For the 10th year in a row, the Paris office of the international law firm Dechert posted an increase in revenue per lawyer (up 15 percent in 2020), thanks to its life sciences and private equity activities, which have been booming since the beginning of the health crisis. With 80 lawyers in Paris led by Alain Decombe (also deputy chair in charge of international operations), the Paris office in 2020, in line with the firm's strategy, focussed on landmark deals such as Archimed/Polyplus or KKR/Elsan which have mobilised teams from several offices (Paris, New York, Washington and Luxembourg).
A strengthened private equity team involved in major deals in 2020
Two major deals in which Dechert was involved in 2020: the Polyplus LBO, carried out by Archimed with Warburg Pincus, and the KKR LBO of Elsan, valued at €3.3 billion. The team was also involved in the Ceva LBO on behalf of Mérieux. In 2020, 50 percent of the deals managed by private equity at Dechert are international and are handled by the firm's multi-jurisdictional platform.
The private equity practice consists of more than 250 lawyers in 18 offices. The firm now represents more than 300 fund and family office clients. This practice covers both the structuring of funds and their taxation, as well as advice on transactions, M&A, financing, litigation, and certain employment issues.
Private equity has grown in Paris since the arrival of Sabina Comis in 2016, followed by Privat Vigand for financing in 2018, followed by Cyril Fiat, former legal advisor to the World Bank, in 2019. Today, the team has 18 lawyers. Serving investment funds, family offices and hedge funds, the firm draws its strength from its focus on complex assignments with high added value. With its strong clientele, it now focusses mainly on mid and large cap operations.
Dechert’s Paris team – a French leader in life sciences for more than 30 years
Life sciences is a core practice of the Paris office which is ranked in "Band 1" in all national and international rankings (Chambers, The Legal 500, Décideurs, Le Point etc.).
With more than 200 lawyers specialised in the field worldwide and more than 30 in Paris, Dechert continues to serve a clientele composed of both mid and large cap funds, big pharma clients and CAC 40 and Fortune 200 groups. The team ("Band 1") is involved in all aspects related to life sciences including Alain Decombe in M&A, Mélanie Thill-Tayara in competition law, Jacques Sivignon in health litigation and in particular product liability, Erica Stein in health arbitration, Sophie Pelé in regulatory aspects (including the control of foreign investments), Marie Fillon in intellectual property law and Philippe Thomas in employment law.
Anti-corruption and arbitration complement these areas of expertise, with strong activity in 2020 and major deals including Airbus
With the arrival of Karen Coppens in Paris, who specialises in anti-corruption, the firm also assisted Airbus SE in the conclusion, announced in January, of the first coordinated settlement agreement with the British, French and American authorities. The agreement was coordinated with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the United States Department of State (DoS) for approximately €3.6 billion. As lead counsel, Dechert was present alongside Airbus from day one.
Dechert, also known for its expertise in international arbitration, strengthened its team managed by Eduardo Silva Romero this year with the arrival of Dr Claudia Annacker and Eniko Horvath.
"Our intention is not to grow in terms of size but to be recognised in key areas for our competence and agility on complex issues with strong strategic and financial challenges. Our partners and employees are at the heart of the system that supports this differentiation-oriented approach", explains Alain Decombe, managing partner of Dechert Paris.
About Dechert
Dechert is a leading global law firm with 25 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.