Leading Associates

Media and entertainment: Newspapers in France

August Debouzy

Highly-specialised in press law matters, August Debouzy fields extensive experience across the media and press industries. The firm’s technology, media and IP team boasts a diverse roster of both French and international clients, advising leading publishers and newspapers, as well individuals, on both contentious and non-contentious media and entertainment matters. The practice has a strong track record representing individuals in libel and defamation cases. Mahasti Razavi leads the team alongside Basile Ader, who bolsters the firm’s media litigation services, defending media clients in high-profile copyright, audio-visual and press-relates cases. With a balanced advisory and litigation practice, Amélie Tripet has particular experience in press, libel and publishing and continues to develop niche areas of expertise, such as PR and advertising support.

Responsables de la pratique:

Basile Ader; Mahasti Razavi


Autres avocats clés:

Amélie Tripet; Marie Edelstenne


Les références

‘A team with valuable expertise and unparalleled involvement in processing files.’

‘Basile Ader is a reference in matters of press law, endowed with rare experience but also with real instinct. His colleague Marie Edelstenne does a meticulous job of mastering the files and puts a lot of heart and involvement into supporting clients.’

‘Very agile, rapid and crisis-adapted mode of collaboration. Great adaptability and responsiveness to find innovative solutions in complex and highly stressful situations. Knowledge of very specialised and demanding sectors.’

‘Responsive team, up-to-date with the latest news.’

‘Innovative, responsive and pragmatic team.’

‘Basile Ader demonstrates great flexibility and his risk analysis is often very business-oriented, which greatly simplifies decision-making.’

‘Always very responsive and dynamic team that knows how to anticipate the needs of its customers. Our company has total trust with the entire team.’

‘Basile Ader, Amélie Tripet and Marie Edelstenne are by far the best when it comes to our press and media law needs.’

Principaux clients

International Media Invest


Radio France


Fremantle Media France


Marie-Claire


Le Parisien


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting Radio France as part of a consortium of journalists being sued for defamation by the Kingdom of Morrocco for having published articles on the country’s use of the Israeli spy software Pegasus.
  • Advised International Media Invest (IMI) in connection with the contemplated purchase of minority stake in the French company EDITIS HOLDING, leader in publishing activities in France, regarding all IP related aspects.
  • Assisting Le Parisien in the context of several criminal proceedings for defamation initiated against its director of publication and journalists.

Seattle Avocats

Composed of experienced media experts, the press law team at Seattle Avocats represents clients across the media and communications sectors. The group’s extensive and diverse clientele includes press groups, online press editors and blog hosts, and the team has a strong background representing individuals in reputation or privacy matters. Press and media law expert Emmanuel Tordjman co-heads the team, advising newspapers and public agents on both daily press activities and contentious matters. Practice co-head François de Cambiaire fields niche expertise in e-reputation matters, advising companies on communication and strategic campaigns. François Ronget co-leads the group, focusing on the audio-visual and film production space. Olivia Lévy counts artists, authors and entertainers among her clients, advising on press and IP law cases.

Responsables de la pratique:

Emmanuel Tordjman; François de Cambiaire; François Ronget


Autres avocats clés:

Olivia Lévy


Principaux clients

Mediapart


Parc National des Calanques


Ligue Pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO)


SOS Méditerranée


Samia Ghali


SOS Homophobie


Europe Écologie Les Verts (EELV)


Caroline de Haas – EGEA


Marsactu


Société éditrice du journal l’Humanité


Emmanuelle Amar


Sœurette Productions


Median Digital Partner


YUKA


Pour une autre PAC


Faire Équitable


Mathieu Hanotin


OXFAM


Touch pa nout’roche


UCB PHARMA


MIGHTY EARTH


Les Agences de Papa


Oil Change International


Compagnie des guides de Guyane


Solidaires Informatique


Plateforme de Protection des Lanceurs d’Alerte en Afrique (PPLAF)


Mélissa Youssouf


La Lettre du Musicien


Principaux dossiers


  • Represented and advised MEDIAPART in its action which led to the cancellation of an order issued by the President of the Judicial Tribunal of Paris following a non-adversarial proceeding brought by the mayor of Saint-Étienne, Gaël Perdriau, prohibiting MEDIAPART from publishing any information obtained from an audio recording of the mayor’s comments, and in a defamation case brought by Claude Atcher.
  • Represented and advised L’HUMANITÉ in a defamation case brought by SEPUR, following several articles published in the newspaper revealing difficult working conditions within this company, particularly for undocumented workers.
  • Defending the interests of YUKA in a case involving its public communication: a litigation brought by the Federation of Charcutiers (FICT) and two producers of cold meat (ABC Industrie and Le Mont de la Coste).

Taliens

Focusing on digital media, Taliens advises on the full gamut of media matters, from disputes to corporate transactions and commercial contracts. The firm has an established reputation among international clients, advising US and UK-based media clients. Clara Steinitz leads the media team, with a practice spanning content creation, marketing, licensing and brand protection. Jean-Frédéric Gaultier is adept at handling sensitive issues, such as defamation and privacy matters and litigation involving the press. With experience in media, copyrights and designs, Emilie Gras is involved in production and commercial arrangements. Alix De Noray and Sophia Gintersos field balanced contentious and advisory media law practices. Florent Laville, Chloé Laboudie and Jeanne Toulemonde are other names to note.

Responsables de la pratique:

Clara Steinitz


Autres avocats clés:

Jean-Frédéric Gaultier; Emilie Gras; Alix De Noray; Sophia Gintersos; Florent Laville; Chloé Laboudie; Jeanne Toulemonde


Les références

‘Great media team and lovely to deal with.’

‘Jean-Frédéric Gaultier and Clara Steinitz have great client care and excellent knowledge. My go-to contacts in France.’

Principaux clients

Amazon and related Amazon media entities


Associated Newspapers


BBC


Froggie Productions


Looks Filmproduktionen


News Corp


Paramount Global


The Guardian


TimeOut


TripAdvisor


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Paramount Global and the production companies on commercial agreements with luxury and designer fashion brands relating to the acclaimed and wildly popular Netflix series Emily in Paris.

Vercken & Gaullier

Specialising in the media monitoring sector, Vercken & Gaullier regularly handles negotiation with publishers and press agencies regarding neighbouring rights, particularly on behalf of French media monitoring companies. The firm advises its clientele of magazines, digital and social platforms on licensing agreements and litigation in the press sector, and has recently expanded its services to cover podcasts, text and data mining and generative AI. Practice co-head Gilles Vercken fields niche expertise in the collective management of rights within the media sector. Florence Gaullier co-leads, representing publishing clients in copyright and neighbouring rights-related litigation. Lorette Dubois‘ practice spans contracts, as well as copyright and IT litigation. Garance Dussausaye and Noémie Enser are active members of the team.

Responsables de la pratique:

Florence Gaullier; Gilles Vercken


Autres avocats clés:

Lorette Dubois; Garance Dussausaye; Noémie Enser


Principaux clients

Bayard Groupe


Cision


Elsevier Masson


Explore


FEVEM


France Médias Monde


Onclusive


SAIF


Synthèse & Médias


TF1


Principaux dossiers


  • Negotiated several licensing agreements for Onclusive with publishers, press agencies and collective management organisations, which are essential agreements for the media monitoring activities of the group.
  • Advised an international publisher of magazines and websites on several matters regarding copyright in photographs.
  • Advised an international publisher in the legal and regulatory field on the implementation of the reservation of text and data mining uses.