France - Jurisdiction Review

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Firm overview

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSF Kramer) was formed in June 2025 through the transformational combination of Herbert Smith Freehills and Kramer Levin, creating a world-leading global law firm. With over 6,000 people including c.2700 lawyers and spanning 26 offices, HSF Kramer provides comprehensive legal services across every major region of the world. Uniquely positioned to help clients achieve ambitious objectives, HSF Kramer delivers exceptional results in complex transactions and high-stakes disputes.

Our lawyers help the world's foremost companies unlock the value of their IP to protect their investments, secure and maintain competitive advantage and obtain commercial outcomes. Our teams are internationally recognised as market leaders and have acted on some of the most complex disputes and transactions for our clients.

For more information visit www.hsfkramer.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hsfkramer/

Murgitroyd

Firm overview

Murgitroyd is a rapidly growing firm with innovation at its heart.

For nearly 50 years we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s leading strategic IP firms. Trusted by global innovators and businesses to realise and protect the true value of their intellectual assets. History we may have, but we instead face forward. Our success lies in the positive relationships we build and our unrivalled breadth of expertise – from an unmatched technical knowledge to a proven commercial awareness.

We’re more than legal experts – we’re a strategic IP solutions firm with an unrivalled breadth of expertise. Our UK and European patent, trade mark and design attorneys bring together solid legal foundations, unmatched technical knowledge, and a commercial awareness that can drive growth and accelerate success.

We build relationships – globally. Our job is to protect and unlock the full potential of your innovations and ideas – not just in your country, but around the world. Our global team of specialists have an unrivalled knowledge in local laws and practices that provide a benchmark for advice and expertise wherever it’s needed to help you grow your business in markets you never thought possible, in ways you never imagined.

Our global office network spans Europe, North America and Asia. With over 440 employees (including over 120 attorneys) worldwide, our people have leading IP expertise across many industries including automotive, engineering & energy; consumer brands & services; chemistry & materials; life sciences & healthcare; and technology, media & telecoms.

Pinsent Masons

Firm overview

Pinsent Masons' international IP team comprises over 80 IP specialists globally, delivering award-winning, multi-disciplinary expertise through a range of technical backgrounds (some to PhD) and experience drawn from industry.

At the heart of our practice are long term relationships with many world leading businesses across a range of industry sectors, including: life sciences, technology, energy, financial services, sport, retail and leisure. With a shared passion for innovation, and belief that diversity of thought results in better solutions for business, together we harness IP law to drive positive change, access new markets and disrupt the status quo.

Our IP advisory team advises on rights and commercialisation strategies, cutting edge collaborations and IP rich cross-border transactions that redefine the commercial landscape. More than just applying lawyers to solve legal problems, we deploy a range of professional disciplines, enabled by process and technology and informed by data. Not only does this empower us to develop solutions and ensure successful outcomes for our clients, it enables us to do so more efficiently and cost effectively.

Our peerless IP disputes team deploys litigation as a strategic tool to help businesses achieve their business goals, rather than simply navigating risk. Working as a seamless extension of in-house legal and management teams, we're focussed on positive outcomes, whether that is achieving market access for a new product or service, or retaining competitive advantage against those ready to challenge them.

We have a reputation for taking on the most difficult cases and winning them, often making new law in the process. We regularly act in the highest profile IP litigations before the EPO and EUIPO as well as the national courts and registries. Our success rate is second to none.

Recent IP awards include:

Xarelto litigations was named an ‘Impact Case of the Year’ at LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2024
Impact Case of the Year - Sandoz and Teva vs Britsol-Myers Squibb (Managing IP Awards 2024)
EMEA Patent Litigation Firm of the Year: Pharmaceuticals (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
UK Firm of the Year (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
Impact Case of the Year – Fingolimod (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
Impact Case of the Year – Flynn Pharma (LMG Life Sciences Awards EMEA 2023)
Impact Case of the Year – Neurim Pharmaceuticals, MIP Awards 2023
Winner UK (England & Wales) Contentious Patent Law Firm of the Year (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Winner Impact Case of the Year - Actavis v ICOS (tadalafil) (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Shortlisted European Contentious Patents Firm of the Year (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Shortlisted UK Practitioner of the Year - Charlotte Weekes (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Shortlisted UK (Scotland) IP Transactions (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Shortlisted UK (Scotland) Contentious Patents (Managing IP Awards 2020)
Shortlisted TMT Team of the Year (Legal Business Awards 2020)
Winner Legal Strategy of the Year (Global Generics & Biosimilars Awards 2019)
Winner Impact Case of the Year Award (Managing IP Awards 2019)
Winner TMT and Life Sciences Team of the Year (British Legal Awards 2019)
Shortlisted TMT Team of the Year (Legal Business Awards 2019)
Winner Patent Litigation Firm of the Year (Corporate International Magazine's Award 2019)
Winner International Global Business Award 2019
Winner IP or IT team of the Year (Lawyer Awards 2018)
Winner Client Choice Award for Patent Litigation (Clare Tunstall) 2018
Winner TMT Team of the Year (British Legal Awards 2017)

Scan Avocats

Firm overview

SCAN Avocats is a specialist IP and IT law firm based in Paris. The firm (nine lawyers and two paralegals) has offices in Lyon and Strasbourg .
SCAN Avocats helps clients to protect their IP assets on a worldwide basis, thanks to its extensive network of correspondents. It is quick to respond, thanks to a combination of readily available technical knowledge and pragmatism.
SCAN AVOCATS's lawyers are well-known for their legal advice and representation on:
- Intellectual Property (including trademarks, designs and models, authors' rights, copyright, anti-counterfeiting and unfair competition);
- Information Technology (including domain names, internet, e-commerce and e-reputation); - Data privacy.

