Since its inception, the Firm has successfully handled a significant number of acquisitions and divestitures of companies or majority and minority shareholdings, acting for a client base primarily composed of French SMEs—some with highly structured international networks—as well as entrepreneurial and institutional investment funds.
The Firm oversees the preparation of all legal documentation related to these transactions, including acquisition agreements, asset and liability guarantees, and shareholders' agreements.
Our clients operate across various economic sectors, with banking and finance being particularly well represented due to the Firm’s history. In this respect, the Firm has played a key role in structuring numerous acquisitions for credit institutions (both retail and private banks) and investment firms.
The Firm also advises professionals in the agri-food, dermo-cosmetics, new technologies, transportation, and haute couture industries.
In the area of corporate structuring, the Firm has developed recognized expertise in the organization and governance of corporate groups. Notably, it was the first law firm in France to establish a European Company (Societas Europaea - SE).
Finally, Hugo Avocats also advises on stock market law (Capital Markets), assisting publicly listed companies in France (Euronext, Euronext Growth, and Euronext Access), their shareholders (investors, family offices, family shareholders), executives, governance bodies (boards of directors), investment funds, and asset management firms.
Our lawyers support issuers in their strategic transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), private placements, share and complex securities issuances, public takeover bids, and exchange offers.
