Thomas Rouhette

Commercial Litigation

• Representing a multinational financial services group in relation to two separate complex and multi-disciplinary coverage claims against pools of leading insurers arising from class action claims filed in North America and Europe and involving the so-called IBOR and Gold Fixing investigations. The value of each claim is several hundreds of USD millions.
• Representing Foundation Saint-Louis, which hosts the assets of the former French Royal family, in defending against a claim initiated by the Comte de Paris (“Earl of Paris”) and concerning the ownership of Castle of Amboise, one of the most famous castles in France. The dispute is of immeasurable value and it received widespread media coverage.
• Representing Société Générale, a global investment bank, in the English Court defending declaratory proceedings brought by Clifford Chance following Société Générale’s EUR 500m professional negligence claim for alleged mishandling of a dispute with Turkish jewellers, Goldas Kuyumculuk Sanayi Ithalat Ihracat AS, and other companies in the same group.
• Representing a European premium television channel in a dispute valued in excess of EUR 300m concerning alleged breaches of competition law relating to allocation rights for popular entertainment programmes.
• Representing a European digital insurer in a shareholders’ dispute with a leading reinsurance company concerning business diversion and use of confidential information to gain competitive advantage. The dispute is valued at hundreds of EUR millions.
• Representing a major US company operating an online platform for short and long-term homestays in various regulatory and civil liability disputes before the French courts against individuals, companies and local authorities.
• Representing a leading sports regulator in a EUR multi-hundred million dispute with a multinational telecommunications company arising out of a sponsorship agreement in relation to major sports competitions and involving allegations of bribery and corruption.
• Advising a subsidiary of a large LATAM mining company in relation to a USD 120m claim under a “Terrorism” insurance and risk insurance policy following violent and property damaging public riots in New Caledonia.
• Representing a leading European retail group in a pioneering dispute arising out of the French Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law 2017 and initiated by a group of NGOs. The case involves allegations that the company’s overseas subsidiaries contribute to environmental risks through insufficient monitoring of its suppliers. The value of the claim exceeds EUR 70m.
• Representing a nuclear plant operator in a EUR 30m dispute with a European investment bank concerning the call of a first demand bank guarantee issued in connection with a project for building an extension to the nuclear plant.
• Assisting a French luxury goods manufacturer in disputes deriving from the breach/termination of selective distribution agreements.
• Representing a global spirits company in pre-contentious negotiations to reach a settlement agreement to resolve a dispute arising from the termination of a sponsorship contract with a major sports club.
• Representing a leading provider of offshore energy solutions in an unfair competition dispute against a competitor.
• Representing leading providers of decarbonised mobility solutions and of nuclear solutions in disputes deriving from the termination of joint-venture agreements.

Product Liability

• Representing Renault in worldwide investigations and proceedings relating to NOx diesel emissions, including international coordination and assistance, specifically, in relation to Nox Diesel Emissions Group Litigation in London, a claim of unprecedented scale in the English court, in which more than 1.6 million claimants have issued claims against car manufacturers (and others).
• Representing a US manufacturer of automotive parts in a dispute with a multinational automotive manufacturer concerning alleged defective engine parts. The dispute is worth in excess of EUR 100m.
• Representing a US manufacturer in a EUR 50m dispute over the supply of allegedly defective gas product to a French utility.
• Representing a leading French automotive manufacturer in French group civil proceedings and related investigations concerning allegations of oil issues and related alleged engine failures.

Banking and Financial Markets

• Representing an Austrian bank as the defendant in a EUR 325m dispute before the French Courts commenced by a French fund and concerning the annulment of the sale of subordinated participation capital bonds based on alleged fraud. This case involved an over 10-year court battle and was referred three times to the Court of Cassation, the highest Court in France for civil matters.

Civil Fraud, Asset Tracing and Recovery

• Representing a CIS bank in a high-profile case against the bank’s former owner in a EUR 1bn judgment enforcement proceedings involving piercing the corporate veil and attachment of numerous high-value assets located on the French Riviera and in the French West Indies.
• Representing an international group providing industrial services in pre-emptive actions to prevent the enforcement of adverse US-decisions and in the recognition and enforcement in France of English High Court judgments.
• Representing a French video-sharing platform in connection with the enforcement in France of unfavourable judgments handed down by the Italian courts and obtaining the release of several protective attachments with up to EUR 100m at stake.

Commercial Litigation – Aviation

• Representing a US aircraft manufacturer in the defence of personal injury claims arising from major aircraft accidents before the French courts. The total value of claims was hundreds of USD millions.
• Representing an international aircraft engine manufacturer in a EUR 30m dispute arising from a plane incident.

Competition law/Antitrust

• Representing a French advance materials manufacturer in a follow-on civil action arising out of a decision by the European Commission regarding participation in a cartel.