Johannes Jonas
Partner, Dubai
Johannes Jonas
Partner, Dubai
Johannes Jonas is managing partner of Cohen & Gresser’s Dubai office. He led the firm’s Paris office for 11 years and has over 35 years of experience managing sophisticated corporate transactions for European, Asian, and North American clients. His practice focuses on cross-border transactions and investments, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, and general commercial law.
Fluent in French, German, Dutch, and English, Johannes has extensive international experience. He maintains a significant base of clients worldwide, particularly in the automotive, life sciences, luxury goods, and technology sectors. Johannes is admitted to practice law in Paris, New York, and Germany.
Johannes has volunteered for many years with not-for-profit organizations and currently serves on the Board of the World Scout Foundation. Prior to joining Cohen & Gresser, Johannes was a partner at Dentons (formerly Salans) in Paris. He also previously practiced in the New York and Paris offices of Clearly, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and the Frankfurt office of Bruckhaus Westrick Stegemann (today Freshfields).
He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in France in the corporate law category, by New York’s Super Lawyers in the mergers and acquisitions category, and by Leaders League in the “Highly Recommended” category for M&A: mid-cap.
Johannes Jonas is managing partner of Cohen & Gresser’s Dubai office. He led the firm’s Paris office for 11 years and has over 35…
Education
University of Chicago Law School (LL.M., 1989); University of Munich (Dr. jur., 1987); IUHEI – Geneva, Switzerland (Certificate of European Studies 1983)
Bar Admissions
Paris; Berlin; New York State
Activities and Affiliations
Board Member and Chairman of the Oversight Committee, World Scout Foundation
Member, Verein Deutscher Juristentag
Representative Matters
Represented a German media company in the MBO of a French subsidiary.
Represented a private equity fund in its purchase of the worldwide automotive business of a major American company (five jurisdictions, including France, UK, and Germany).
Represented a German fashion jewel producer in the sale of its assets to the French luxury group.
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Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, who was named managing partner of the Paris office earlier this year, is recognized for banking and finance law, financial institutions, mergers and acquisitions law, and regulatory practice. She advises listed companies, investment funds, insurers and financial institutions on regulatory compliance, investigations, and corporate transactions.
Angéline Duffour, partner, is recognized for labor and employment law. Her practice spans all aspects of French and cross-border employment law, with a cutting-edge expertise in reorganizations/redundancies and professional alerts/compliance across international groups and French companies.
Partner Franck Le Mentec is recognized for tax law, with a focus on cross-border taxation for both multinational enterprises and private clients.
Guillaume Guérin, counsel, is recognized for regulatory practice, advising both public and private companies, their managers, investment funds, and financial institutions on compliance, investigations, and corporate matters.
Johannes Jonas, who served as Paris managing partner through the end of 2024, was also named in the 2026 edition for mergers and acquisitions law before relocating to Dubai in 2025 to launch the firm’s newest office—a key milestone in the firm’s international growth.
The Best Lawyers in France relies entirely on peer review to determine and recognize professional excellence.
Established in 2014, our Paris team delivers comprehensive legal services across corporate, employment, tax, financial services, white-collar defense, and litigation, working seamlessly with colleagues in our other offices to serve French and international clients.
Located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), our office provides seamless and strategic counsel to clients doing business in the UAE’s dynamic market for both transactional and dispute-related matters. At the same time, it connects clients with a UAE presence to our litigation and regulatory expertise in the U.S., the UK, France, and Europe in general, and serves as a key hub for our Africa-focused practice.
The office is led by Johannes Jonas, an accomplished corporate lawyer with over 35 years of experience. He brings extensive management experience, having co-founded and successfully led Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office for 11 years. As he takes on this new role, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon has become managing partner of the Paris office, continuing to build on the firm’s strong foundation in France and across Europe.
“Dubai is a vibrant and growing international business hub, making it a natural choice for Cohen & Gresser as we expand our global footprint,” said Lawrence T. Gresser, the firm’s global managing partner. “We are excited to have Johannes Jonas at the helm, bringing his exceptional expertise and deep understanding of cross-border legal matters to this important initiative.”
Under Mr. Jonas’s guidance, the Dubai office will prioritize deepening relationships with existing clients and attracting new clients who value the firm’s innovative and client-focused approach.
“The new office allows us to strengthen our ties with clients in the region while providing our international clients greater access to the opportunities available in Dubai and the Middle East,” said Mr. Jonas.
“This new presence offers our clients a strategic platform for corporate transactions as well as white-collar matters — particularly for cross-border financial and criminal investigations,” notes Ms. Goldberg-Darmon.
