Gaetan Defer

Gaëtan Defer is an Associate at the Paris office of Signature Litigation.

He first joined the firm, as an intern, in 2022 and has been permanently with the firm since 2024. Gaëtan has developed a strong practice advising and representing manufacturers in commercial, toxic tort and mass litigation, particularly within the industrial and consumer goods sectors.

Gaëtan regularly assists clients with navigating the evolving landscape of consumer goods and product-specific regulations, including compliance, risk management and defence in enforcement actions.

Prior to joining Signature Litigation permanently, Gaëtan gained valuable experience at several leading international law firms in Paris and Luxembourg, where he worked on a broad range of contentious matters including product liability, commercial litigation, international arbitration, insurance disputes and white-collar matters.

Gaëtan also brings the benefit of in-house and academic experience. He spent time working in the legal department at Renault and worked as a research assistant to Professor George A. Bermann at Columbia University, in New-York, contributing to scholarship on international investment arbitration. This combination of private practice, in-house and academic experience gives Gaëtan an all-rounded perspective and a practical, client-focused approach to litigation.

Gaëtan holds a Master 2 in Global Business Law and Governance from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Columbia University (New York) and Sciences Po Paris, which he obtained with distinction. He also holds a Master 1 in International Law and a law degree from the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas, where he was a member of the prestigious Collège de Droit. During his studies, he spent a year at McGill University’s Faculty of Law in Montreal.

Gaëtan was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2025.

Gaëtan is a native French speaker and is fluent in English.