Corporate

Nous assistons nos clients sur de nombreux aspects du droit des affaires, notamment lors de fusions-acquisitions, d’opérations de private equity, de financement par le capital-risque, de formation de fonds, ainsi que sur des sujets de gouvernance d’entreprise et de droit boursier.

Nos avocats représentent des entreprises publiques, des entreprises privées à différents stades de leur développement, des fonds de capital-risque et de private equity, des hedge funds ainsi que des banques d’investissements.  Nos clients sont notamment présents dans les secteurs des services financiers, des technologies (matériels, logiciels, et services informatiques), des « life sciences » (produits pharmaceutiques, dispositifs médicaux, biotechnologie et santé), de l’énergie, des produits de consommation, de la construction, de l’industrie, de l’immobilier et de la restauration.

Nous servons également de directeur juridique externe à de nombreuses entreprises privées et conseillons régulièrement une clientèle publique ou privée sur des questions de rémunération ou relatives à l’emploi.

Key Contact

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Cohen & Gresser advised Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, on its secondary buyout of Stowe Family Law, the largest specialist family law firm in the United Kingdom, from private equity firm Livingbridge. Cohen & Gresser acted as deal counsel to its client Investcorp. The Cohen & Gresser team was led by Daniel H. Mathias, and included Tom Shortland and James Mossetto. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Read Investcorp’s press release here.

Best Lawyers in America recognizes 12 Cohen & Gresser attorneys in its newly-published guide. The prestigious publication—now in its 31st edition—evaluates and selects lawyers through an extensive peer-review process, ensuring that the recognition reflects the consensus of top legal professionals regarding the expertise and abilities of their colleagues within the same geographic and practice areas.

Five C&G attorneys are recognized by their peers as “Best Lawyers” in their respective practice areas:

Seven C&G attorneys are recognized as “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in their respective practice areas:

Five of our Paris-based lawyers have been recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in France.

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.

International law firm Cohen & Gresser announced today that France Portmann Loy has joined the firm as a partner in its Paris Corporate practice, together with two associates, Pauline Thuet and Eleonore Messina. This strategic expansion reaffirms Cohen & Gresser’s commitment to delivering unparalleled legal expertise and further solidifies its position as a leading player in the corporate landscape.

France advises on a full range of corporate matters, with expertise in venture capital. She advises her clients — founders of SMEs, ETIs and start-ups, family groups, and family offices — on their growth and transformation operations (growth and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions), as well as on their internal reorganization issues. Her clients are primarily technology and impact companies, which gives her a deep knowledge of these businesses, their way of functioning, their values, and their challenges. She recently advised the majority shareholder family on the sale of control of Biose Industrie to Bpifrance and L-Gam, and advised Intact Regenerative on a major industrial investment.

“My arrival is the outcome of a fruitful meeting with partners who are a perfect match for me, both in terms of the skills we bring to the table and the structure of the firm,” said France. “The firm’s agility and international footprint is key for my clients and the support they need for their projects.”

France’s deep experience strengthens the firm’s ability to support French and international clients in mergers and acquisitions, equity financing, expansion capital, and early-stage deals. For cross-border transactions, the Paris office works closely with the New York, Washington, D.C., and London offices. Most recently, Cohen & Gresser’s Paris team was involved in the sale of La Tribune to CMA CGM and the sale of part of the Atalian group’s activities to CD&R.

France’s background contributes to the collective strength of the Paris team and seamlessly integrates with the experience of other partners in the office: Johannes Jonas, who specializes in transactional work; Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, who specializes in financial markets and financial services, both in advisory and litigation work; Angéline Duffour, who specializes in employment law; and Franck Le Mentec, who specializes in tax law.

“We are delighted to welcome France and her team, with whom we share a similar vision of the legal profession, blending technical expertise, market knowledge, and values. Their arrival fits in perfectly with the firm’s growth strategy and complements the strengths and experience of other members of the Paris team,” said Johannes Jonas, Managing Partner of the Paris office.

About France Portmann Loy

France started her career at Linklaters in 2000 before joining Debevoise & Plimpton in 2005. In 2010, she set up her own firm, FPL Avocats, and joined Rossi Bordes & Associés as a partner in 2018. In January 2024, she became a partner in the Corporate department of Cohen & Gresser, which she joined with two associates.

She holds a Master’s degree in Litigation, Arbitration, and ADR from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas and an LLM in Commercial Law from the University of Bristol. She has been a member of the Paris Bar since 2001.

About the Team

Pauline Thuet holds a Master’s degree in Private Litigation Management from the Université Côte d’Azur and has been a member of the Paris Bar since 2017. She started her career at Rossi Bordes & Associés and joined Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office in January 2024 as a senior associate.

Eleonore Messina graduated in business law from the Universities of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and Paris II Panthéon-Assas, and holds Master’s degrees in business taxation from Inseec and in M&A from Paris Saclay. After gaining experience with firms such as Grant Thornton and Rossi Bordes & Associés, she joined Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office as an associate in January 2024.

Press Coverage

France Portmann-Loy rejoint Cohen & Gresser avec son équipe, La Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires (Feb. 2, 2024)

Cohen & Gresser Adds Venture Capital Team in Paris, Law.com International (Feb. 2, 2024)

Press Contacts

France: Amélie Lerosier, amelie@blue-wall.com, +33 06 63 58 34 62; Juliette Rohmer, juliette@blue-wall.com, + 33 07 60 21 20 34

United States: Angela Turturro-Sabella, aturturro@cohengresser.com, +1 212 957 7600

 

Cohen & Gresser advised Procuritas, a mid-market private equity firm with the longest track record in the Nordics, and its portfolio company Nature Planet, in its cross-border acquisition of American company Phillips International, known under the brand name Cool Jewels. Cool Jewels is a leading sustainability-focused provider of jewelry for the attractions industry in the United States.

Nature Planet was founded with a clear focus on building strong long-term relationships with its customers in the attractions industry, particularly focused on the zoo and aquarium segment. Today the company supplies more than 5,000 customers in Europe and the United States. The acquisition of Phillips International adds jewelry as a new product category, making Nature Planet a one-stop-shop for the attractions industry.

Cohen & Gresser served as counsel to our client Procuritas and its portfolio company Nature Planet on all aspects of the transaction. The Cohen & Gresser team was led by Daniel H. Mathias and Robert Gavigan, with assistance from associates Myia Williams and James Mossetto. C&G partners Karen Bromberg (Employment and Intellectual Property), Bonnie Roe (Corporate) and Nicholas J. Kaiser (Tax) provided additional deal support. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Best Lawyers in America recognized 14 Cohen & Gresser lawyers in its newly-published 2024 guide. The publication—now in its 30th edition—evaluates and selects lawyers based entirely on peer review. The survey process is “designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.”

