CLIENTS

Our clients include listed companies, privately held businesses and family offices, individuals, and governmental entities outside the United States.

CROSS BORDER EXPERIENCE

  • Europe: Austria, Belgium, Channel Islands, Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain

  • Africa: Congo (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea (Conakry), Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali …

  • Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore

  • Latin America and the Caribbean: Antigua, Argentina, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Colombia, Cayman Islands, French West Indies, Mexico, Venezuela

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Anti-Corruption and Whistle-blowing

  • Representation of a privately-held US based manufacturing group in connection with years’ long litigation involving a claim for illegal termination in the context of an alleged whistleblowing concerning an international price-fixing cartel, including litigation before the French Court of Cassation.
  • Counsel to a US-based manufacturing group in connection with setting up its whistleblowing hotline and related compliance issues.
  • Counsel to several commercial entities concerning applicable whistleblowing rules.
  • Counsel to several commercial groups on questions related to complying with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, France’s Sapin II anti-corruption law and the UK Bribery Act.

Art Law

  • Representation of an internationally known fine art collector in connection with litigation concerning a forgery sold to him at auction.
  • Counsel to an international fine art dealer in connection with sales of significant paintings.
  • Representation of an international art dealer concerning claims against an auction house for the sale at auction of antiques the origin of which was misattributed.
  • Counsel to the heir of a well-known modernist painter copyright of the painter’s works and their reproduction.

Commercial Law

  • Counsel to a US based multinational manufacturer of high-tech composite materials used in the space and aeronautics industry in connection with its long term supply agreements, distribution agreements and general corporate and commercial work throughout Europe, as well as various acquisitions and reorganizations of its European subsidiaries.
  • Counsel to several US based manufacturers in connection with their European-wide commercial agreements, including review and negotiation of distribution agreements, supply agreements, general terms and conditions, licensing and trademark agreements.
  • Counsel to an English law JV company specializing in high-frequency cabling for the electronics, space and aeronautics industries (with German and US industrial investors) in connection with its commercial operations throughout Europe, as well as on various corporate issues.
  • Counsel to an Italian based on-line custom-made goods retailer, including corporate, commercial, financial and customs advice.
  • Counsel to a major US based pharmaceutical company in connection with its acquisition of rights to various molecules and their marketing in Europe.
  • Counsel to a leading French wine group on the exportation of its wines to the US.
  • Counsel to several mining consortia based respectively in Canada, Israel and the USA in connection with their acquisition of mining rights in various sub-Saharan countries.
  • Counsel to a US based multi-level sales distributor of health and wellness products in connection with the setting up of its French operations including questions of French and EU consumer protection, French labor and employment law, French commercial and corporate law.
  • Counsel to a major US direct sales distributor of home care and health and beauty care products on European-wide questions of corporate, commercial and labor law matters.
  • Counsel to a leading manufacturer and retailer of fine jewelry in connection with its acquisition and subsequent divestiture several years later of the largest chain of fine jewelry retail outlets in France and related commercial law, corporate law, labor law, unfair competition law (including white collar crime issues) and banking law issues.
  • Counsel to a UK-based direct sales company specializing in food supplements and vitamins in connection with various aspects of commercial law and French consumer protection law.
  • Counsel to a US-based company specializing in the multilevel marketing of dietary and weight control food supplements and related wellness and fitness training, and various aspects of commercial law and French consumer protection law.
  • Counsel to a Senegalese corporation in connection with a contract for commercial services to be provided by it to a group of French entities in connection with the construction of an express rail line from Dakar to Blaise Diagne International Airport (under construction).
  • Counsel to a US based manufacturer of specialty plastics with respect to the group’s French operations, including notably corporate, commercial and labor law and regulatory compliance.
  • Counsel to numerous French and non-French entities concerning various commercial contracts.

Corporate Compliance

  • Counsel to a leading manufacturer of chocolate and chocolate-based products on EU and US regulations on chocolate.
  • Counsel to a leading manufacturer of composite materials in connection with compliance issues concerning asbestos removal in the workplace.
  • Counsel to a US based manufacturer and distributor of composite materials in connection with a group-wide compliance review in the context of the French Sapin II anti-corruption legislation.

Corporate Law

  • Counsel to a Canadian manufacturer of DNA testing kits and equipment in connection with its acquisition of a majority stake in a French publicly traded company, including advice on the mandatory takeover bid and advice on commercial, corporate and labor law issues following the successful takeover bid.
  • Counsel to a specialty pharmaceuticals company concerning its acquisition of an on-going manufacturing business in France.
  • Counsel to a French expert forestier in connection with a joint venture between his French company and a Georgia-based firm of registered foresters for expansion into the European and French-speaking Africa markets.
  • Counsel to numerous corporate and individual investors with respect to the creation of bodies corporate in the United States, France and other jurisdictions.

Customs and Trade

  • Counsel to a major US on-line consumer products distributor in connection with customs and trade issues.
  • Counsel to a major US manufacturer of military and dual use vehicles in connection with customs and trade issues in France and the European Union.
  • Counsel to several exporters of goods to the EU concerning customs issues, notably related to ITAR questions.

