With more than 50 lawyers and consultants in our France group, our International practice includes extensive experience in France.
We have several lawyers licensed and active in France, who practice in Paris, Brussels and London. We also have a substantial number of our lawyers, consultants and staff who speak French. Firmwide our lawyers, consultants and staff speak more than 40 languages.
McGuireWoods’ depth of experience in France derives, as we say above, from the fact that a number of our lawyers are licensed and active in France and also from the strong connections we have built with France over several years by serving French clients in France, and those wishing to do business outside France, from our Belgian, US and UK offices. We also collaborate with other firms, including fellow members of the LNI global legal network.
Our lawyers licensed in France specialise in assisting clients on issues relating to Technology and Outsourcing (IT contracts, cloud computing, licensing agreements, e-commerce, etc.); Data Privacy and Security (compliance, data protection, transfer of data outside the EU/EEA, processing of sensitive data, etc.); Intellectual Property (trademarks, copyright, design protection, databases and software protection, etc.); Entertainment and Leisure (gambling, sports, etc.); and International Dispute Resolution and Arbitration.
In addition, one of our partners teaches at the Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II (International IP arbitration and mediation) and at the Université de Strasbourg (Software patents). These academic positions enable McGuireWoods to use a valuable network of expertise in France.
We also work closely with other French firms, including fellow members of the LNI global legal network, to provide the most extensive options to our clients where matters require specific French law advice which we cannot provide ourselves.
The firm assists French companies that wish to expand their presence in the US and Europe, and counsels non-French companies wishing to develop a footprint in France. In addition, we advise many companies on the everyday aspects of doing business with France, advising on a range of matters, including cross-border taxation.
Through McGuireWoods Consulting, our full-service public affairs subsidiary, we also provide French companies with assistance on government relations matters in the US, and also help them have a voice in shaping US legislation affecting their businesses and industries. McGuireWoods Consulting is located in Washington, D.C., and numerous US state capitals, as well as in Europe.
Our lawyers and consultants maintain relationships with the Belgian Chamber of Commerce in France, the French Chamber of Commerce in Belgium, the Franco British Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several French scientific associations, such as the Institute of Research in Intellectual Property, which is a joint venture between the Paris Chamber of Commerce and the University of Paris II.