(LAWFUEL) – The international law firm Bryan Cave LLP (www.bryancave.com) has established a relationship with a group of French attorneys (avocats) who will provide the firm with a capacity in France. Upon receipt of regulatory approval, they will form the core of a new office for the firm in Paris. This move continues a firmwide expansion that has seen new offices open in Milan, Hamburg and San Francisco within the past 14 months.
Kathie Claret and Joseph Smallhoover are the principal attorneys with whom the relationship is being formed. Additional professional staff and administrative personnel will be added in the months ahead. They will be based at 78 avenue Raymond Poincaré – 75116 Paris – France.
The firm is submitting an application with the Paris Bar Council in order to establish a stronger presence in France. Once this application is granted, the Paris law practices of Claret and Smallhoover will become the Bryan Cave Paris office.
“The new office will give us the capability to counsel businesses on multijurisdictional M&A and other matters involving France, as well as day-to-day business operations,” said Don Lents, chairman of Bryan Cave. “Furthermore, in many matters of international arbitration, Paris often is chosen as the venue for the resolution of disputes among multinational parties, so the addition of a French law capacity was a natural choice.”
Background on attorneys (avocats) Claret and Smallhoover:
Kathie Claret is a member of the Paris and New York bars who has practiced in France for more than 30 years. Claret advises French and multinational companies on issues such as structuring mergers and acquisitions, sales, joint ventures, strategic alliances, data privacy, codes of ethics and licensing and distribution arrangements.
She frequently advises clients on litigation strategy related to commercial disputes, such as those involving post-acquisition valuation, products liability, interpretation of intellectual property rights and other contractual matters.
In addition, Claret advises companies on their compliance obligations with France’s challenging labor and employment laws, on approaches for achieving essential business reorganizations and restructurings and on ensuing litigation.
Claret received her J.D. in 1975 from New York University School of Law and her A.B., magna cum laude, in 1972 from Harvard University. She speaks English, French and Russian.
Joseph Smallhoover is a member of the Paris, California and Pennsylvania bars and has practiced law in France for more than 20 years. He provides legal support and guidance to help clients create, operate, license, market and distribute both public and private funds ranging from hedge, mutual and offshore funds to non-U.S. investment vehicles, including SICAVs and unit trusts.
He advises on the development of procedures for compliance with specific regulatory requirements such as those covered by the European Union’s UCITS directives and the 2002 U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Smallhoover also advises clients in the areas of banking, financial and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions (for both financial and strategic buyers and sellers), acquisition financing, initial public offerings, public take-over bids, corporate restructurings and insolvency matters.
Smallhoover received his J.D. in 1980 from the University of Pittsburgh, his M.A. in 1976 from the University of Virginia and his A.B., magna cum laude, in 1975 from Duke University. He speaks English, French and German.
About Bryan Cave LLP
Bryan Cave LLP has a diversified international legal practice. The firm represents a wide variety of business, financial, institutional and individual clients, including publicly held multinational corporations, large and mid-sized privately held companies, partnerships and emerging companies. Subsidiaries Bryan Cave International Trade and Bryan Cave Strategies LLC provide trade and customs consultancy and government relations and strategic counsel, respectively. Aided by extensive investments in technology, Bryan Cave’s more than 1,000 lawyers and other consulting professionals in 23 offices across the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia efficiently serve clients’ needs in the world’s leading business and financial markets.
