French Legal Advice & Business Law Services in France
Euro Start Entreprises and Wilegal, a law firm specialising in French business law, offer a wide range of French legal advice and law services in France. These services include:
- French company law & French business law
- French contract law
- French tax law
- French labour laws and French employment contracts
- Transfer of businesses in France
- Assignment of lease rights in France
- European trademark & copyright law
- French property law
- French collective insolvency proceedings
- French legal disputes & litigation
- Sustainable development for French companies
French Company Law & French Business Law
From incorporation to dissolution, a French company must comply with the many stipulations of French business law. With minutes, filing and registration, your company must be able to manage its legal responsibilities and make sure it is maintained regularly in good order. We can manage everything, or on an ad hoc basis, including monitoring your French company law, drafting your documents, carrying out filings and administration, and liaising with your accountants, auditors and banks to give your company full legal security.
Contract Law in France
French contract law is for companies that require contracts to be drawn up with business partners in France. This can include general terms and conditions of purchase, sale, services, supply or use; sales or distribution and franchise agreements; French service contracts; partnership agreements; research and development agreements and licence agreements. We can negotiate, draft and implement your contracts including the complicated areas of change of control clauses, ownership of results and data, clauses limiting the liability of your co-contractor, or payment of compensation, penalty clauses and jurisdiction clauses.
French Tax Law
Keeping up to date with French tax laws is a necessity for foreign companies operating in France. Our French tax experts can help with corporate tax affairs such as declarations, tax duties and social security contributions. We can advise on the most suitable tax set-up for your situation, liaising with French government tax offices, as well as your chartered accountant, business partners and co-contractors. We can also help with fiscal and social year-end closing, checking tax returns, single tax return forms, VAT returns and professional taxes, as well as dealing with any issues involving audits, tax authorities and subsequent follow-ups with auditors.
French Labour Law and French employment contracts
French labour law is a complicated subject and there is a strict set of legal rules applicable between employers and employees in France. We’ll help you find your way through the legislation, regulations, practice and employment laws to help prevent possible problems, conflicts or infringements. This can include the drafting of a French employment contract or an amendment, a question on the applicable collective bargaining procedure, declarations of hours or paid leave or acquired rights. Whatever the employment situation, our experts will be able guide and advise you.
Transfer of Businesses in France
Whether you are buying or selling a business or parts of a business in France, our lawyers are specialised in this area and can help with the complex laws of transferring businesses. This includes drafting letters of intent, a provisional sale agreement or deeds; and liaising with the other parties such as the seller, buyer, landlord, tenant, agency, banks, town planning departments, bailiffs, registrars and business tax authorities. They can also manage the resolution of ‘subject-to’ clauses, and the draw-down with the bank, the call for funds from the buyer, opening an escrow account dedicated to your transfer and managing all the stages of the ‘opposition period’.
Assignment of Lease Rights in France
This is a little-known part of business law in France but essential for many businesses and entrepreneurs if you wish to acquire or assign a lease. This includes checking the provisions of your commercial lease, updating rents and charges, depositing the security guarantee, examining the waiver of pre-emption rights, obtaining licencing fees and terrace rights, and dealing with registrations and formalities. With over 20 years of experience in commercial leases and assignments in France, our experts can draft, discuss, negotiate and finalise transactions on your behalf.
European Trademark & Copyright Law
Trademark law is essential to protect your trademarks and patents in France and Europe and to make sure your products, prototypes and good name are secure and not in danger of being copied. Intellectual property rights are the rights of an intellectual creation such as an idea for a business, a business pitch for a product or service or a written document or website which needs the correct copyright law to give the creator an exclusive right to use the creation for a certain period of time. Our experts can proceed with the necessary filings and administration to protect your intellectual property rights, trademarks and patents.
French Property Law
French property law is for companies wishing to manage their property, their commercial leases and their premises as tenant, landlord or owner in France. If you wish to enter into a standard commercial lease or an occupancy agreement, buy a building for your business or enter into a property lease, our experts will be on hand to negotiate your contracts. For example, setting up a commercial lease in France is highly regulated which requires knowing your rights and obligations, including security deposits, transfer of the leasehold rights, and the rental agreements which make up the French ‘Pinel Law’. We also draft or review your contracts and take the necessary steps with your co-contractors, as well as local authorities such as the town planning department or prefecture.
Collective insolvency proceedings in France
For entrepreneurs facing financial difficulties with their business, our experts are here to advise on the law regarding collective insolvency proceedings in France to help guarantee the continuation of a company's activity and maintain employment, while respecting the rights of creditors. These measures will help protect the economic fabric of your French company and the ecosystem that surrounds it (suppliers, clients, service providers, etc.) and also preserve the jobs created by your company. If you are experiencing temporary difficulties, our specialists will advise you in the use of an administration order or company voluntary arrangements. In the event of more serious difficulties, they will move towards court-supervised business recovery (turnaround) proceedings. If the difficulties are insurmountable, liquidation proceedings can be opened with a cessation of activity.
French Legal disputes & litigation
To protect the interests of your company in France in case of litigation, disputes and claims, our lawyers can act on your behalf to argue a claim (whether as claimant or defendant), whether in pre-litigation, litigation proceedings or before a Court of Justice. Being well-versed in the law, they can help you follow procedures, respond in time, and advise on whether you want to settle, ask for urgency, proceed to be judged on merit, or ask for mitigation measures – everything to defend your best interests.
Sustainable development for French companies
Sustainable development is becoming a major concern for French companies and its shareholders, investors and partners. We can help you with boosting your company’s ethics, implementing good practices to keep the trust of essential partners, avoiding sanctions, winning ethical contracts, developing sustainable projects and preparing for the future in a responsible way. We offer a range of services that includes drafting of audit reports and recommendations in compliance with French and international regulations and standards on governance, safety, human rights and environment.
For more information on legal services and to find out how Euro Start Entreprises and Wilegal can help you, contact us on 0033 (0)1 53 57 49 10 or send us an email from our contact page and we will be happy to discuss your needs.