Commercial law &
litigation in France
France has its own legal and court systems, which may differ from other legal systems, while also bearing similar features with other EU countries. Companies doing business in France are therefore well-advised to understand and comply with the specific legal requirements and court procedures in order to minimize legal and financial risks.
Our firm provides you with in-depth expertise in French commercial law and offers skilled guidance in litigation at all levels – from the initial consultation to the final decision.
Presentations and pitches
We regularly share our knowledge through presentations at seminars and work closely with colleagues in cross-border cases to prepare and conduct pitches. Combining up-to-date legal expertise with practical experience enables to deliver a clear and convincing communication on complex legal topics – both at professional events and in meetings.
Examples of our activities:
- Preparation of a budget in collaboration with an accounting firm for the audit of a SME in France with a view to the acquisition of the shares,
- Lecture at the DACH Lawyers’ Association, Seminar in March 2025, Topic: ESG Corporate Governance with regard to the Implementation of the CSRD-EU Directive
- Pitch preparation in cooperation with specialist lawyers and a Swiss commercial law firm to advise a Zurich-based bank
Pierre-Yves Samson, LL.M. (Berlin)
Pierre-Yves Samson has been admitted to the Paris Bar as a French lawyer (avocat à la cour) after taking the oath before the Court of Appeal of Paris on January 10th 2008.
His main areas of practice are business law and litigation in civil and commercial matters.
He brings his many years of experience and undiminished enthusiasm for his profession to serve his clients, particularly medium-sized companies from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Avocat à la Cour (Paris), E.I.
Email : py@samson.legal
Address : c/o Rothpartners, avocats à la cour, 81 rue Saint Lazare, F-75009 Paris - France
“My work is based on clear principles.”
Areas of Practice:
Commercial Law, Distribution Law, Litigation (including debt collection, bank guarantees, industrial damages), Insolvency Law, International Sale of Goods convention, Enforcement of Court Judgments, and White-Collar Criminal Law.
The firm offers a global service, especially for cross-border matters, and collaborates with chartered accountants as well as specialized lawyers in tax law and intellectual property/IT law, all of whom have extensive experience in advising small and medium-sized enterprises.
Tools:
The law firm uses AI tools and data-bases developed for the activities of law firms.
Using those tools enhances seemingly the efficiency of our works; it also aims at keeping up with the ever growing competition on the legal market.
However disruptive, those tools are not to be used blindly. The contents generated via AI are carefully analysed by the firm. Protected data are never submitted when using those tools.
Languages:
English, French, German
Professional and Business Associations:
Businesses network:
- association of the medium-size companies in Germanie ("Der Mittelstand BVMW e.V.")
- WeCon Netzwerk (Stuttgart)
As a member of various international business lawyer associations, he has built a network of legal practicioners abroad over the years, maintaining close personal contacts. Lawyers' associations:
- DACH – European Association of German-Speaking Lawyers
- DFJV - French-German lawyers association ("deutsch-französische Juristenvereinigung e.V.")
- DSJV - Swiss-German lawyers association ("deutsch-schweizerische Juristenvereinigung e.V.")
- IBA - International Bar Association
- ILEX Think Tank (International Litigation Exchange)
- association "Paris Place de Droit"
Professional Background:
- King’s College London: Postgraduate in EU Competition Law (2010)
- Sworn in before the Paris Court of Appeal on January 10, 2008
- Bar legal training in Rennes, Berlin, and Paris (2006–2007)
- Humboldt University of Berlin: LL.M. in German and European Law (2005), with honours
- University of Luxembourg: Master’s in European Union Law (2003), with honours
- University of Rennes – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven: Erasmus Master’s in European Union Law (2002), with honours
- University of Rennes: Master’s in Public Law (2001)
- University of South Britanny: Licence (Bachelor’s) in Civil Law & Public Law (2000), with honours
International
For many years, the firm has built contacts with lawyers at other business law firms, primarily within the European Union. These are colleagues with whom personal connections have been established.
Besides all these contacts with lawyers abroad, Mr. Samson has joined a network of businesses in Germany.
He is hence on business travels several times a year to further expand these networks.
Fees & expenses
1- In France, attorney fees and expenses are invoiced according to an agreement with the client. There is no statutory or table-based fee, for instance based on the amount in dispute.
Depending on the case, the fees can be billed in the following ways:
- Based on time spent, at an agreed hourly rate, or
- As a flat fee covering all services provided, which may be increased under certain conditions.
- Additionally, a so-called “success fee” may be agreed upon. This fee is a percentage of the gains obtained through your attorney’s work.
When determining the fee, the following criteria are taken into account:
- The complexity of the matter,
- The nature of the tasks to be performed,
- The time required to handle the case.
Costs incurred by the firm in performing their services are billed together with the fee. These costs mainly include travel expenses and the fees or charges of other service providers (local lawyer, bailiffs, commercial register, etc.). They are passed on to the client at cost price, with supporting documentation attached.
The firm reserves the right to request an advance on fees and costs.
2- In proceedings before French courts, each party bears its own legal fees, even if it prevails. Legal fees in France are not considered reimbursable fees or procedural costs.
At the request of the parties, the courts often grant a “costs indemnity” to the winning party, to be paid by the losing party/ies. However, the amount seldom covers the costs actually incurred by the party in respect of legal fees.
This principle — where each party bears its own attorney fees — can be mitigated in debt collection matters between business entities thanks to the European Union law.
Legal fees and costs may be covered by legal expenses insurance. It is essential to verify and confirm coverage under such insurance before initiating any proceedings (whether judicial or otherwise). If you have subscribed a legal expenses policy, you remain free to work with an attorney of your choice; the insurer cannot impose a practicioner on you.
3- In the event of a dispute over the amount of fees, the President of the Paris Bar Association is competent to render an initial decision. An appeal may be filed against that decision, in which case the determination of the fees will fall under the jurisdiction of the Paris Court of Appeal.
Insurance:
The firm has professional liability insurance providing coverage of up to €4 million per claim. If the client believes that this amount is insufficient, it is his responsibility to inform the firm, which may then arrange additional insurance. It is hereby agreed that that by entrusting a mandate to the firm the client waives any claim for damages exceeding the insurance coverage limit.
Contact
Do you have any questions or need legal assistance? Please feel free to contact me. I am available for personal consultations – competent and reliable.