Six C&G attorneys are recognized by their peers as “Best Lawyers” in their practice areas:

Eight attorneys are recognized as “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in their practice areas:

Cohen & Gresser partners Jeffrey M BronheimJohn W Gibson, and Richard Kovalevsky KC have once again been recognized among the top lawyers for high net worth (HNW) individuals by Spear’s Wealth Management in their 2023 Legal Index, which identifies the top legal counsel for private clients in the UK.

Jeff Bronheim is featured as a “Top Recommended” lawyer for corporate law and litigation and dispute resolution. Spear’s notes that Jeff is “highly recommended” in wealth management and is an “eminent and personable partner.” Jeff is a partner in Cohen & Gresser’s London office and has over 30 years of experience assisting funds, companies, HNW individuals, and family offices with complex legal and business issues.

John Gibson, head of Cohen & Gresser’s UK White Collar and Investigations Practice, is featured as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer in the 2023 index. He is commended by Spear’s for his “particular expertise with UK/US cooperation in economic crime investigation” and experience working with the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. With almost three decades of litigation and advisory experience, including five years as a senior prosecutor in the bribery and corruption unit of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), John’s practice at Cohen & Gresser focuses on complex economic crime, investigations, and regulatory matters in the UK, Europe and emerging markets.

Richard Kovalevsky KC has maintained his long-standing status as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer in the Spear’s index. Richard is the head of the Criminal Defense Practice for Cohen & Gresser’s London office, specializing in advising and representing HNW individuals in connection with international and domestic legal matters. Spear’s states, “What’s noteworthy is the wide range of cases that come across Kovalevsky’s desk – from cases involving business, finance, stock market dealings, listings and announcements, to corruption, tax, fraud and money laundering.” The index similarly praises Richard for his wide-ranging client base, which includes global business leaders and high-profile politicians to HNW individuals and members of prominent families.

From Cohen & Gresser’s London office, Jeff, John, and Richard and their UK colleagues work closely with attorneys in Cohen & Gresser’s U.S. and Paris offices on complex multi-jurisdictional matters and offer a multi-disciplinary practice tailored to the needs of ultra-high and high-net-worth individuals and family offices. Leveraging decades of experience, including at premier investment houses, the Bar, and the top tier of elite global law firms, Cohen & Gresser delivers consistent, high-quality service across the types of matters our clients are likely to face, including fund investing and structure, strategic transactions, art law and restitution, privacy and data security, employment matters, tax issues, regulatory considerations, commercial disputes, reputation management, and, when necessary, defense against litigation, investigation, and prosecution.

City A.M. recently featured the insights of Jeffrey Bronheim, head of the Cohen & Gresser’s London office, on the benefits of sharing expertise gained across government and law practice sectors. He writes: “The government should be proud that the people they attract and the training and experience they get are highly prized by other organisations. It is time the UK adopted the US's attitude to the 'revolving door' and welcomed it as an entirely good thing for both the public and private sectors." 

With 3.2 million unique visitors each month, City A.M. is London’s most-read financial and business newspaper, covering the latest economic, political and business news as well as other features.

Cohen & Gresser advised Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and its subsidiary Deutsche Aircraft Holdings (DAH) as lead counsel in connection with an important minority equity investment in DAH. The investment comes from a joint venture formed between OHB SE, a leading European space technology corporation, and AFK Enterprise AG, a Swiss-based family office, and will propel the development of new green aviation technologies including the D328eco®, an environmentally friendly version of the acclaimed Do328 short-haul passenger aircraft manufactured by Deutsche Aircraft GmbH. With new propulsion systems, latest-generation avionics and more seats, the D328eco is anticipated to set new standards for environmentally friendly short-haul flying.

The equity stake in DAH is subject to approval from the German Government which is currently supporting development of the D328eco with a high-volume development cost loan which, supports development of clean aviation initiatives at Deutsche Aircraft. The transaction is anticipated to close during the first quarter of 2023 following regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

The Cohen & Gresser team was led by Jeffrey M. Bronheim and Daniel H. Mathias, with assistance from C&G associates James Mossetto and Georgia Moorhouse.

Cohen & Gresser’s Paris office has earned six practice rankings and 13 individual rankings in the 2022 Leaders League guide. Leaders League highlights the firm’s “experienced lawyers” and ability to handle complex, cross-border matters.

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.

On August 25, 2022, the SEC adopted new pay-for-performance rules requiring public companies to disclose executive pay compared to company performance.

  • While the basic idea behind these rules may seem straightforward, the new rules have the potential to pose a host of new challenges for public companies.
  • Notably, the new rules have the potential to change how a company is seen by altering how its compensation is measured in ways that are not easy to predict.
  • Companies will need to comply with the new rules in the upcoming proxy season and should begin reviewing the new requirements and analyzing how their executive compensation will be viewed under the new rules as soon as possible.

In this client alert, Bonnie J Roe breaks down the SEC’s new disclosure rules, analyzes their potential impact on public companies, and offers insight into how companies can mitigate any potential risks posed by the “pay-for-performance” rules.

In an article for Option Finance entitled “Whistleblowers: watch out for abuses”, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon explains how the new whistleblower reform can be seen as an opportunity for the financial sector.

Three Mayfair-based lawyers from Cohen & Gresser—Jeffrey M Bronheim, John W Gibson, and Richard Kovalevsky KC—have once again been recognized among the top corporate and criminal lawyers for high-net-worth (HNW) individuals by Spear’s Wealth Management in their 2022 Legal Index. The Spear’s Legal Index identifies the top legal counsel for private clients in the UK.

Jeff Bronheim is featured as a “Top Recommended” corporate lawyer, with Spear’s highlighting that Bronheim is “highly recommended” in wealth management and is an “eminent and personable partner.” The guide notes that “any Mayfair financier who is thinking of branching out into new business ventures” should “give [Bronheim] a call.” Bronheim serves as the Managing Partner of Cohen & Gresser’s London office and has over 30 years of experience assisting funds, companies, HNW individuals, and family offices with complex legal and business issues.

John Gibson, head of Cohen & Gresser’s UK White Collar and Investigations Practice, is featured as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer in the 2022 index. He is commended by Spear’s for his “particular expertise with UK/US cooperation in economic crime investigation” and experience working with the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation. With almost three decades of litigation and advisory experience, including five years as a senior prosecutor in the bribery and corruption unit of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Gibson’s practice at Cohen & Gresser focuses on complex economic crime, investigations, and regulatory matters in the UK, Europe and emerging markets.

Richard Kovalevsky KC has maintained his long-standing status as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer in the Spear’s index. Kovalevsky is the head of the Criminal Defense Practice for Cohen Gresser’s London office, specializing in advising and representing HNW individuals in connection with international and domestic legal matters. Spear’s states, “What’s noteworthy is the wide range of cases that come across Kovalevsky’s desk – from cases involving business, finance, stock market dealings, listings and announcements, to corruption, tax, fraud and money laundering.” The index similarly praises Kovalevsky for his wide-ranging client base, which includes global business leaders and high-profile politicians to HNW individuals and members of prominent families.