IP STARS Reviews

Bird & Bird

Bird & Bird is recommended for contentious and non-contentious soft IP work, including brand protection and portfolio management. The French IP team can handle disputes in a range of sectors, notably TMT, life sciences and mechanics.

Notable practitioners: Géraldine Arbant, Anne-Charlotte Le-Bihan, Estelle Henry-Mayer, Frédérique Bocqueraz and Edouard Treppoz.

Dreyfus

Dreyfus is a boutique IP firm led by IP star Nathalie Dreyfus, who specialises in soft IP matters. She is supported by Emmanuel Harrar. Read more about the firm here.

Gevers

Gevers is a well-known European IP firm which is recommended for IP protection and portfolio management. It has patent specialists for a range of technical fields including chemistry, biotechnology, and engineering.

Notable patent practitioners: Laurent Barbe and Claire Bernstein.

Notable trade mark practitioners: Emilie Artuphel and Nathalie Rousset.

Gowling WLG

Gowling WLG is recommended for IP disputes. Its IP team in France can also rely on IP specialists in other jurisdictions, especially the UK.

Notable practitioners: Céline Bey, Marianne Schaffner, and Alexis Augustin.

Hoyng Rokh Monegier

In March 2018, boutique IP firm Hoyng Rokh Monegier merged with French patent litigation firm Véron & Associés to form Hoyng Rokh Monegier Véron. The merger brought together some of the brightest IP litigators in the French market, serving clients in different sectors including telecoms and life sciences. The firm’s distinction is found in cross-border IP litigation due to its multinational European team.

Notable practitioners: Benoît Strowel, Denis Monégier du Sorbier, Sophie Micallef, Sabine Agé, Amandine Métier, and Florence Jacquand.

Jacobacci Avocats

Jacobacci Avocats was launched in 2009 by former Bertho & de Haas founding partner Jean-Mathieu Bertho. The firm is recommended for IP disputes, particularly soft IP disputes. The law firm is connected to Jacobacci Coralis Harle, which specialises in IP protection and portfolio management.

Notable practitioners: Vanner Olympe, Jean-Mathieu Bertho, Diane de Valbray, and Alexia de Maulde.

Jacobacci Coralis Harle

Jacobacci Coralis Harle is the French branch of the European IP firm Jacobacci & Partners. The firm is recommended for IP protection and portfolio management work. Its patent attorneys in France have expertise in fields such as mechanics, electronics and software. The team collaborates with the lawyers at Jacobacci Avocats.

Notable patent practitioners: Vincent Chauvin and Fabienne Orsini.

Notable trade mark practitioners: Marion Vidal-Lachaud, Sophie Gaillard, Maria Luisa Arce Torecilla, and Sandrine Cugini.

Pinsent Masons

International law firm Pinsent Masons lost some of its IP team in 2025 to a rival law firm. Recently promoted partner Virginia de Freitas and associate Nicolas Bitsch now deal with IP work in the firm.

Plasseraud IP

Plasseraud IP is a leading agency in France for IP protection and portfolio management. The firm has expertise in major technical fields, including electronics, life sciences and mechanics. In November 2018, the firm announced its merger with IP firm Ernest Gutmann Yves Plasseraud, which further cemented its position in the market. The firm has built up its litigation practice under the name of Plasseraud Avocats.

Notable patent practitioners: Cyra Nargolwalla, Nadine Rocaboy, Eric Gruson, Ina Schreiber, and Bertrand Loisel.

Notable lawyers: Jean-Christophe Guerrini and Sandrine Bouvier-Ravon.

Follow Managing IP’s coverage of Plasseraud IP here.

Simmons & Simmons

Simmons & Simmons' IP team in France is experienced in IP litigation and protection advice. In cross-border disputes, the team can also collaborate with colleagues in other European offices, particularly the London office.

Notable practitioners: Abdelaziz Khatab and Sarah Bailey.

Taylor Wessing

Taylor Wessing in France is recommended for IP disputes and transactional matters. The firm’s IP practice was further strengthened in 2025 with new IP lawyers from rival law firms.

Notable practitioners: Ines Tribouillet, Marc Schuler, and Pauline Albouy.

TMark Conseils

TMark Conseils specialises in brand protection. It has experienced practitioners that can handle trade mark clearance, filing, and portfolio management.

Notable practitioners: Valérie Dorey, Olivier Thrierr, François Deschamps, and Nicolas Debaisieux.

Case studies show the firm represented Renault and a blockchain company in EUIPO proceedings and advised an automotive company on a cross-border dispute.

Withers & Rogers

Withers & Rogers is one of the largest IP law firms in Europe. The firm has an IP team in Paris with expertise in engineering, electronics and life sciences.

Notable patent practitioners: Russell Edson, Marie-Claude Pellegrini, and Yannick Biron.