Gide promotes 12 lawyers to Counsel in Casablanca, London, Paris and Warsaw

Gide is pleased to announce the promotion to Counsel of 12 promising lawyers. These appointments are effective as of 1 January 2025:

ARBITRATION

• James Casey, London

INSURANCE

• Antoine Flautre, Paris

BANKING & FINANCE 

• Rudolf Efremov, Paris

COMPETITION & INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

• Gautier Kerjouan, Paris

TAX LAW 

• Sacha Najafi, Paris

CORPORATE/MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

• Elise Bernard, Paris
• Chloé Bouhours, Paris
• Agathe Delalande, Paris

REAL ESTATE

• Chloé Charrier, Paris
• Clément Pech de Laclause, Paris

PROJECTS

• Michal Glowacki, Warsaw
• Benoit Pape, Casablanca

Frédéric Nouel, Senior Partner, and Jean-François Levraud, Managing Partner, said: “We are especially pleased to promote these valued members of our law team to the title of Counsel. Their expertise, commitment and positive vision for the future have already earned the recognition and trust of our clients. Hearty congratulations to each and every one of them as they embark on this next stage of their career.”

ARBITRATION

James Casey is counsel in the Arbitration team in Gide’s London office.

With specialist expertise in international arbitration and dispute resolution, James has acted as counsel and advised clients in arbitration proceedings in the energy, construction, space, telecommunications and sports industries, conducted in both French and English under the auspices of several institutions (ICC, LCIA, SCC, VIAC, TAS) and applying the laws of various jurisdictions. He is also experienced in litigation, including substantive commercial disputes and ancillary arbitration proceedings.

Since Brexit, James has played a key role in building a trade remedies practice in London, drawing on the firm’s extensive experience in Brussels.

James graduated from Durham University (UK) with a BA Hons. He is a Solicitor Advocate (England and Wales) and a member of the Paris Bar.

INSURANCE

Antoine Flautre is counsel in the Insurance team in Gide’s Paris office.

Specialising in Insurance and Civil Liability law, Antoine provides consultation and litigation services in both non-life (general insurance and civil liability) and life insurance.

Since 2018, he has been involved in major strategic preliminary and litigation proceedings in the insurance and reinsurance industries.

Antoine is a graduate of the Insurance Institute at the University of Paris-Dauphine and a member of several widely recognised professional associations, including AJAR, AIDA and AMRAE. He was called to the Paris Bar in 2019.

BANKING & FINANCE 

Rudolf Efremov is counsel in the Financial Services team in Gide’s Paris office.

He advises regulated entities, in particular French and foreign investment firms, credit institutions and asset management companies, on banking and financial regulation. He has developed specific expertise in requirements applicable to the provision of investment services, as well as on matters regarding governance, remuneration and, more generally, prudential requirements. He is a member of several working groups, including AMAFI.

Rudolf has recently worked for clients regarding the structuring or reorganisation of their activities, the structure of their own funds, the compensation packages to be provided to Material Risk Takers, as well as regarding the determination of the strategy to be adopted as part of their communication with the competent authorities.

Rudolf joined Gide after spending several years in a firm specialising in financial services. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 2017 and to the Paris Bar in 2018.

COMPETITION & INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

Gautier Kerjouan is counsel in the Competition & International Trade team in Gide’s Paris office.

Gautier provides advice and litigation assistance to French and foreign companies alike, covering all aspects of economic law.

His expertise encompasses French and European competition law, with a specific focus on anti-competitive practices (cartels and abuse of dominant position).  He has acquired substantial experience in antitrust investigations and litigation (Competition Authority). Gautier also represents our clients before the courts in private enforcement cases relating to compensation claims arising from anti-competitive practices.

In addition, his practice covers the most complex distribution law issues (network structuring and legality, supplier-distributor relationships, business partnership agreements, termination of relationships and more). Gautier represents our clients in strategic distribution law litigation proceedings in the civil and commercial courts.

In consumer law, Gautier assists clients across a range of issues, particularly during inspections by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) with respect to compliance, advertising, marketing and greenwashing rules.

Gautier holds degrees from the University of Rennes 1 (a DJCE post-graduate diploma in corporate counsel and a Master’s degree in Franco-British business law) and from the University of Exeter in the UK (LL.M. in International Business Law). He was called to the Paris Bar in 2016.

TAX LAW 

Sacha Najafi is counsel in the Tax Law team in Gide’s Paris office.

He provides advice and assistance primarily in transaction and international taxation. His main expertise lies in structuring real estate investments, real estate taxation, investment fund taxation and restructuring. He also advises companies and individuals on tax audits and disputes.

Sacha graduated from the University of Bordeaux and obtained a Master’s degree in business law and taxation and a DJCE post-graduate diploma in corporate counsel. He also holds a certificate of specialised studies in tax law from the University of Montpellier. He was called to the Paris Bar in 2018 and is a member of the Institut des Avocats Conseils Fiscaux (IACF).