From Cohen & Gresser’s London office, Bronheim, Gibson, and Kovalevsky and their UK colleagues work closely with attorneys in Cohen & Gresser’s U.S. and Paris offices on complex multi-jurisdictional matters and offer a multi-disciplinary practice tailored to the needs of ultra-high and high-net-worth individuals and family offices. Leveraging decades of experience, including at premier investment houses, the Bar, and the top tier of elite global law firms, Cohen & Gresser delivers consistent, high-quality service across the types of matters our clients are likely to face, including fund investing and structure, strategic transactions, art law and restitution, privacy and data security, employment matters, tax issues, regulatory considerations, commercial disputes, reputation management, and, when necessary, defense against litigation, investigation, and prosecution.

Paris Partners Johannes Jonas, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, and Loïc Henriot were recognized in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in France. Johannes was recognized for Corporate Law; Muriel for Banking and Finance Law, Financial Institutions, Mergers and Acquisition Law, and Regulatory Practice; and Loïc for Criminal Defense and Litigation.

About The Best Lawyers in France

The Best Lawyers in France were recognized by their peers in the legal industry for their professional excellence in their respective practice areas.

Mergers & Acquisitions magazine announced that its 2022 Deal of the Year is global investment firm Francisco Partners’ acquisition of Trading Screen and Imagine Software within a 14-day period in the spring of 2021. Cohen & Gresser represented Imagine Software, a global portfolio risk management technology company, in the deal.

Francisco Partners, which specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses, soon after merged the two acquired entities to create TS Imagine, a dynamic end-to-end trading and portfolio management software platform that is now used by 500 financial institutions worldwide. In awarding the “Deal of the Year” distinction, the magazine praised the deal’s formation of a “singular company poised for growth across both the buy and sell-side.”

The C&G team representing Imagine Software included Lawrence T GresserKwaku AndohKaren H BrombergBonnie J RoeNicholas J KaiserRonald F WickAlexandra K Theobald, and Drew S Dean. Learn more about the deal in Francisco Partners’ press release and C&G’s news alert.

Mergers & Acquisitions, founded in 1965, is the oldest trade brand for the dealmaker community and is where private equity professionals, strategic acquirers and advisors turn for news, analysis, data and community around deals and dealmakers.

International law firm Cohen & Gresser represented Sierra Space Corporation, a commercial space company that is building and delivering the infrastructure and systems required for the future of space travel, in its record-breaking $1.4 billion Series A financing round. The private funding round represents the largest aerospace and defense capital raise in the world in 2021 and the second-largest private capital raise of all time in the aerospace and defense sector. Leading global investors including General Atlantic, Coatue, and Moore Strategic Ventures, along with private equity funds managed by firms including Black Rock and AE Industrial Partners and various family offices, all participated in the transaction. Cohen & Gresser served as counsel to our client Sierra Space on all aspects of the transaction. “We are proud of the opportunity to assist Sierra Space in this groundbreaking transaction to support the future of space travel,” said Jeffrey M. Bronheim, lead partner on the engagement for Cohen & Gresser. The Cohen & Gresser team was led by Jeffrey M. Bronheim, Bonnie J. Roe, and Daniel H. Mathias, with assistance from associates Winnifred A Lewis and Georgia Moorhouse. C&G partners Nicholas J. Kaiser (tax), Ronald F. Wick (antitrust), and David F. Lisner (litigation) provided additional support. Read Sierra Space Corporation’s press release here.
Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that 37 of the firm's New York and Washington D.C.­based attorneys have been named to the 2021 Super Lawyers List across a wide range of practice areas. C&G co-­founder Mark S Cohen and partners Jonathan S Abernethy and Daniel H Tabak have also been named to the Super Lawyers list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partner Karen H Bromberg has been recognized as one of the top 50 women lawyers in the New York metropolitan area.

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

Daniel H Mathias spoke with S&P Global about London’s efforts to pry away listings of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) from other financial hubs by easing some of its rules.

“Timing is certainly relevant and, indeed some people in the market have questioned the UK changes coming months after the most recent U.S. listings peak,” said Mathias. “But the new rules have merit from a long-term perspective, given that SPACs will remain a capital-raising option and, prior to the amendments, the U.K. was "out of step" with other jurisdictions”, he said. The presumption of suspension and the lack of redemption option, which allows SPAC investors to exit their shareholding before an acquisition is completed, were key deterrents before the change, according to Mathias.

“As the U.S. is a huge market with lots of knowledge around SPACs, there will be a need to create a compelling story as to why these vehicles should be listed in London”, Cohen & Gresser's Mathias said.

Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that Spear’s Wealth Management has named Jeffrey M BronheimJohn W Gibson, and Richard Kovalevsky QC to its 2021 Legal Directory & Hommes d’Affaires index. The Spear’s legal index identifies the top legal counsel for private clients in the UK.

Jeff Bronheim is featured as a “Top Recommended” corporate lawyer in the 2021 index. Spear’s notes that Jeff is an “eminent and personable partner” and “comes highly recommended by a senior adviser in wealth management.” Jeff serves as the Managing Partner of Cohen & Gresser’s London office and has over 30 years of experience assisting funds, companies, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices with complex legal and business issues, including investments, regulatory considerations, disputes, and structural planning.

John Gibson is featured as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer in the 2021 index and is commended for his “expertise with UK/US cooperation in economic crime investigation.” John leads Cohen & Gresser’s UK White Collar and Investigations practice and is a former senior prosecutor at the UK’s Serious Fraud Office. He offers rare insight into the focus of UK law enforcement and financial regulation, when and how to engage with regulators and prosecutors, and how to develop and deploy the best litigation strategy for a wide range of criminal and compliance situations.

Richard Kovalevsky QC, featured consistently by Spear’s as a “Top Recommended” criminal lawyer, is once again included in the 2021 criminal lawyers and hommes d’affaires indices. Spear’s highlights “the wide range of cases that come across Kovalevsky’s desk” and notes that “his client base is similarly varied.” Richard is the head of Criminal Defense for the London office. He specializes in advising and representing high-net-worth individuals in connection with international and domestic issues and is known for his discreet tactical approach and expertise.

From Cohen & Gresser’s office in Mayfair, Jeff, John, Richard, and their UK colleagues work closely with attorneys in Cohen & Gresser’s U.S. and French offices on complex multi-jurisdictional matters and offer a multi-disciplinary practice tailored to the needs of ultra-high and high-net-worth individuals and family offices. Leveraging decades of experience, including at premier investment houses, the Bar, and the top-tier of elite global law firms, Cohen & Gresser delivers consistent, high-quality service across the types of matters our clients are likely to face, including fund investing and structure, strategic transactions, art law and restitution, privacy and data security, employment matters, tax issues, regulatory considerations, commercial disputes, reputation management, and, when necessary, defense against litigation, investigation, and prosecution.

