Stéphane Guerlain, an expert in IP disputes, and Catherine Mateu, whose experience extends to aiding start-ups, multinationals, investors, and non-profits in French and EU IP matters, the practice boasts extensive proficiency in cross-border litigation and contracts. With an international network and fluency in daily working languages, including French, English, German, and Spanish, the firm provides insightful counsel to clients across five continents.

Leveraging its global reach across all continents, the IP&T team at Dentons in Paris benefits from the expertise of more than 600 lawyers worldwide. It provides support for both domestic and multi-jurisdictional matters and are the preferred choice for numerous blue-chip clients in the pharmaceutical, luxury goods, gaming, and TMT industries seeking to safeguard their copyrights in France and the EU. The team, under the leadership of litigation and enforcement specialist Loïc Lemercier, shields clients from infringement actions and represents them in licensing disputes, injunctions, and seizures. Moreover, they excel in transactional work, guiding clients through contract negotiations and drafting. Isabelle Leroux, a key contact with experience in industrial property and literary and artistic property, has advised notable clients such as CNRS, RTLE, Casablanca, and Leroy Merlin.

Deprez Guignot Associés provides comprehensive support to clients, addressing all facets of copyright-related matters, including contracts, licensing, litigation, anti-counterfeiting, parasitism, and unfair competition cases. Co-led by Vincent Fauchoux, Frédéric Dumont, and Jean-Daniel Bouhenic, the practice is entrusted by high-profile clients, particularly within the luxury goods sector, underscoring their expertise in handling significant cases. They further reinforce their capabilities through the development of IT solutions designed for the management and protection of intellectual property rights.

Established in 2022 as a firm exclusively dedicated to IP matters, Havard Duclos & Associés is focused on copyright issues, encompassing both litigation and unfair competition cases. Under the leadership of Sophie Havard Duclos, who brings valuable experience from top international law firms, the team provides guidance and support to a prominent client base that includes industry leaders like NIKE, Christian Dior, and Danone, showcasing their capability to handle intricate international cases. Key figures in the practice also include Pauline Casanova, who specialises in safeguarding intangible assets, and Constance Percevaux, known for her regular assistance to clients in French courts for civil and commercial litigation, with a noteworthy emphasis on civil and criminal IP proceedings.

As the go-to firm for Google in France, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP maintains a robust client roster, offering counsel on both contentious and non-contentious issues encompassing all aspects of IP, technology, and regulatory matters. The team possess expertise in copyright matters related to the internet. Under the leadership of Alexandra Neri, the practcice provides regular guidance to both domestic and international clients, focusing on copyright infringement and anti-counterfeiting policies. They are well-versed in representing technology and media companies before both French and EU courts.

Momentum Avocats maintains a European and international focus, offering guidance on a diverse array of IP and IT matters, including counselling, litigation, as well as public and regulatory affairs. Co-led by IP structuring rights expert Julie Carel, IT and media specialist Julien CANLORBE, and Jean-Sébastien Mariez, who specialises in gaming, ICT, and services activities, the team serves companies in various sectors such as luxury goods, publishing, sports, and IT. The practice excels in litigious copyright cases, representing clients in the enforcement of their IP rights before both French and EU courts. It strives to protect clients’ online reputations, pursue claims of unfair competition, and provide assistance regarding companies’ obligations and liabilities under both French and EU intellectual property law.

The copyright practice at Osborne Clarke boasts a robust client portfolio in the advertising, retail, TMC, gaming, and financial services sectors. Its expertise extends to various aspects, including content licensing and enforcement, portfolio and asset management, as well as broader IT, data, and regulatory issues. Claire Bouchenard, a leading figure in advertising and marketing law, heads the practice alongside data protection specialist Xavier Pican. Together, they guide the team in advisory services and copyright disputes, offering support to clients in both domestic and cross-border litigation and pre-litigation related to copyright infringements, validity, prosecution disputes, unfair competition claims, and contractual matters. The practice is further reinforced by the presence of Julia Darcel, a broadcasting and digital content specialist, and Christophe Arfan, an expert in trade secrets.

Pinsent Masons LLP plays a pivotal role in supporting a wide array of clients in soft IP matters, with notable achievements in sectors like pharmaceuticals, retail, technology, art, and automotive. The team, led by Emmanuel Gougé, who is qualified in both England and Wales, brings in-depth expertise to both contentious and non-contentious complex cross-border copyright cases. These encompass infringement disputes, issues related to unfair competition, and parasitism disputes. It often collaborates with its counterparts in the UK and Germany to provide comprehensive support to clients across multiple jurisdictions, including the capacity to work in all three corresponding languages. Noteworthy team members also include Virginia de Freitas, a specialist in unfair competition, and Jules Fabre, a life sciences and pharmaceuticals expert who was recently promoted to partner in May 2023.

The IP team at Simmons & Simmons provides guidance on a wide range of issues to clients spanning various sectors, such as IT, software, fashion, telecommunications, optics, publishing, and retail, with a particularly strong presence in the wine and spirits industry. Led by Sarah Bailey, a soft IP specialist trained in London, this versatile full-service team addresses both contentious and non-contentious copyright matters, including high-value claims related to rights infringement and the seizure of counterfeit goods. Notably, Bailey also oversees the firm’s cross-border brands team, benefiting from the practice’s international collaboration across offices, showcasing their expertise in intricate cross-border copyright disputes and a European footprint that positions them favourably in the post-Brexit landscape. Other prominent figures in the practice include Frédérique Potin who specialises in contentious issues involving copyright rights infringement.