Cohen & Gresser was founded in 2002 in New York and expanded internationally in 2014 with the opening of its Paris office, followed by Washington, D.C., in 2016 and London in 2018 — each established with a focus on trusted leadership, selective hiring, and alignment with the firm’s core values and global practice strengths. With the addition of its Dubai office, the firm further strengthens its global footprint; together, this international network enables Cohen & Gresser to deliver seamless, high-caliber legal services to clients worldwide.
Cohen & Gresser’s Dubai office is located at:
Emirates Financial Towers
South Tower, Suite S319
DIFC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
For more information, please contact info@cohengresser.com.
Super Lawyers once again named C&G co-founder Mark S. Cohen and partner Jonathan S. Abernethy to the Super Lawyers list of the Top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area.
Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are annual lists of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5 percent of the lawyers in each state are selected as Super Lawyers, and only 2.5 percent are selected as Rising Stars.
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list are:
- Jonathan S. Abernethy, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Kwaku Andoh, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Luke Appling, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Elizabeth Bernhardt, Business Litigation
- Karen H. Bromberg, Intellectual Property
- Jason Brown, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Joanna K. Chan, Securities Litigation
- Mark S. Cohen, Business Litigation
- Gale Dick, Business Litigation
- Christian R. Everdell, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Robert J. Gavigan, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Lawrence T. Gresser, Business Litigation
- Oliver S. Haker, Business Litigation
- Johannes Jonas, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Nicholas J. Kaiser, Real Estate
- David F. Lisner, Business Litigation
- Ellen Paltiel, General Litigation
- Douglas J. Pepe, Business Litigation
- Matthew V. Povolny, Business Litigation
- Bonnie J. Roe, Securities & Corporate Finance
- Stephen M. Sinaiko, Business Litigation
- Mark Spatz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Daniel H. Tabak, Business Litigation
- Scott D. Thomson, Business Litigation
- Alexandra Wald, Business Litigation
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Rising Stars list are:
- Sharon L. Barbour, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Randall W. Bryer, Business Litigation
- Shannon A. Daugherty, Business Litigation
- Drew S. Dean, General Litigation
- Christine M. Jordan, General Litigation
- William Kalema, Business Litigation
- Phoebe King, Business Litigation
- Sri Kuehnlenz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Marvin J. Lowenthal, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Barbara K. Luse, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Alexandra Theobald, Business Litigation
- Myia Williams, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Benjamin Zhu, General Litigation
Johannes Jonas is recognized for corporate law. His practice focuses on cross-border transactions and investments, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, and general commercial law.
Angéline Duffour is recognized for labor and employment law. Her practice focuses on all aspects of employment law in a diverse range of industries (including hospitality and leisure, life sciences and health care, chemical industries, luxury, fashion and transportation).
Muriel Goldberg-Darmon is recognized for banking and finance law, financial institutions, mergers and acquisitions law, and regulatory practice. Her practice focuses on advising listed companies and their managers, investment funds, insurance companies, and financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory and compliance issues, investigations, and corporate transactions.
Franck Le Mentec is recognized for tax law. His practice focuses on cross-border taxation, both for multinational enterprises and private clients.
Guillaume Guérin is recognized for regulatory practice. His practice focuses on advising publicly listed and non-listed companies and their managers, investment funds, and financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory and compliance issues, investigations, and corporate transactions.
The Best Lawyers in France relies entirely on peer review to determine and recognize professional excellence.
Established in 2014, Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office provides comprehensive legal services for our clients, including advising on corporate, employment, tax, financial services, white collar defense, and litigation-related matters. Our Paris attorneys work closely with the lawyers in our other offices on cross-border transactions, investigations, and litigation, in order to provide superior service to French and international clients.
Super Lawyers named C&G cofounder Mark S. Cohen one of the Top 10 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. Partners Jonathan S. Abernethy and Karen H. Bromberg have also been named to the Super Lawyers list of the Top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. Additionally, Karen has been recognized as one of the Top 50 women lawyers within the same region.
Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are annual lists of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5 percent of the lawyers in each state are selected as Super Lawyers, and only 2.5 percent are selected as Rising Stars.