Daniel H Mathias spoke with Law360 about the UK’s adoption of friendlier rules governing special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) – an alternative vehicle to public markets. Dan spoke about the historically low level of SPACs in the UK and noted that "it wouldn't take much for a significant increase.”

As SPACs appear to get a stronger foothold in the U.K. and Europe, Mathias said regulators appear to be taking a “wait and see” approach in terms of next steps. The FCA said it will monitor how its rules play out, observing market trends, evidence of misconduct, or other indicators to decide whether more stringent rules are needed.”

There’s a realization by everybody that SPACs are likely to stay as an option in the M&A and capital markets world,”  Mathias said. “I think all the regulators in Europe are realizing that and trying to navigate their way through that.”

Paris Partners Johannes Jonas, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Loïc Henriot, and Guillaume Seligmann were recognized in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in France. Johannes was recognized for Corporate Law; Muriel for Financial Institutions and Regulatory Practice; Loïc for Criminal Defense; and Guillaume for Information Technology Law and Privacy and Data Security Law.  Additionally, Héloïse Masson was recognized in The Best Lawyers in France: Ones to Watch. Héloïse was recognized for Privacy and Data Security Law.

About The Best Lawyers in France
The Best Lawyers in France were recognized by their peers in the legal industry for their professional excellence in their respective practice areas.

Bonnie Roe is quoted in the latest “Accounting & Compliance Alert” for Thomson Reuters about the top accounting issues that target private companies and SPACs must consider when deal-making.

Bonnie notes that the biggest issue for companies rushing to go public via SPAC (termed “De-SPACing”) is potentially having to get auditor attestation of your internal controls in your first year, depending on the status of the SPAC partner. Bonnie continues “[that] basically means that before you do the transaction you have to have started the process that would enable you to do an audit of your internal controls for the year that you were in.”

International law firm Cohen & Gresser represented One Day University, an education services provider, in its $5 million sale to CuriosityStream Inc., a leading global factual streaming service and media company. CuriosityStream announced in its release that the acquisition of One Day University “complements and enhances CuriosityStream’s offering of premium factual content and provides additional long-term revenue and promotional opportunities by connecting directly with new audiences in new formats.” One Day University offers access to more than 500 lectures from professors at more than 150 colleges and universities in the U.S., including live in-person events, live-streamed series with Q&A, digital courses, as well as a subscription to on-demand access to a library of hundreds of informative lectures. C&G’s Bonnie J Roe advised One Day University on this sale transaction. Learn more about the deal in CuriosityStream's press release.
Cohen & Gresser’s Kwaku Andoh, Adam Bramwell, and Bonnie J Roe have been selected to serve on Law360’s 2021 Editorial Advisory Boards in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Government Contracts, and Capital Markets, respectively. As board members, they will offer feedback on Law360 content and provide insights and trends to assist future coverage in their respective practice areas. This marks the third consecutive year that Bonnie and Kwaku have been named board members.
Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that its Paris office has once again been recognized in The Legal 500’s 2021 Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) guide for its work in six practice areas: Commercial Litigation, Compliance, Employment, IT and Internet, Stock Market Litigation, and Tax. These practices were identified as “providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.” Clients recognized C&G as “extremely agile and user-friendly” and highlighted the firm’s “professionalism” and “pragmatic approach” when handling their most complex matters.

Jeff Bronheim spoke with The Telegraph about the impact of remote working on employees after the pandemic and its effect on compliance culture and training. (Subscription Required)

International law firm Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that Jeffrey I Lang, David F Lisner, and Reggie Schafer have been promoted to Partner, and Sri Kuehnlenz and Daniel H Mathias have been promoted to Counsel.

Cohen & Gresser is pleased to announce that 35 of the firm's New York and Washington D.C.­based attorneys have been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers List across a wide range of practice areas. C&G co-­founder Mark S Cohen and partners Jonathan S Abernethy and Daniel H Tabak have also been named to the Super Lawyers list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partner Karen H Bromberg has been recognized as one of the top 50 women lawyers in the New York metropolitan area.
Cohen & Gresser advised private equity firm Limerston Capital in its acquisition of Forensis Group Limited and Forensic Axis Limited (trading respectively as Forensic Access and Axiom International), specialists in forensics science services and premier providers of international institutional reform and capacity building. The combined acquisition will form the basis of a new, comprehensive international criminal justice services provider. Management and founders, led by Professor Angela Gallop, will retain a significant minority shareholding as part of the transaction and will work with Limerston Capital to expand the businesses through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Johannes Jonas was featured in an article by Agefi-Dow Jones in which he discusses MAC-clauses in acquisition agreements.

Paris Partners Johannes Jonas, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Guillaume Seligmann, and Loïc Henriot were recognized in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in France. Johannes was recognized for Corporate Law; Muriel for Financial Institutions and Regulatory Practice; Guillaume for Information Technology Law and Privacy and Data Security Law; and Loïc for Criminal Defense. Lawyers named to The Best Lawyers in France were recognized by their peers in the legal industry for their professional excellence in their respective practice areas.

Jeffrey M Bronheim spoke to Bloomberg about weaknesses surrounding collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bonnie J Roe, Kwaku Andoh, and Mark Spatz have been named to Law360’s Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Cannabis Editorial Advisory Boards, respectively, and will offer their insight and expertise in their fields to best shape future coverage by Law360. This marks the second consecutive year of both Bonnie and Kwaku's board memberships. Read more about Law360’s Capital Markets Editorial Advisory Board Read more about Law360's Mergers & Acquisitions Editorial Advisory Board Read more about Law360’s Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board

Guillaume Guérin was featured in an article by Agefi-Dow Jones in which he discusses Vallourec’s (a multinational manufacturing company) contemplated share capital reduction and consolidation of shares.

Bonnie J Roe is quoted in an article by Activist Insight about whether adding activism as a risk factor in companies' annual reports is justified.

Cohen & Gresser announces the expansion of its corporate group with the appointment of Daniel H Mathias as a senior associate in the firm’s London office. Daniel has extensive experience advising on sophisticated cross-border transactions for U.S. and international clients, including private equity firms, family offices, and other alternative asset managers. He has advised investors and businesses in the health care, technology, industrial, and consumer sectors, among others.

We are pleased to announce that 33 of our New York and Washington D.C.-based C&G attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers also selected C&G co-founder Mark S Cohen and partners Jonathan S Abernethy and Daniel H Tabak to its list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partner Karen H Bromberg to its list of the top 50 women lawyers in the New York metropolitan area.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon speaks with Caroline Ruellan, President of SONJ Conseil, about the relationship between shareholder dialogue and privileged information in an interview with Forbes.

(Regards croisés entre Caroline Ruellan, Présidente de SONJ Conseil et Muriel Goldberg-Darmon.)