Data Protection

  • Counsel to a large US based retailer with worldwide operations concerning data transfer issues between the EU and the US, in particular employee and consumer related data, the transfer of such data in the context of litigation in the US, as well as French and European rules regulating or prohibiting such transfers.
  • Counsel to a US listed company concerning data protection issues concerning its world-wide operations, relating in particular to the so-called Safe Harbor rules with respect to its European subsidiaries.
  • Counsel to a US listed company concerning data protection issues concerning its world-wide operations, relating in particular to the so-called Privacy Shield rules.
  • Counsel to several manufacturing entities concerning the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Entertainment Law

  • Representation of a rising opera star in connection with a contract dispute with an internationally renowned opera house.
  • Representation of an internationally renowned composer/conductor concerning a contract dispute with a national opera company for breach of contract.
  • Counsel to a US based rock band in connection with the negotiation of various contracts concerning the French leg of its world tour.
  • Counsel to an internationally renowned rock musician related to various recording contracts.
  • Counsel to the producers of an internationally renowned circus festival.
  • Counsel to an independent film producer and entrepreneur concerning the production of several films

Finance and Banking Law

  • Counsel to a consortium of banks based in London for the financing of the retrofitting of an aircraft operated by a state-owned mixed economy enterprise based in Francophone Africa, as well as the drafting of legislation for the country in question recognizing aircraft mortgages.
  • Counsel to and representation of a Japanese bank in its financing of a significant number of real estate projects in France, notably the construction of golf courses, and the subsequent bankruptcy proceedings after the projects failed.
  • Counsel to a Latin American petroleum company in connection with its acquisition of and related financing for a semi-submersible self-propelled sea-going oil rig.
  • Counsel to a major US bank in connection with several French-based financing transactions and the bank’s role as corporate trustee.
  • Counsel to three consortia of US, French and Belgian banks in connection with three syndicated loans for the construction of the then largest plastics plant in Latin America, and related French and Belgian government export finance guarantees.
  • Counsel to a consortium of French banks in connection with a syndicated loan for the expansion of a commercial airport in a Caribbean nation and the related French government export finance guarantee.
  • Counsel to a consortium of French banks in connection with a syndicated loan for the construction of a textile plant in Senegal and the related French government export finance guarantee.
  • Counsel to a consortium of French banks in connection with a syndicated loan for the construction of a paper mill in Indonesia and the related French government export finance guarantee.
  • Counsel to several banking and financial institutions in connection with licensing and banking regulatory issues under French and EU law.

International Governmental Affairs and Relations

  • Counsel to a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation in connection with its efforts to improve diplomatic and commercial ties with the United States.
  • Counsel to a US consultancy firm on contractual and other issues relating to its advocacy on behalf of a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation in connection with its efforts to improve diplomatic, commercial, educational and security ties with the United States.
  • Counsel to a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation in connection with the drafting of the anti-corruption regulations under its Mining Code.
  • Counsel to a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation in connection with its relations with the US and France.
  • Counsel to a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation on certain crisis management matters.
  • Counsel to a US based consultancy firm relating to its contract issues concerning the representation of a French-speaking sub-Saharan nation.
  • Extensive advocacy on numerous issues pertaining to the Overseas American community.

Investment Funds

  • Counsel to several major fund managers in connection with the marketing and distribution of regulated and unregulated funds in France, Luxembourg and Germany.

Litigation and International Arbitration

  • Representation of a North American airline in relation to a dispute with an international air traffic control agency, involving the alleged siphoning off of funds by employees of the agency and the illicit transfer of the funds to an international drug trafficking and money laundering ring operating out of Cyprus, Lebanon and Nigeria.
  • Representation of a major US manufacturer of oil field production equipment in connection with a breach of contract dispute for the sale of aluminum tubing to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, including questions concerning the breach of related charter parties, and questions of FCPA, fraud and usurpation of corporate identity.
  • Representation of a French manufacturer of luxury pleasure crafts in connection with a dispute in US federal court in South Carolina and Florida in a significant products liability matter, including the successful dismissal of the complaint for lack of jurisdiction.
  • Representation of several enterprises in connection with disputes with senior management and their dismissal.
  • Representation of a major US infra-structure construction company in an international arbitration matter related to the construction of a highway network in Central Africa.
  • Counsel to a leading manufacturer of high-tech products in connection with the resolution of claims of moral harassment by a senior executive.
  • Counsel to a high net worth individual in connection with his real estate holdings on the island of Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts) and related litigation and inheritance issues.

Private Client

  • Counsel to a US financial institution in connection with advice relating to the estates of numerous of its clients and related inheritance and estate administration issues.
  • Counsel to a high-net worth individual in connection with his real estate holdings and in France
  • Counsel to a high-net worth US investor related to possible investment in hotels in Italy.
  • Representation of a high-net worth US investor in connection with litigation related to certain construction projects concerning his personal real estate holdings in France.
  • Counsel to an Italian investor in connection with the purchase and operation of several properties in France for conversion into hotels.
  • Counsel to the heir of a leading scholar of the history of science, notably related to copyright issues concerning the scholar’s writings.
  • Counsel to the heir of a well-known modernist painter concerning estate issues and related to copyright of the painter’s works and their reproduction.
CLIENTS | Joseph Smallhoover EL