Distribution / Competition / Consumer Law
Our expertise
Our expertise
We offer a wide range of services in France, Europe, and the rest of the world (with the help of our network of foreign specialists). We handle all types of development projects (contracts, commercial policies, etc.) as well as judicial and arbitration litigation. Our lawyers have a firm grasp of French and European distribution, competition, and consumer laws, including on modern technological issues (the internet, connected devices, personal data processing, etc.). The key to our success, however, is our economic, cross-disciplinary, and international approach. Because we view economic law as a creator of value for our clients (French and foreign SMEs, intermediate-sized companies, and big groups), we focus on understanding the market in order to deliver immediately operational advice.
What we do
- We advise on issues relating to cartels, abuse of dominant position, and anti-competitive and restrictive practices.
- We validate pricing policies and the results of business negotiations: general terms and conditions, category-specific terms and conditions, special terms and conditions, marketing-related services, new promotional instruments, etc.
- We design, organize, and set up the specific architecture and legal and promotional documentation for distribution networks (franchising, selective distribution, etc.).
- We draw up, validate, and negotiate marketing contracts subject to competition law (selective and exclusive distribution, commercial agency, reference listing, franchising, supply, etc.).
- We provide assistance in cases of concentration control.
- We provide assistance during inspections carried out by the DGCCRF.
- We represent clients before the competent courts, the Autorité de la concurrence, the Paris Court of Appeal, and, as the case may be, the EU authorities.
- We validate promotional and selling-to-consumers techniques (distance and internet sales, canvassing, premium sales, competitions, advertising, etc.).
Among our files
- Representation of a leading French company before the Conseil de la concurrence as part of an analysis of anti-competitive practices on the cycling market
- Representation of a beverages and confectionary wholesaler before the Conseil de la concurrence as part of an investigation in anti-competitive practices on the food distribution market at petrol stations
- Litigation before the Autorité de la Concurrence in an abuse of dominant position case concerning supermarket promotional tools
- Reorganisation of the markets for the manufacture and recycling of packaging for the cable industry (project analysis and risk assessment with respect to competition law) for three major players
- Setting-up of an international selective distribution network
- Setting-up of a franchising network for a leading credit broker
- Counsel to several franchisors in the fashion industry
- Drawing-up and negotiation of marketing contracts (distribution, agency, brokerage, exclusive distribution, franchising, licensing of trademarks, know-how, and software) for numerous companies after analysing the specific aspects of competition law (cartels, restrictive and anti-competitive practices)
- Examination of bundled rebate agreements for several major actors of the pharmaceutical industry
- Definition of compliance programmes in regard of the French “Dutreil”, “Chatel”, “LME”, and “Macron” acts for the sales forces of several companies in the life sciences industry
- Counsel to franchisors and franchisees in contract termination disputes
- Validation of challenges and promotional campaigns organized by major life sciences, distribution, or mass retail businesses