Johannes Jonas and Guillaume Seligmann were recognized in The Best Lawyers in France’s 2020 listing – Johannes for Corporate Law and Guillaume for Privacy and Data Security Law. Lawyers named to The Best Lawyers in France were recognized by their peers in the legal industry for their professional excellence in their respective practice areas.

Bonnie J Roe has been named to Law360’s 2019 Capital Markets Editorial Advisory Board and will offer her insight and expertise in the field to best shape future coverage of the capital markets landscape.

Kwaku Andoh is quoted in The Times’ Raconteur regarding the increasingly high-profile role of chief financial officers as dealmakers and salespersons during M&A transactions.
We are pleased to announce that thirty of our New York and Washington, D.C.-based C&G attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers also selected C&G co-founders Mark S Cohen and Lawrence T Gresser to its list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partners Karen H Bromberg and Alexandra Wald as two of its top 50 women lawyers in New York. Super Lawyers ranks outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Fewer than five percent of all lawyers in the U.S. receive this honor.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon speaks to L'Agefi regarding shareholder activism in France.

C&G has been shortlisted for the International Financial Law Review’s (IFLR) 2018 Europe Awards M&A Deal of the Year for its representation of Berendsen plc, a European textile, hygiene, and safety solutions business, in its takeover by a French laundry services group, Elis. C&G advised Berendsen on aspects of the transaction relating to the French stock market.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon speaks to Décideurs Magazine regarding activist investment funds and minority shareholders.

C&G welcomes the attorneys who joined the firm in 2017. "We’re very fortunate to have added these exceptional lawyers in New York and Paris," said Managing Partner, Lawrence T Gresser.  "We look forward to continuing to build our transactional and disputes practices in all of our offices in 2018."
Twenty-eight of our New York and Washington D.C.-based Cohen & Gresser attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers also named C&G co-founding partner Mark S Cohen to its list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partners Karen H Bromberg and Alexandra Wald to its top 50 women lawyers in New York list. Super Lawyers ranks outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Fewer than five percent of all lawyers in the U.S. receive this honor.
Dalenys, a fintech company based in France, was recently sold to Natixis for 160 million EUR. Cohen & Gresser's Paris team advised Dalenys throughout the transaction. The following French news outlets covered the story:
Kwaku Andoh joins the firm's New York office after fourteen years at JPMorgan Chase, where he served as Managing Director & Associate General Counsel, advising on over $10 billion in investments, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital transactions for all JPMorgan Chase lines of business worldwide.
Eiffel Investment Group, an alternative asset investor specializing in European credit and equities and a subsidiary of Cohen & Gresser client, the Impala Group, has reached a deal to acquire 100% of the ownership of Alto Invest, an independent asset management firm specializing in European small and mid-cap companies. Franck Le Mentec advised Impala on the tax aspects of the deal, while Angéline Duffour and Anna Milleret-Godet advised on the labor law aspects of the deal.
Cohen & Gresser announces the expansion of its White Collar Defense & Regulation team in Paris. Partner Muriel Goldberg-Darmon and Guillaume Guérin will advise 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.
Twenty-two of our New York and Washington, D.C.-based attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers also named C&G co-founding partners Mark S Cohen and Lawrence T Gresser to its list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and partner Karen H Bromberg to both its list of top 50 women lawyers and top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area.
Cohen & Gresser advises The Royal Bank of Scotland, Dexia Crédit Local, and Bouygues Energies & Services FM France in the sale of their equity and shareholder loans in French company Théia
We are pleased to announce that twenty-two of our New York-based C&G attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers ranks outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Fewer than five percent of all lawyers in New York receive this honor.
National French radio station RMC recently reached out to Paris partner Johannes Jonas, and interviewed him as part of a broadcast called “Carrément Brunet”, discussing whether France is able to attract foreign investors, and keep its young talent from moving abroad. Please click here to listen to the entire broadcast.
*Note: Broadcast is in French
We are pleased to announce that twenty-four C&G attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers this year across a wide range of practice areas. Super Lawyers also named C&G co-founding partner Mark S Cohen to its list of the top 100 lawyers in the New York metropolitan area, and C&G partner Karen H Bromberg to its list of the top 50 women lawyers in the New York metropolitan area. Super Lawyers ranks outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Fewer than five percent of all lawyers in New York receive this honor. View all rankings
So long ago that it may have slipped from memory, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted changes to the regime for reporting beneficial interests in publicly traded equity securities on Schedule 13G. The new rules, which apply only to investors eligible to report on Schedule 13G, were adopted in November 2023 and require compliance beginning on September 30, 2024.

Under revised Rule 13d-1(b)(2), an investor eligible to report on Schedule 13G must file an initial report on Schedule 13G within 45 days after the end of the first calendar quarter in which the investor becomes a beneficial owner of more than 5% of a class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Previously, such reports were due within 45 days of the end of the first calendar year in which beneficial ownership exceeded 5%. If an investor becomes the owner of more than 10% of a class in any month before the filing of the initial Schedule 13G, the initial Schedule 13G must be filed within 5 business days after the end of the month in which the 10% threshold was crossed.

Under the new rules, if an investor becomes the beneficial owner of more than 5% in the quarter ended September 30, 2024, the investor must report such interest by November 14, 2024. To cover the transition between the old and the new rules, if an interest in more than 5% was acquired in the first or second quarter of calendar year 2024, a Schedule 13G would also be due on November 14, 2024, reporting such interest as of September 30, 2024.

The rules regarding amendments have also changed. In general, material changes occurring during a calendar quarter must be reported within 45 days of the end of the calendar quarter. As was previously the case, a material change includes an increase or decrease in beneficial ownership amounting to at least 1% of the outstanding shares of the relevant class of securities. If an investor acquires more than 10% of a class, an amendment reporting such fact must be made within 5 business days after the end of the month in which the 10% threshold was crossed. Thereafter, increases or decreases of 5% or more must be reported within 5 business days of the end of the month in which they occur.

The new rules also require the use of structured data formatting in the EDGAR filing of Schedule 13G (as well as Schedule 13D). The structured data requirements do not go into effect until December 18, 2024, although early compliance is permitted. In addition, due to the accelerated filing deadlines, the SEC extended filing cut-off times for Schedules 13G (as well as Schedule 13D) from 5:30 pm EST to 10:00 pm EST.

In general terms, a passive investor may report on Schedule 13G, rather than the more rigorous Schedule 13D, if the investor is an institution described under Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii) or the investor beneficially owns less than 20% of the class of securities. Investors who acquired their shares prior to a company going public may also be eligible to report on Schedule 13G. Non-U.S. investors must report their interests on Schedule 13D or 13G in the same manner as U.S. investors.

In a private equity article published in Law360, Daniel Mathias discusses flexible and hybrid capital investment strategies, which have become a solution for business owners considering capital fundraising but whose plans may not fit into the typical private equity or private credit options. He examines the features and nuances of flexible capital investments, which potentially offer numerous benefits for some.