VARET PRÈS KILLY, a boutique firm with a strong commitment to its IP practice, offers a comprehensive service in key practice areas such as luxury goods, publishing, art and culture, audiovisual industries, sports, and IT. The copyright team, co-led by experienced litigator Xavier Pres, specialising in publishing and audiovisual industries, and Vincent Varet, who handles both advisory and litigation copyright matters in luxury goods, book publishing, arts, and software sectors, serves a diverse range of clients. This includes international groups, mid-sized companies, SMEs, startups, public institutions, and local authorities, underscoring their familiarity with the unique economic and organisational challenges faced by entities of all sizes.

Vercken & Gaullier offer a full-service practice that covers all aspects of copyright law, including contracts, litigation, advisory services, and assistance in lobbying efforts across a diverse range of cultural and media sectors such as publishing, music, internet, and video gaming, as well as other industries including automotive, banking, education, health, environment, and insurance. Co-led by Gilles Vercken, an expert in collective rights management, Florence Gaullier, a specialist in EU copyright and data protection, and Edouard Mille, who focuses on music, motion pictures, and TV litigation, the highly specialised team represents significant players in both the domestic and international markets, appearing before French and European courts. Notable figures at the firm also include Edouard Mille, Lorette Dubois, and Garance Dussausaye, all engaged in counselling and litigation, while Noémie Enser specialises in the legal aspects of AI and robots’ liability.

Described by clients as ‘responsive, experts, efficient, and dependable’, Cabinet Bouchara Avocats lends its expertise to prominent French and international clients, notably in the fashion, arts, and cosmetics sectors, in the realm of copyright. Vanessa Bouchara leads the practice, handling contentious matters such as infringement, as well as non-contentious issues. Distinguished team members also include Adèle Maier and Louise Lacroix, both proficient in English and French.

CMS Francis Lefebvre offers extensive IP guidance to clients under the leadership of Florentin Sanson. The team addresses a wide range of matters, including collective copyright management in music, TV rights clearances, anti-piracy efforts, pre-litigation infringement actions, disputes, and enforcement actions. Leveraging its international network, the team assists national and multinational companies, public entities, and individuals with copyright and copyright-related issues in both contentious and non-contentious contexts. It brings a wealth of experience, particularly in the entertainment, IT and internet, and real estate sectors.

Under the leadership of Frank Valentin, the copyright team at DLA Piper plays a pivotal role in helping clients maximise the value of their copyright assets. The practice draws upon the collective experience of litigators and copyright lawyers across the globe to effectively coordinate copyright enforcement and defensive efforts on a global scale. Recently, the team has expanded its impressive portfolio of multinational clients, representing prominent names like Nike and Microsoft Corporation. They are renowned for their expertise in the TMT sector, providing counsel to world-leading media and entertainment brands. Additionally, the team brings extensive experience in advising on intangible assets, particularly in the implementation of contracting policies and the development of anti-counterfeiting campaigns in collaboration with customs services.

As part of the firm’s IP, media, and technology department, Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP’s copyright practice offers clients a comprehensive range of services, serving as both advisors and litigators in various transactional issues and disputes. Led by mediation proceedings specialist Marie-Aimée de Dampierre, the team brings substantial experience in managing both contentious and non-contentious copyright matters. The practice are particularly skilled in defending infringement claims before both French courts and the French intellectual property office. The team is regularly sought after by major clients for their expertise in handling complex, sensitive, and often cross-border cases.

JP Karsenty & Associés provides guidance on a variety of contentious and non-contentious matters, extending support to clients dealing with issues such as unfair competition, parasitism, civil and contractual liability across a diverse range of industry sectors, from fashion and luxury to real estate, entertainment, and banking. Led by experienced litigators Martine Karsenty-Ricard and Béatrice Moreau-Margotin, the practice brings a wealth of experience in representing clients in both domestic and cross-border disputes. The team offers their services to companies of all sizes, ranging from SMEs to Cac 40 companies.

The IP and digital law team at Klein Wenner excels in providing guidance to clients across a diverse spectrum of both contentious and non-contentious matters, encompassing claims related to copyright infringement and the intricacies of license agreements. The practice exhibits unwavering confidence when navigating cross-border issues, with a notable focus on the entertainment and gaming sectors. At the helm are IP expert Laurent Badiane and new technologies specialist Matthieu Bourgeois, jointly steering the practice group. The team seamlessly collaborates with other departments, harnessing the benefits of the firm’s robust international presence, notably with specific expertise in German and Italian law.

NEXT AVOCATS presents its versatile copyright practice, catering to a diverse clientele in graphic and object design, music, audiovisual, and architectural fields. Their services extend to both domestic and foreign companies, exemplifying their global reach. The adept co-leadership of copyright and entertainment expert Étienne Papin and Stéphanie Foulgoc ensures seamless handling of contractual negotiations, rights assignments, and infringement litigation. Their focus remains keen on addressing copyright issues in the online landscape, adeptly navigating the evolving terrain of digital technologies, including matters related to the metaverse, NFTs, and social networks.

Guided by Delphine Brunet-Stoclet, the copyright team at Schmidt Brunet Litzler extends its services to clients hailing from diverse sectors such as real estate, software, education, art, and home furniture. Proficient in both pre-litigation mediation and court proceedings, the practice offers comprehensive guidance on a wide array of issues, encompassing infringement cases and assignment agreements, not only within France but also abroad. Of particular note is the increased workload this year in copyright litigation pertaining to oral rights and architectural artwork, underscoring the team’s adaptability and continued growth.