Europe

Given the position of France in Europe, many of our files have dealt with business activities of our clients in other European countries.

Western Europe

• Germany

  Representation of a buyer in a product liability case before French courts against a German manufacturer of industrial packaging production equipment.

  Legal opinion as to a syndicated aircraft finance loan among nine French and German financial institutions and an Irish borrower.

  Preparation of a joint venture agreement between a small French company and a large German company to market high water pressure cleaning equipment in France.

  Counsel to a German film distributor concerning the consequences of its failure to register a contract with the Public Cinematographic Registry concerning the transfer of rights to release a film in Germany, following public auction of the rights to such film in France.

  Study of "green point" regulations (France, Germany, EU) for packaging recycling.

  Advice on setting up Joint Ventures in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia with US and European companies.

  Representation of a large European corporate group in negotiations with clients, various foreign corporate competitors or equipment suppliers, of agreements for coordinated research for the improvement and development of new products or technology, drafting of preliminary agreements and analysis of intellectual property and antitrust issues.

• Ireland

  Legal opinion as to the structure of a multi-tiered finance lease arrangement for financing a Fokker 100 with Japanese funds, through an Irish joint venture formed among Irish subsidiaries of several airline companies and French financial.

  Legal opinion as to a syndicated aircraft finance loan among nine French and German financial institutions and an Irish borrower.

• Italy

  Negotiation and drafting of exclusive distribution contracts on behalf of a software company, in European countires.

  Representation of a French company in an ICC arbitration in connection with the termination of a share-purchase agreement with an Italian company.

  Legal opinion as to the compatibility of a proposed merger between a French, an Italian and a Canadian company with EU Regulations on Merger Control and as to the merits of a potential case to be submitted to the European Court of Justice.

  Legal opinion on EU rules applicable to a joint venture agreement between an Italian company and a French company to produce and market city-wide billboards in Europe. Negotiation of an exemption with the EU Commission.

• Luxembourg

  Advice to a Luxembourg banking corporation in connection with the applicability in Asia of the concept of "fiduciary agreement" as known under Luxembourg law, and the preparation of required documentation.

• Netherlands

  Negotiation and drafting of French law agreements for the divestiture of a French cable television company held by a Swiss owner to the Dutch subsidiary of a U.S. cable television company.

• Spain

  Representation of a U.S. company specializing in the manufacture of automobile parts in the sale of its French distribution subsidiary to a Spanish company, including negotiating and drafting the sale agreement and ancillary agreements.

• Sweden

  Negotiation and drafting of a distribution agreement for a Swedish company to sell heavy equipment in Singapore.

• Switzerland

  Negotiation and drafting of French law agreements for the divestiture of a French cable television company held by a Swiss owner to the Dutch subsidiary of a U.S. cable television company.

• Other Countries

  Negotiation and drafting of a distribution agreement, on behalf of a French software company, for Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, on an exclusive basis.

Eastern Europe

Negotiation and drafting of framework agreements for the supply of equipment and services for the setting up of a backbone distribution network and a GSM network in an Eastern European country.

• Armenia

  Advice in relation to, and preparation of, an amendment to a contract for supply and installation of a telephone exchange in Armenia.

• Russia

  Representation of a buyer in a product liability case before French courts against a Russian manufacturer and a French distributor of industrial robotics.

  Advised a French telecommunications group in relation to, and prepared amendment to, a telecommunications supply agreement with local telecom authorities of Vladivostok.

  Advice in relation to, and preparation of a contract for installation and training services in connection with the supply of a telephone exchange for Byelorussia.

  Preparation of a frame agreement for supply of services by a major telecommunications company and applications agreements for three Russian cities.

  Assisted in the bid by a major telecommunications company for the supply of transmission equipment for the Caspian pipeline in Russia.

  Representation of an international bank in connection with an arbitration under UNCITRAL rules for the recovery of amounts outstanding under a secured loan in excess of US$100,000,000 to a Russian manufacturer, involving consideration of the validity of security.

• Ukraine

  Negotiation and drafting of a Frame Agreement for the supply and installation of a digital automatic telephone exchange in Ukraine, together with a bulk supply agreement for switching equipment.

  Reviewed and coordinated the corporate formalities of a Ukraine subsidiary of a French telecommunications group and negotiated with former state-owned company, with the assistance of Ukraine counsel.

  Advice in relation to preparation of a supply and installation agreement relating to a fiber optic transmission system in the Ukraine.