Dans cette chronique pour Finascope, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Guillaume Guérin, et Eleonore Messina abordent les modifications réglementaires, applicables à compter du 1er janvier 2024, étendant le champ d’application du contrôle des investissement étrangers en France.
In this article for Finascope, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Guillaume Guérin, and Eleonore Messina discuss the regulatory changes effective January 1, 2024, which extend the scope of foreign investment control in France.
In this article for Finascope, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Guillaume Guérin and Pierre Wolman discuss the reinforcement by the French Financial markets authority of its policy with respect to dilutive financing transactions. In particular, they describe the new disclosure requirements for listed companies, namely the obligation to publish a press release and a warning in the event of a dilutive financing transaction concluded with an intermediary.
In this article for Finascope, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Louise Le Guilchet, and Pierre Wolman address the complexity of the new European regulations, Taxonomie and CSRD (Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive), that strengthen the requirements for companies in terms of extra-financial reporting. They also analyze the risks litigation companies now face as a result of the new regulations.

In this newsletter for the Cercle des Administrateurs (Club for Board Members), Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the future European rules that will apply to crypto-asset service providers, as well as the regulations that will prevent and sanction market abuse involving crypto-assets. Muriel also analyzes the risk of increasing litigation in the crypto-asset sector.

In this article for Finascope, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Guillaume Guérin, and Pierre Wolman discuss how the new Control Guidelines published by the French Anticorruption Authority (AFA) clarify the sequence of the control procedure and integrate the current practices of the AFA in terms of control.

Jeffrey Bronheim and Daniel Mathias recently authored a bylined article for Private Equity International about the opportunities and considerations of growth equity. The article discusses the upward trend that’s been seen over the last decade in growth equity as a distinct asset class, exit issues, shareholder rights and protections, and more. (Subscription Required)

On February 10, 2022, the SEC adopted a proposal to make significant changes in the rules requiring investors to report their ownership of shares of U.S. publicly traded companies. As recommended by some corporate governance advocates, the SEC has proposed to shorten the deadlines for filing Schedules 13D and 13G, require that certain derivative securities be counted for purposes of calculating beneficial ownership, and change what constitutes a group for purposes of filing Schedule 13D. Not only would these proposals increase the reporting and compliance burdens for investors, but they could also change the dynamics of certain contests for control and expand the number of persons subject to the short-swing profit rules of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act.
In this bylined article for Forbes, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the French Financial Market Authority (AMF) priorities in sustainable finance for the year 2022. Muriel mentions the reinforcement of the AMF supervision regarding the information relating to sustainable finance provided by listed companies and asset management companies.

In this article for Actes Pratiques et Ingénierie Sociétaire, Muriel Goldberg-DarmonGuillaume Guérin, and Pierre Wolman summarize and explain the different steps of a SPAC from a French-law perspective. They also address the issue of public information that must be provided to the public. (Subscription required.)

In this bylined article for Forbes, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the latest trends in the SPAC market in Europe and the U.S. She also examines recent EU recommendations and potential risks regarding the disclosure of information.

On the 27th of July this year, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”) published a policy statement setting out its final rules and changes to its listing rules for certain special purpose acquisition companies, or ‘SPACs’. These follow the government’s review of the UK listing regulations led by Lord Johnathan Hill earlier in the year, discussed in Cohen & Gresser’s 7 May 2021 client alert. In its announcement accompanying the policy statement, the FCA explained that the new rules and associated guidance, which will come into force on 10 August 2021, are intended to “provide more flexibility to larger SPACs, provided they embed certain features that promote investor protection and the smooth operation of the UK’s markets.” This client alert details the key changes introduced in the FCA’s policy statement.
In this bylined article for Forbes, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the safeguard and treatment of the voting rights during shareholders' meetings. She also examines recent recommendations and sanctions handed down by the AMF and offers guidance for how companies can better protect their shareholders' voting rights moving forward.

In this C&G client alert, lawyers from our New York, London, and Paris offices discuss the evolution of SPAC investment in the U.S., UK, and French financial markets and provide an in-depth analysis of the position taken by the regulatory authority in each of these prominent financial hubs to help potential sponsors, investors, and target companies determine the right market for their needs.

In this client alert, Jeffrey M Bronheim, Daniel H Mathias, and James R Mossetto detail key documentation considerations in where conflicts of interest may potentially arise, and why this trend is likely to continue. This article was first published on the-drawdown.com (subscription required).
Following several years of negotiations and political posturing, the United Kingdom left the European Union at the end of 2020. Throughout the negotiations, two issues, in particular, proved the most complicated:  First was the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and second was the treatment and recognition of regulations in the Financial Services industry. So what’s next for Financial Services in the UK? This C&G client alert examines the phrase “Brexit means Brexit” and explores its implications to answer what’s next for Financial Services firms operating in both the UK and EU. The authors look at the requirements for both international and UK-based firms and offer guidance for potential next steps.
Can an individual with a recent regulatory history resume a role in the financial services industry, and, if so, what is the process? This client alert discusses the FIT Test (as applied both by the FCA and firms under the SMCR), explores how the FCA will approach the authorisation process in non-routine cases, and offers practical guidance for individuals seeking to have such an application approved by the FCA.

In this bylined article for Forbes, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the new Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC) trend in France and, in particular, its legal specificities and listing requirements.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon and Guillaume Guérin discuss the 2020 recommendations made by the French AMF (France’s financial markets regulator) during the pandemic regarding the handling of financial communications for publicly traded companies. In this article, Muriel and Guillaume explore the lessons that public companies can learn from such recommendations.

In this C&G client alert, Bonnie Roe and Cody Lipton discuss recent statements from the SEC that highlight the importance of “good corporate hygiene” in regulating purchases and sales of stock by the company and its officers and directors, and they analyze the impact of a changing regulatory environment on the design and implementation of 10b5-1 plans.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the protection of shareholders’ rights during general meetings held behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

Jeffrey M Bronheim, Daniel H Mathias, and James R Mossetto discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on private equity funds, noting that investor uncertainty and the need to preserve cash may drive limited partners (“LPs”) to question their obligations to fund capital calls.

Jeffrey M Bronheim, Daniel H Mathias, and James R Mossetto discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on private equity funds, noting that investor uncertainty and the need to preserve cash may drive limited partners (“LPs”) to question their obligations to fund capital calls.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the difficulties facing companies in fulfilling their continued disclosure obligations to the market, as well as the resulting risks of potential AMF sanctions.

In this C&G Client Alert, Bonnie J Roe discusses the “good faith” need determination standard for the new Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses how the outbreak of COVID-19 impacts a company’s responsibility to comply with financial communication and reporting obligations.

Bonnie J Roe discusses the key components of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), which was signed into law on March 27, 2020 with the goal of offsetting some of the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon explains the specific regime of navigating whistleblowing within the French financial sector through the internal procedures of financial institutions and external procedures of the French Financial Market Authority (AMF) and the French Banking Authority (ACPR).

