The intellectual property litigation department at A&O Shearman is rightfully trusted by clients to handle complex cross-border disputes, both in and out of court. The team also assists with licensing agreement drafting and negotiation, IP enforcement, and strategic copyright management. The team is led by Alexandre Rudoni, a seasoned litigator who also heads the firm’s global video games group and is supported by Andrea Dufaure who leverages her status as dual US-France qualified lawyer to assist clients in the entertainment sector and in particular photography and imaging companies. Recent work of note includes advising a leading global distributor of PC games on key copyright litigation before the Supreme Court.

Servicing a broad range of clients whose industries extend to luxury goods, media, food and retail, telecoms, sports, publishing, and journalism, the team at Bird & Bird is one of the most respected IP teams in France. Noted by clients for having ‘deep and unrivalled’ knowledge, the firm handles the full gamut of issues extending from litigation, including liability claims, to copyright registration, protection, and exploitation. Known for masterfully crafting copyright licenses and agreements, the team is led by the erudite Géraldine Arbant who also handles brand management, transactional, and soft IP litigation. Supporting the team is Edouard Treppoz and Frédérique Bocqueraz, who handles the firm’s retail and consumer clients. Nathan Soulié makes a significant contribution to the practice, leveraging his experience in technical contract negotiations.

Havard Duclos & Associés handles much complex copyright infringement litigation before Parisian, French, and European courts for a host of exclusive and high-profile clients which include the world’s leading sportswear manufacturers, luxury fashion houses, and retailers, as well as high-end watch makers. In addition to handling cross-border litigation, the firm also handles criminal copyright matters, pre-litigation, and auditing mandates. The firm’s practice is led by Sophie Havard Duclos, who leverages her previous experience at prestigious international law firms. Pauline Casanova and Constance Percevaux are also key names in the team who handle unfair competition and parasitism issues.

The team at Vercken & Gaullier caters to a roster of the world’s most prestigious software and technology conglomerates, technology companies, social media platforms, and internationally renowned museums. The firm regularly handles complex and high-profile litigation alongside contract negotiation, pre-litigation, and other non-contentious matters, including advisory work and lobbying. The team is led by a Parisian trifecta of erudite lawyers comprised of Florence Gaullier, Edouard Mille, and Gilles Vercken. Gaullier is a specialist in the collective management of rights in the media monitoring sector and has specific expertise in EU copyright, neighbouring rights, and data protection. Mille is a seasoned litigator, while Vercken leverages his experience as an in-house lawyer with a capacity to advise clients on the video-games, music, and publishing sectors.

With a roster of high-profile individuals, conglomerates, fashion houses, authors, and celebrities as clients, the team at Cabinet Bouchara Avocats earns a strong reputation for themselves in the market. Handling a wide range of copyright issues which interweaves data protection and free-riding aspects, as well as pre-litigation, the team handles litigation, IP-related contract negotiation and drafting, copyright infringement, and unfair and parasitic competition. The firm is led by doyenne and expert Vanessa Bouchara, who has previous experience working at the heart of IP-focused law firms. She is supported by Adèle Maier, who is lauded by clients for her technical skills. Also key to the team is Louise Lacroix, who is praised for her partner-level delivery of advice despite being an associate at the firm.

As a truly global law firm with a network of over 600 lawyers, the firm’s international nature is reflected in its work, as Dentons handles litigation for multi-jurisdictional companies that also incorporates unfair competition, parasitism, and free-riding issues. Additionally, the firm has significant expertise handling pre-litigation, agreement negotiations, arbitration and licensing disputes, injunctions, and infringement seizure matters. The Paris team is led by Loïc Lemercier, who is a litigation expert advising clients in the pharmaceutical, telecommunications, luxury, food and beverage, Internet, and technology sectors. The team is supported by Isabelle Leroux, who advises on industrial property and literary and artistic property.

Deprez Guignot Associés handles a wide range of IP matters for clients, including copyright infringement litigation, anti-counterfeiting proceedings, and parasitism, as well as licensing matters. The firm has a particular penchant for handling matters in the US, India, and China, as well as Europe. The team is led by Vincent Fauchoux, who in addition to being a luxury good specialist is a complex litigation expert. Alongside Fauchoux is co-head Frédéric Dumont, who advises clients in the media, advertising, new technologies, entertainment, distribution, wine, and pharmaceutical sectors. Annabelle Dalex is also a key name in the team.

Balancing its role as an advisory and contentious counsel for clients, the team at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is known for advising some of the world’s most prestigious multinational companies. The team is led by the erudite Alexandra Neri, who is a doyenne of litigation and has appeared frequently before European and French courts, as well as the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty. She is supported by the lauded Sébastien Proust, who has expertise in both internet and IP law and integrates advertising referencing, the digitalisation of books, the "right to be forgotten”, and the legal status of video platforms into his copyright practice.

As part of the firm’s intellectual property, media, and technology team, Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP advises a roster of impressively large multi-national corporations that operate in a variety of sectors, including luxury fashion, entertainment, leisure, and food and beverages, as well as retail. The firm frequently handles the full gamut of contentious and non-contentious work and often appears before French and European courts to defend and prosecute on behalf of clients regarding copyright infringement. Marie-Aimée de Dampierre, who is a mediation specialist, co-heads the team alongside David Taylor and Jane Seager. Together, the trifecta also handles contract and agreement negotiation, pre-contentious matters, and regulatory advice.

