INTERNATIONAL

Sub-Saharan Africa

FTPA is very active in French-speaking and English-speaking sub-Saharan Africa.

The increasing development in Africa of our clients’ activities, which include listed and unlisted companies, has led us to intensify our activity on the African continent in recent years (particularly in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, South Africa, etc.).

FTPA helps clients achieve their investments and set up businesses, either directly or with the assistance of carefully selected local business law firms.

FTPA mainly acts in corporate law matters (forming companies, joint ventures, etc.), calls for bids, negotiating and drafting contracts, large projects, including construction and infrastructure. The firm has moreover developed specific expertise in the banking, aviation, energy and media sectors. FTPA has also developed significant experience in matters involving approval procedures and sanctions from the World Bank.

In order to act for clients in the region, FTPA draws on its longstanding experience in dispute resolution, particularly in arbitration, and its deep understanding of the local practices and tribunals.

North America

The firm’s resolutely international dimension is reflected in the fact that , many of the firm’s partners are also admitted to the New York Bar or have studied in English-speaking countries.

Our fully bilingual partners work with clients, business partners and lawyers located in North America (United States and Canada) on a regular basis, providing advisory and dispute resolution support.

Our team is able to measure the expectations of North American companies and accustomed to their work methods, and is mindful of preventing potential misunderstandings that can soemtimes arise on account of cultural differences in matters involving US or Canadian clients.

Our clients operate in a wide variety of business sectors, including media, telecoms, transportation, oil and gas, banking, cinema, luxury, energy, etc. Our team advises on different areas of business law, such as mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, tax, employment law, intellectual property, and also in media and telecommunciations and sports law. FTPA also advises corporate executives on aspects related to their private wealth.

FTPA has a network of different local professionals who work closely with the firm’s clients in order to best address their expectations, with the constant aim to provide quality advice in a reactive manner. As advisors to large corporations and medium-sized companies, we also assist startup companies, particularly in relation to setting up their businesses across the Atlantic.

In addition, FTPA assists clients in litigation and arbitration proceedings both in France and in North America.

Latin America

FTPA has been advising clients in Latin American for over 20 years.

Our partners have a strong affinity and thorough knowledge of the distinct cultural and business practices in Latin America, but are also well acquainted with North American standards which can impact business affairs in the region.

Over the years FTPA has built strong and close ties with local political and economic players. Through this network, the firm is able to effectively support clients in structuring and completing projects in the region, as well as in dispute resolution matters.

Fluent in many of the local languages, the firm can assist clients in doing business locally and negotiating and drafting documents. The firm is also efficient and reliable in coordinating client work and can choose from an extensive network of local lawyers with complementary and specialist skills.

Even though FTPA acts on behalf of clients in several Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela), the firm is particularly active in Columbia, considered the gateway to the rest of the South American continent, and has a formal agreement with local business law firm Brigard & Urrutia.

ASIA

FTPA advises French companies on their investments and commercial transactions in Asia. The firm deploys its expertise in business law (particularly in mergers and acquisitions, responding to calls for bids, and drafting/negotiating contracts) and in dispute resolution (particularly before arbitral tribunals).

FTPA is supported by a network of local correspondents. FTPA is active in Russia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, as well as in India and Turkey.

FTPA has expertise in India and a network of local law firms capable of advising French companies (industrial groups, banks, renewable energy sector companies, etc.) in setting up their businesses and in their development in the region, particularly by way of acquisitions or in requests for tender. FTPA’s understanding of local players’ expectations and the cultural constraints that clients need to be aware of, is strengthened by the fact that one of the firm’s partners has an Indian background and speaks Hindi fluently.

Turkey, by virtue of its strategic position between Asia and Europe, is a particularly active region for FTPA. In 2009, the firm established a specialized Turkish Desk.

In addition, FTPA advises Asian private clients in connection with their investments in France, particularly in the real estate sector and in the art market, and more generally with their personal estate matters.

EUROPE

From Sweden to Portugal, via the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Italy or Spain, FTPA is involved in advising European companies in all phases of their development and in setting up businesses in France and in Europe. FTPA also advises foreign companies interested in doing business in Europe, as well as their executives on matters related to their private wealth.

Our team has cross-disciplinary skills, and advises and represents clients both in litigation and arbitration as well as all main areas of business law: corporate – M&A, commercial law, corporate recovery, tax law, intellectual property law, employment law, and marketing and communications law.

FTPA has extensive experience in pan European litigation and in ad hoc and institutional arbitration.

The firm advises and acts for companies in several business sectors, including transport, new technologies, media, pharmaceuticals, banking, energy, etc. In the media sector, the FTPA team has proven expertise in structuring the financing of European co-productions. Our firm is regularly involved in matters pertaining to art, in advising museums and other like institutions, foundations and artists.

Our lawyers regularly work with a non-exclusive European network of correspondents on a “best friends” basis. This network allows us to select lawyers best suited to respond to each client’s needs and the specific elements and issues involved in each matter.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

FTPA advises and supports clients throughout the Middle East and Africa, and is particularly active in Lebanon, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

FTPA is able to draw on the experience and cultural backgrounds of its lawyers from the MENA area and lawyers accustomed to working in an international context. Clients benefit from our lawyers’ fluency of the local languages, understanding of the different cultures and knowledge of local key players.

Our team advises French and international companies and investors interested in setting up and developing their businesses in this region of the world. The team is involved in transactions relating to external growth and contributes to trade negotiations, from ensuring the execution of contracts to securing investments.

Our team also acts in litigation and arbitration proceedings.

The firm’s clients in the Middle East and North Africa are active in such sectors as banking, telecoms, real estate/construction, hotel business, media and energy.

In addition, FTPA provides assistance to Middle Eastern and North African investors, companies and individuals interested in doing business in France.

The historic ties of our firm with the region culminated in the setting up of our Iran desk following the 2015 nuclear agreements. Our Iran desk focuses on advising French companies interested in setting up activities in Iran as well as Iranian businesses seeking to develop in France, in the applicable regulatory context.