In this C&G Client Alert, Bonnie J Roe and Cody Lipton discuss the SEC guidance issued on January 30, 2020 on the use of key performance metrics for public companies discussing their financial results and proposed amendments to certain financial reporting requirements.

Bonnie J Roe and Cody Lipton examine the SEC's proposed amendments to its definition of “accredited investor,” which add new categories of qualifying natural persons and entities able to participate in certain exempt offerings without specific disclosures or other limitations.

In an article for Forbes, Muriel Goldberg-Darmon discusses the benefits of a recent market reform in France that lowers the threshold for majority shareholders to implement a squeeze-out, as well as the increased protection for minority shareholders proposed by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF, the French financial markets regulator) further to this reform.

Bonnie J Roe explores how Regulation A may be the best alternative for conducting an initial coin offering in her latest article for Bloomberg Law

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon co-authors an article examining the evolving corporate and social responsibilities of activist investors.

Sharon L Barbour discusses the potential ramifications of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Cyan, Inc. v. Beaver Cty. Employees Ret. Fund in The CLS Blue Sky Blog, Columbia Law School’s publication on corporations and capital markets. The case addresses the question of whether state courts have subject matter jurisdiction over class actions under the Securities Act of 1933.
Karen H Bromberg discusses the increasingly prominent role of privacy and network security measures in decisions about potential strategic investments and acquisitions.
Delving into how exclusive forum charter and bylaw provisions limit certain types of shareholder litigation to the corporation’s jurisdiction of incorporation, this article outlines the potential to reduce or eliminate the cost and strategic difficulties of multijurisdictional challenges to corporate action.
Partner Bonnie J. Roe participated in a panel titled "Undertaking a Private Placement Transaction" at Practising Law Institute's "Private Placements and Hybrid Securities Offerings 2022" program.
C&G partner Bonnie J. Roe participated in a Strafford webinar titled “Shareholder Engagement Strategies for Public Companies: Avoiding Proxy Contests.” The panel focused on the engagement between a public company and its institutional shareholders, including discussing strategies, preparation, communication, timing, and legal requirements that management and the board must consider when engaging with shareholders.
Watch the full recording.

Africa is quickly emerging as a global leader of international sports and media content. Driven by a younger population and the wide-spread adoption of modern technologies, the African sports and entertainment sectors have reached new audiences worldwide. The growing global demand for original African content has opened up new and exciting opportunities for international investors.

On March 30, Cohen & Gresser and Altica Partners hosted an insightful discussion about two of Africa’s fast-growing sectors – Sports and Entertainment. This event was the first in C&G and Altica Partner’s “African Industry Leadership Series,” which partners with African business leaders to provide a closer look at the exciting opportunities for investors in Africa’s emerging markets through the lens of local leaders.

During the discussion, C&G’s Kwaku Andoh and Dawda Jawara interviewed Victor Williams, CEO of NBA Africa and Dayo Ogunyemi, Founder of 234 Media, about their careers and how their sectors have evolved in recent years. Victor and Dayo shared anecdotes and offer insights into some of the exciting opportunities in Africa.

Topics included:

  • Recent trends in the African Sports and Entertainment sectors
  • Why the African Sports and Entertainment sectors are attractive to investors
  • Unique insight and perspective from industry leaders Victor Williams and Dayo Ogunyemi
Muriel Goldberg-Darmon a animé le 4 mars 2021 un webinaire organisé par Euronext et le Cercle des Administrateurs sur « L’AG 2.0 : à quoi ressemblera l'Assemblée Générale de demain » avec Julien Bracq (Direction Générale du Trésor), Loïc Dessaint (Directeur Général de Proxinvest), Camille Leca (Head of Listing Euronext Paris), Astrid Milsan (Secrétaire Générale Adjointe de l'AMF), Caroline Ruellan (Présidente du Cercle des Administrateurs), Sébastien Valentin (Chief Operating Officer d’Accor). The panel discussed the future of the French Shareholders Meeting and shared the latest developments, best practices, and recommendations for publicly-listed companies moving forward. Watch the recording of the event here.  
Muriel Goldberg-Darmon a animé le webinaire organisé par Euronext et le Cercle des Administrateurs "Nouvel environnement de marché : Faut-il s’attendre à une recrudescence des opérations structurantes du capital ?" avec Camille Leca (Head of listing France Euronext), François Wat ( Associé Gérant/ Partner Rothschild & Co), Anne-Sophie d'Andlau  (Co-fondatrice, CIAM), Pierre Rohfritsch (Direction générale du Trésor) et Caroline Ruellan (Présidente du Cercle des Administrateurs). (Muriel Goldberg-Darmon led a webinar organized by Euronext and the Cercle des Administrateurs titled "The New Financial Market Environment: Should We Expect an Increase in Major Corporate Transactions?" that discussed the impact of new market conditions on the operations of listed companies, particularly concerning restructuring, equity investments, and public offers.)
Bonnie J. Roe participated in a panel titled "Undertaking a Private Placement Transaction" at Practising Law Institute's "Private Placements and Hybrid Securities Offerings 2020" program.
C Evan Stewart will chair an upcoming Practising Law Institute CLE program, titled “Ethics for Corporate Lawyers: Multijurisdictional Practice and Other Current Issues 2020,” which will analyze recent legal ethics developments, potential jurisdictional challenges, and common ethical pitfalls as they relate to corporate lawyers.
Partner Bonnie J Roe moderated a panel at this year’s ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting, entitled “Venture Exchanges:  Providing Liquidity to Small Cap Companies?” Bonnie, who also serves as the Chair of the Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities, organized the panel as well.
Partner Bonnie J Roe was featured on a panel addressing Regulation A at the “Private Placements and Hybrid Securities Offerings 2019” program hosted by the Practising Law Institute.

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon est intervenue sur le thème « Activisme actionnarial et risques d’abus de marché » lors de la conférence sur les Risques de crédits & Risques de marché, Le Mans Université.

(Muriel Goldberg-Darmon gave a presentation, titled “Shareholder Activism and Market Abuse Risks,” at Le Mans University’s Credit Risks and Financial Market Risks conference).

Muriel Goldberg-Darmon a participé à la Table Ronde sur “Quelle coopération entre les mis en cause et l’AMF ?” organisée par la Commission des sanctions de l’AMF le 3 octobre 2018. La table ronde était modérée par : Jean Gaeremynck, président de section au Conseil d’Etat, membre de la Commission des sanctions de l’AMF. Les intervenants étaients : Jean-Luc Blachon, premier vice-procureur, Parquet national financier, Sophie Bresny, chef du service des investigations de l’Autorité de la concurrence Andrew Cotterell, Head of Law, Policy & International, FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), Muriel Goldberg-Darmon Associée du cabinet  Cohen & Gresser,  Benoît de Juvigny, secrétaire général de l’AMF.

