Bredin Prat

Founded in 1966 and with over 180 lawyers in its offices in Paris and Brussels, Bredin Prat is a leading law firm with a reputation for excellence across its difference practice areas.

Our firm is recognized as one the top employment law firms in France and we advise clients operating across a broad range of industry sectors on all facets of employment law.

Our lawyers have extensive experience handling M&A transactions and strategic reorganizations and have worked on some of France’s largest corporate transactions of the past few years. We work closely with our clients from the early planning stages of the operation to help them successfully navigate the employment issues that are triggered by these types of operations, such as works council information and consultation requirements, trade union negotiations, equalization of employee benefits and negotiation of management packages.

We are also reputed for our strong litigation practice. Our lawyers have substantial experience defending employers in collective disputes involving trade unions and works councils. Our team of expert litigators is skilled in trying complex cases before Industrial Tribunals and Courts of Appeals in both ordinary and emergency proceedings. We have successfully represented clients in cases involving employee rating systems, co-employment issues and the liability of parent companies.

Our lawyers also advise on day-to-day employment questions such as working time arrangements, codes of conduct and whistleblowing policies, framework agreements and negotiation of collective benefits, as well as strategic workforce planning and equal treatment questions. We assist clients with the negotiation of corporate severance packages and separation agreements with senior executives, including stock option awards, non-compete and non-disparagement and continued benefit questions.

Our firm is proud to be one of the founding members of the Best Friends network, a core network of leading independent firms that was established over fifteen years ago and is presently composed of BonelliErede (Italy), Bredin Prat (France), De Brauw (The Netherlands), Hengeler Mueller (Germany), Slaughter and May (UK) and Uria Menendez (Spain/ Portugal). This network allows our clients who are engaged in cross-border transactions to benefit from seamless advice through integrated international teams.