The team at Momentum Avocats has an outstanding capability when it comes to handling the full cycle of copyright issues, including pre-litigation, mediation, contract negotiation and termination, counselling and regulatory affairs, and copyright infringement proceedings, as well as more complex litigation before European and French courts. The firm is led by a trifecta of Paris-based lawyers, namely Julie Carel, Julien Canlorbe, and Jean-Sébastien Mariez. Carel is an IP rights structuring specialist, whilst Canlorbe is a media specialist and litigation strategist. Mariez is a digital economy specialist who focusses on ICT service activities and clients in the media, gaming, luxury and consumer goods industries. Laura Godfrin is a key name at the firm and is lauded by clients for her software copyright litigation specialism.

Osborne Clarke advises clients on a wide range of advisory matters concerning infringements, validity, unfair competition claims, and contractual matters. The team is led by co-heads Claire Bouchenard, who handles audits and contracts, as well as litigation for clients in the field of communication and the digital economy, and  Xavier Pican, who leverages his experience as an in-house lawyer. Together, they advise a robust set of clients on advertising, Internet IP content licensing, and enforcement, as well as software contracts. The team is ably supported by Julia Darcel, who advises clients in the broadcasting, digital content, and interactive entertainment sectors, and Christophe Arfan. Laurène Zaggia is also a key name in the team.

Frequently used as counsel for large multinational corporations, the team at Pinsent Masons LLP excels in soft IP work for clients in the pharmaceuticals, media, technology, retail, and automotive industries. The firm is led by Jules Fabre, who has strong expertise with regards to life sciences and pharmaceuticals, and handles complex cross-border litigation. He is supported by Virginia De Freitas, who is also an unfair competition expert and excels at advising clients in the telecoms, technology, automotive, and aerospace sectors. Emmanuel Gougé departed from the firm in September 2024 to be a judge for the Court of Appeal of the Unitary Patent Court.

The team at Simmons & Simmons offers a fully comprehensive service to its clients and regularly handles a wide variety of matters in an array of sectors, including IT, software, fashion, design, telecommunications, chemistry, optics, publishing, and retail. Part of the firm’s remit includes both contentious and non-contentious work with significant strengths including copyright protection and enforcement and licensing agreement drafting and negotiation, as well as mediation and litigation. The firm is spearheaded by Sarah Bailey, a dual-qualified English and French lawyer who also heads the firms international cross-border brands team and is a specialist in unfair competition, advertising, and data protection. She is supported by Frédérique Potin, who advises on the IP aspects of acquisitions and corporate restructuring operations. Hélène Choquet is also a key name in the team, which was bolstered by the addition of Abdelaziz Khatab, an IT and IP litigation specialist who leverages his previous experience as an engineer.

The team at Armengaud Guerlain has a strong IP offering and frequently acts for clients on matters concerning copyright infringement proceedings and cease and desist matters, as well as IP matters that contain unfair competition aspects. The firm’s clients frequently include multinational European players in car manufacturing, retail, pharmaceuticals, and upholstery and furnishings. Founding partner Stéphane Guerlain heads up the team alongside Catherine Mateu; as a pair, they have extensive expertise in IP disputes and advise inventors, designers, non-profit groups, and local start-ups, as well as multinational corporations.

The team at CMS Francis Lefebvre offers its clients a wide-reaching comprehensive service advising on the full gamut of IP issues, including copyright infringement pre-litigation, contract drafting and negotiation, and litigation before French courts. Servicing some of the world’s biggest conglomerates, the team has a specialty within the entertainment, IT, internet, and real estate sectors. The team is led by Anne-Laure Villedieu, and she is supported by Florentin Sanson, who has strength in advising platforms in the digital media sector, as well as drafting and negotiating production and exploitation agreements regarding podcasts and musical, audiovisual, cinematographic, and advertising works.

Bolstered by the arrival of IP-heavyweight Jeremy Cardenas and his team in 2024, Derriennic Associés has the capacity to handle a wide variety of copyright issues for its clients, which includes handling complex litigation, enforcement, and brand protection strategy, as well as contract agreement and negotiation. The firm is also bolstered by Clara Payan and Eugénie Lebelle, who frequently act in litigious cases.

Offering a comprehensive service in assisting clients with protecting, exploiting, and managing IP portfolios, the team at NEXT AVOCATS works for a variety of multinational businesses, individuals, employee associations, and brands across sectors including media, fashion design, music production, live entertainment, and event communication consulting. Noted by clients for their ‘expert advice and responsiveness’, the team is led by Paris-based Stéphanie Foulgoc and Étienne Papin. Foulgoc specialises in digital, IT, and creative law, and handles the acquisition of rights for original music and the negotiation of broadcasting rights, as well as negotiating image usage authorisations. Papin specialises in IT projects related to entertainment law and personal data.

Under the helm of Delphine Brunet-Stoclet, who is lauded by clients for her clear communication and sharp negotiation skills, the team at Schmidt Brunet Litzler is noted for handling the full variety of copyright-related actions, including pre-litigation strategy, copyright infringement litigation, registration, and negotiation of IP-related contracts, as well as negotiation and mediation. Servicing an impressive roster of clients that includes some of the country’s most iconic jewellery brands, she is also assisted by Marie André-Nivet, who leverages her corporate experience to deliver practical legal advice to the firm’s clients and manages the firm’s Marseille office.