Freshfields leads on major French banking merger
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised the French Government on a merger deal that is set to create the second-largest bank in the country, with a combined equity of €40bn (£36bn). Leading French banks Caisse d'Epargne and Banque Populaire finalised a tie-up yesterday (26 February), with both establishments advised by a raft of French independents.As part of the arrangement, the French state has agreed to become a direct shareholder - taking a 20% stake in the combined bank. The name of the combined entity will be CEBP, effective as of June.Freshfields Paris-based securities and M&A partner Patrick Bonvarlet advised the French Government, while Bredin Prat acted for Banques Populaires. Veil Jourde, Gide Loyrette Nouel and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier all won roles for Caisses d'Epargne.
February 27, 2009 at 06:19 AM
2 minute read
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised the French Government on a merger deal that is set to create the second-largest bank in the country, with a combined equity of €40bn (£36bn).
Leading French banks Caisse d'Epargne and Banque Populaire finalised a tie-up yesterday (26 February), with both establishments advised by a raft of French independents.
As part of the arrangement, the French state has agreed to become a direct shareholder – taking a 20% stake in the combined bank. The name of the combined entity will be CEBP, effective as of June.
Freshfields Paris-based securities and M&A partner Patrick Bonvarlet advised the French Government, while Bredin Prat acted for Banques Populaires. Veil Jourde, Gide Loyrette Nouel and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier all won roles for Caisses d'Epargne.
Veil name partner Jean Veil led his firm's team, with the Gide team led by M&A partner Christophe Eck. Darrois M&A partner Emmanuel Brochier advised as part of a larger team which also included partners in competition and public law.
The Bredin team included corporate partners Patrick Dziewolski and Emmanuel Masset, tax partner Yves Rutschmann and competition partner Olivier Billard.
The French Government said earlier this week that it plans to subscribe to preference shares without voting rights which could later be converted into regular shares – with the state prepared to inject €5bn (£4.5bn) in cash.
Freshfields' Bonvarlet is a high-profile partner in the magic circle firm's Paris office, with a number of key clients including Eurotunnel.
More news, deals and comment on Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View All
Fidal Launches Disputes Practice; Pinsent’s Paris Arbitration Partner Jumps to Boutique Firm, Plus Other French Moves
5 minute read
Top Labor Lawyer and Former Germany Managing Partner Leaves A&O Shearman to Found Boutique Firm
3 minute read
Noerr’s Former Polish Office Merges With Big Professional Services Firm Eying German-Speaking Clients
3 minute readTrending Stories
- 1New York-Based Skadden Team Joins White & Case Group in Mexico City for Citigroup Demerger
- 2No Two Wildfires Alike: Lawyers Take Different Legal Strategies in California
- 3Poop-Themed Dog Toy OK as Parody, but Still Tarnished Jack Daniel’s Brand, Court Says
- 4Meet the New President of NY's Association of Trial Court Jurists
- 5Lawyers' Phones Are Ringing: What Should Employers Do If ICE Raids Their Business?
Who Got The Work
J. Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The suit, accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products, was filed Dec. 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc. and Graco Minnesota. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi, is 3:24-cv-11294, Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation.
Who Got The Work
Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel, in a pending securities lawsuit. The action, filed on Dec. 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell, Aron & Co. on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors, accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, is 1:24-cv-09918, Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al.
Who Got The Work
Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action. The suit, filed Dec. 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld, accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is 1:24-cv-09445, Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al.
Who Got The Work
Crown Castle International, a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure, has turned to Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, is 2:24-cv-13131, The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc. in a pending product liability lawsuit. The court action, filed Nov. 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern, alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, is 2:24-cv-08204, Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250