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list are:
- Jonathan S. Abernethy, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Kwaku Andoh, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Luke Appling, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Elizabeth Bernhardt, Business Litigation
- Colin C. Bridge, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Karen H. Bromberg, Intellectual Property
- Jason Brown, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Joanna K. Chan, Securities Litigation
- Mark S. Cohen, Business Litigation
- S. Gale Dick, Business Litigation
- Christian R. Everdell, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Robert J. Gavigan, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Lawrence T. Gresser, Business Litigation
- Oliver S. Haker, Business Litigation
- Johannes Jonas, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Nicholas J. Kaiser, Real Estate
- Jeffrey I. Lang, Civil Litigation: Defense
- David F. Lisner, Business Litigation
- Ellen Paltiel, General Litigation
- Douglas J. Pepe, Business Litigation
- Matthew V. Povolny, Business Litigation
- Nathaniel P. T. Read, Business Litigation
- Bonnie J. Roe, Securities & Corporate Finance
- Stephen M. Sinaiko, Business Litigation
- Mark Spatz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- C. Evan Stewart, Securities Litigation
- Daniel H. Tabak, Business Litigation
- Scott D. Thomson, Business Litigation
- Alexandra Wald, Business Litigation
The C&G lawyers recognized on the New York Metro Rising Stars list are:
- Sharon L. Barbour, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Randall W. Bryer, Business Litigation
- Shannon A. Daugherty, Business Litigation
- Drew S. Dean, General Litigation
- Jesse Greenwald, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Christine M. Jordan, General Litigation
- William Kalema, Business Litigation
- Sri Kuehnlenz, Civil Litigation: Defense
- Marvin J. Lowenthal, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Barbara K. Luse, Criminal Defense: White Collar
- Benjamin Zhu, General Litigation
Leaders League is an independent research and rating agency that provides comprehensive rankings and in-depth analysis of law firms and lawyers. The rankings are based on extensive research by an experienced team of analysts.
Ranked Practice Areas:
• Marketing, communication & digital – Advertising law & marketing
• Media & entertainment – Fashion Law
Ranked Individuals:
• Franck Le Mentec: Wealth management – Wealth tax: regulation and litigation; Tax law – LBO tax
• Guillaume Guérin: Compliance – Compliance program
• Johannes Jonas: Private Equity – Development capital transactions
• Loïc Henriot: Dispute resolution – Litigation with regulators and for listed operations; Compliance – Compliance program; Compliance – International investigation and internal investigation; Dispute resolution – Banking & Finance Litigation; Dispute resolution – Commercial litigation; Labor & Employment – Criminal labor law; Dispute resolution – White collar crime
• Muriel Goldberg-Darmon: Dispute resolution – Litigation with regulators and for listed operations; Compliance – Compliance program; Compliance – International investigation and internal investigation; Private Equity – Development capital transactions; Asset management – Asset management
Established in 2014, Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office provides comprehensive legal services for our clients, including advising on corporate, employment, tax, financial services, white collar defense, and litigation-related matters. Our Paris attorneys work closely with the lawyers in our other offices on cross-border transactions, investigations, and litigation, in order to provide superior service to French and international clients.
About The Best Lawyers in France
Super Lawyers ranks outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of the lawyers in each state are selected as Super Lawyers, and only 2.5 percent are selected as Rising Stars.
Super Lawyers
Jonathan S Abernethy: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Kwaku Andoh: Mergers & Acquisitions
Elizabeth Bernhardt: Business Litigation
Thomas E Bezanson: Personal Injury – Products: Defense
Colin C Bridge: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Karen H Bromberg: Intellectual Property
Jason Brown: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Joanna K Chan: Securities Litigation
Mark S Cohen: Business Litigation
S Gale Dick: Business Litigation
Christian R Everdell: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Lawrence T Gresser: Business Litigation
Oliver S Haker: Business Litigation
Johannes Jonas: Mergers & Acquisitions
Nicholas J Kaiser: Real Estate
Jeffrey I. Lang: Business Litigation
Melissa H Maxman: Antitrust Litigation
Ellen Paltiel: General Litigation
Nathaniel P T Read: Business Litigation
Bonnie J Roe: Securities & Corporate Finance
Stephen M Sinaiko: Business Litigation
C Evan Stewart: Securities Litigation
Daniel H Tabak: Business Litigation
Scott D Thomson: Business Litigation
Alexandra Wald: Business Litigation
Ronald F Wick: Antitrust Litigation
Rising Stars
Luke Appling: Civil Litigation
Sharon L Barbour: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Drew S Dean: General Litigation
William Kalema: Business Litigation
Sri Kuehnlenz: Civil Litigation
Winnifred A Lewis: Securities Litigation
Marvin J Lowenthal: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Barbara K Luse: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Matthew V Povolny: Business Litigation
Benjamin Zhu: Criminal Defense: White Collar
Coverage of Cohen & Gresser's new Paris office has been featured in the following publications:
- Bloomberg News, February 7, 2014.
- The Deal, February 7, 2014
- Mergers & Acquisitions, February 10, 2014.
Effective September 12, 2015, the minimum number of shareholders in a French stock corporation (société anonyme or SA) has been reduced from seven to two. This modification is only applicable to privately held SAs, publicly traded SAs still being subject to the seven shareholder obligation. Read more
Johannes Jonas participated in a panel at a conference in Paris organized by Business France about business opportunities for French companies in the United States. The panel, entitled "How to Approach the U.S. Market," discussed business and legal considerations/implications when starting or developing a business in the United States.