The prospect of Brexit means that France and in particular the Hauts de France offer a gateway to the European market. In Extenso Avocats offer a full-range of services in terms of company formation, financial structuring, assistance with new ventures or acquisitions of existing businesses.

Our team has long-standing experience in drafting corporate documents (articles of association, bylaws, shareholder agreements). Working within international group structures, our team has experience of ensuring compliance with French company law (financial assistance impediments, corporate interest).

In Extenso Avocats provides advice at the time of formation of the company, assisting in strategic choices about the type of company. French company law has several types of company, each with its own rules, thus assistance in the choice of corporate structure is important. That choice can affect the decision-making processes within the company, varying between a stream-lined process with a single president and shareholder to a complex system when there are several shareholders, as well as the organisation of relations between shareholders and management. Our team can provide assistance with the drafting of articles of association or by-laws, shareholder agreements, internal rules, contribution agreements etc.

During the life of the company, In Extenso Avocats can assist with all types of meetings and decisions, including increases and decreases of share capital, sales of shares, warranty agreements, the creation of different categories of shares and voting rights, company transformations, winding up and voluntary liquidations.

Our team has significant experience of acquisitions, contributions, asset sales, share purchase agreements, due diligence, drafting and negotiation of nondisclosure agreements, pre-contractual agreements, warranty agreements. It can help with seeking funding as well as drafting legal opinions and security documents for financial institutions. It has significant experience of cross-border transactions, involving relations between affiliates of groups, including intercompany security, cash-pooling agreements, inter-group service agreements, management fees, with a particular eye on compliance with the corporate interest in French law.

In terms of litigation, the members of our corporate team have represented clients across a broad range of disputes involving company law: challenging company decisions (board or shareholder resolutions), dealing with majority or minority shareholder abuse of position; directors’ liability, removal of directors; conflicts between shareholders, between shareholders and management; enforcement of warranty agreements; mediation and alternative dispute resolution; directors’ criminal liability.