(Partner Muriel Goldberg-Darmon spoke at the AMF Enforcement Committee’s annual symposium on October 3, 2018, as the only speaker from a private law firm.  Muriel was a panelist for the second round table on “Cooperation between the respondents and the AMF during investigations or inspections and sanctions,” which was moderated by Jean Gaeremynck, State Councilor and member of the AMF Enforcement Committee.  Muriel’s fellow panelists were: Jean-Luc Blachon, First Vice-Prosecutor at the Parquet National Financier; Sophie Bresny, Head of the Inspections Unit at the Autorité de la concurrence; Andrew Cotterell, Head of Law, Policy & International at the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority); and Benoît de Juvigny, Secretary General of the AMF).

London office managing partner Jeffrey M Bronheim participated on a panel discussion entitled “New Approaches for Blending Active & Passive Investments: The Pension Perspective,” at Inside ETFs Europe on October 1, 2018. Topics of discussion included active and passive investing, particularly with respect to factor investing and the proliferation of ETFs.
Partner Bonnie J. Roe spoke on a panel titled “Going (to the) Public” at the ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting 2018 in Austin, Texas on September 14.
Muriel Goldberg-Darmon participated in the “Activists Funds: Opportunity or Threat for the Economy” roundtable at the conference on Activists Funds and Governance organized by the Paris-Dauphine University on June 26th, 2018. The panelists were:  Hubert de Vauplanne, Partner at Kramer Levin, Edouard Dubois, Vice-President at Blackrock, Philippe Leroy, President at Associés en Finance, Ahmed Guenaoui, Administrateur civil at Direction générale du Trésor,  Laurence Boisseau, Journalist at Les Echos, Colette Neuville, President at ADAM (Minority Shareholders Defence Association), Anne-Sophie d’Andlau, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CIAM,  and Muriel Goldberg-Darmon, Partner at Cohen & Gresser. The roundtable was moderated by Sophie Schiller, Professor at Paris-Dauphine. Please also find a link to the September 6, 2018 issue of the magazine, La Semaine Juridique, in which a transcription of Muriel's presentation, "Fonds activistes : opportunité ou menace pour l’économie ?" is featured on page 42.
Cohen & Gresser, in collaboration with SONJ Conseil, organized a breakfast discussion on “The rise of a constructive shareholder activism”, at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, Paris, on December 5th, 2017. The panelists were: Ahmed Guenaoui (Direction Générale du Trésor (French Treasury)), Gilles Mentré (Managing Partner, Banque Lazard), Joseph Oughourlian  (Managing Partner, Amber Capital), Caroline Ruellan (President, Sonj Conseil) and Muriel Goldberg-Darmon (Attorney at law, Partner, Cohen & Gresser). A substantial number of financial leaders were present and enriched the debate (The French stock market regulator (AMF), Euronext, AFEP, MEDEF, banks, hedge funds, public companies, etc.).
Le cabinet Cohen & Gresser, en collaboration avec SONJ Conseil, a organisé un petit-déjeuner / débat sur “L’émergence d’un activisme constructif”, le 5 décembre 2017 au Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, autour de : Ahmed Guenaoui (Direction Générale du Trésor), Gilles Mentré (Associé Gérant, Banque Lazard), Joseph Oughourlian  (Managing Partner, Amber Capital), Caroline Ruellan (Présidente, Sonj Conseil) et Muriel Goldberg-Darmon (Avocate Associée, Cohen & Gresser).

C&G partner Bonnie J. Roe participated in an ABA Business Law Section webinar titled "Current Issues in Securities Law for the Non-Securities Lawyer." This program provided the basics of what a non-securities lawyer needs to know about securities law. It aimed to demystify the laws and give enough walking-around knowledge so lawyers can determine whether a securities specialist is needed and to what extent.

Bonnie J Roe was a speaker on the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Practicing Law Institute Private Placements and Hybrid Securities Offerings panel, where she discussed her topic called "Regulation A Offerings."

Held in San Fransisco in cooperation with BusinessFrance, BPI France, and Munger, Tolles & Olsen LLP.
In this two-hour Live Webinar, a panel of distinguished professionals and thought leaders assembled by The Knowledge Group will provide the audience with an in-depth discussion of merger and acquisition activities and will help them understand the important aspects of this significant topic. Speakers will also offer best practices in developing and implementing effective M&A strategies and ensuring compliance with applicable laws.

C. Evan Stewart was chair of a Practising Law Institute CLE program, “Ethics for Corporate Lawyers: Multijurisdictional Practice and Other Current Issues 2016,” which discussed common ethical pitfalls arising out of multijurisdictional practice along with related ethical issues that corporate lawyers often face. He also addressed how jurisdictional distinctions regarding an ethics matter can prompt changes in the way counsel approaches that same matter, depending on where he or she practices.
Actionnariat salarié et épargne salariale: opportunités offertes par la loi Macron La loi du 10 juillet 2015 pour la croissance, l'activité et l'égalité des chances économiques a introduit des aménagements techniques concernant la mise en place de plans d'Attribution Gratuite d'Actions. Cette loi présente également un assouplissement des conditions d'éligibilité des sociétés aux BSPCE ("Bons de Souscription de Parts de Créateur d'Entreprise") et simplifie certaines règles relatives à l'épargne salariale. Au cours de cette Matinale, seront abordés :
  • les modifications juridiques et fiscales concernant l'émission d'actions gratuites, de BSPCE et les dispositifs d'épargne salariale (participation, intéressement et Perco)
  • les modifications apportées au traitement fiscal et social de ces dispositifs
  • les impacts de la réforme sur la situation des bénéficiaires non-résidents et des plans étrangers bénéficiant à des résidents français
  • la revue des aspects juridiques et pratiques à intégrer pour l'émission de nouveaux plans conformes aux conditions de la Loi Macron

The choice of entity in which to conduct your business is significantly affected by tax considerations.  This session provides a business and corporate law perspective on the various pass-through entities recommended for tax reasons by the preceding speakers by considering the non-tax issues in doing business as a sole proprietorship, “S” corporation, partnership or limited liability company.

C. Evan Stewart was chair of a Practising Law Institute CLE program, “Ethics for Corporate Lawyers: Multijurisdictional Practice and Other Current Issues 2015,” which discussed common ethical pitfalls arising out of multijurisdictional practice along with related ethical issues that corporate lawyers often face. He also addressed how jurisdictional distinctions regarding an ethics matter can prompt changes in the way counsel approaches that same matter, depending on where he or she practices.
Each year, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) hosts its Ethics for Corporate Counsel program, which covers ethical issues facing attorneys and other business entities. This year, C&G partner Daniel H. Tabak sat on the Current Issues & Best Practices panel.
C. Evan Stewart was a speaker at the Bloomberg BNA professional learning course.