CORPORATE/MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Elise Bernard is counsel in the Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions team in Gide’s Paris office.

She advises clients primarily on mergers and acquisitions related to listed and private companies. She also provides counsel on cross-border restructuring matters for French and international groups, including spin-offs.

She recently advised Kering on their partnership with Ardian pertaining to three prestigious real estate properties in Paris. She also advised McPhy Energy on the disposal of its hydrogen refuelling stations business, and TotalEnergies on the sale of its Canadian oil sands assets. Moreover, she advised Long Path Partners on the acquisition by Keysight Technologies of a controlling interest in listed company ESI Group, followed by a tender offer.

She holds a Master’s degree in corporate law from the University of Paris-Saclay. Elise was called to the Paris Bar in 2016.

Chloé Bouhours is a counsel in the Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions team in Gide’s Paris office.

She is involved in M&A transactions, fundraising transactions and the setting up of strategic partnerships, mainly in the infrastructure and energy sectors. She advises investment funds, major groups, public bodies and project developers in France and abroad.

Chloé is also a member of the Infravenir association and teaches mergers and acquisitions within the master 2 in business law of Université Paris-Dauphine.

Chloé is a graduate of the bachelor of arts and master degree in economic law “business, markets and regulations” of Sciences Po Paris, as well as of the master degree in international corporate transactions and taxation of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne university. She also studied public affairs and international relations at Universidad Externado de Colombia and worked in the economic department of the French Embassy in Colombia. Chloé was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2018.

Agathe Delalande is counsel in the Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions team in Gide’s Paris office.

She advises public and private companies and investment funds on mergers and acquisitions and on governance issues. Her practice focuses on large-cap M&A deals and takeover bids.

She recently worked for Groupe Bruxelles Lambert on the merger between Webhelp (in which GBL was a majority shareholder) and the listed US group Concentrix ; for Olympique Lyonnais on its acquisition by Eagle Football, the subsequent takeover bid and the sale of a majority stake in its women’s football team; and on the takeover bids on Neoen, Vilmorin and UFF Banque.

In 2024, Agathe was seconded for four months to a leading English law firm in London.

Agathe graduated from HEC Paris and the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is a member of the Paris Bar.

REAL ESTATE

Chloé Charrier is counsel in the Real Estate team in Gide’s Paris office.

Chloé advises French and international clients on all stages of their real estate operations in France (acquisition, construction or redevelopment, rental property marketing, rental management, etc.), across all types of real estate assets (offices, hotels, retail outlets and shopping centres, warehouses, residential buildings, etc.).

She is most active in commercial lease negotiations (especially leases in future state of completion), real estate transactions (through share or asset deals), construction contracts (property development agreements, general contractor agreements, etc.) and in hotel management agreements negotiations. She regularly advises various co-living operators.

Chloé holds a Master’s degree in real estate law from the University of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas. She was called to the Paris Bar in 2017.

Clément Pech de Laclause is counsel in the Real Estate team in Gide’s Paris office.

Clément advises real estate investors, developers, construction companies and major users on all legal issues that may arise throughout a building’s life cycle, across all asset types (office building, shopping center, warehouse, education, etc.).

In particular, he supports corporate investors with real estate acquisitions and disposals, for M&A transactions (share deals, setting up joint ventures, etc.) and asset deals. He also provides consultation and litigation services on real estate project development, construction, commercial leases and asset management.

Clément holds a Master’s degree in real estate law from the University of Montpellier, and a Master’s degree in law and international management from HEC Paris. He was called to the Paris Bar in 2018.

PROJECTS

Michał Głowacki is counsel in the Projects, Infrastructure and Energy team in Gide’s Warsaw office.

Michał advises companies operating in the following sectors: renewable and conventional energy, ports, oil and gas, and energy-intensive industries. He provides counsel on the acquisition of renewable energy projects and portfolios, and on the construction of major energy projects. Michał negotiates contracts for complex projects (including engineering, procurement and construction projects, FIDIC contracts and Balance of Plant projects) and advises on various types of contracts related to oil and gas, renewable energy and other industrial projects. He also provides legal assistance throughout all stages of judicial and administrative procedures related to infrastructure and energy issues.

He graduated from the law and administration department of the University of Warsaw and obtained an LL.M. from the University of Bonn. Michał was called to the Warsaw Bar in 2017.

Benoit Pape is counsel in the Projects (Finance & Infrastructure) team in Gide’s Casablanca office.

Benoit specializes in the development of projects in the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. He works on complex projects in Morocco relating to the development of renewable energy plants, oil a gas infrastructures, mining operations, waste treatment and recovery, and port facilities. Benoit also advises his clients on contractual management in their projects and on settling disputes before dispute adjudication boards.

Before joining Gide Casablanca in 2016, Benoit Pape worked for a French group in the oil and gas sector. He studied in France and Australia, and holds a Master’s degree in business law from the University of Aix-Marseille. Benoit is registered with the Paris Bar since 2016.