Experience

Product Liability

Consumer Law/Misleading Commercial Practices

• Representing an online service provider in relation to a claim filed by former user which alleges that its bankruptcy would be caused by a change in an algorithm.
• Representing a US electronic products manufacturer in relation to two French regulatory investigations into alleged misleading commercial practices.
• Representing a US electronic products manufacturer in relation to consumers claims filed in France on alleged breach of contract, warranty of hidden defects, legal warranty of conformity, product defects.
• Representing a leading mobile technology company in relation to an investigation by ANFR (French National Frequency Agency) concerning compliance with frequency regulations, threat of recall in France and Europe-wide and related consumer management issues. We have also represented the same client in relation to investigations by DGCCRF (French Market Surveillance Authority) and other consumer related government authorities in relation to allegations of planned obsolescence in relation to some of its product upgrades and statements regarding water-resistant qualities of its products.

ESG/Compliance

• Representing a US electronic product manufacturer in relation to allegations of using conflict minerals as raw material for the manufacturing of its products; advising the client on their obligations under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, French law on the corporate duty of vigilance, potential civil and criminal liability.

Industrial Risk

• Representing a US electric equipment manufacturer in relation to a court-ordered investigation, in addition to an investigation by the BEA (a French government agency authorized to investigate accidents posing significant industrial risk), following a fire at a major European data centre causing significant disruption to online services
• Representing a European manufacturer or industrial gasses in a EUR 20m dispute with a multinational corporation arising out of a supply of goods contracts. The case concerns the cause of a disruption in the supply chain, which requires expert evidence, and its categorisation under the contract.

Life Science/Litigation

• Representing a vaccine manufacturer in relation to claims filed by patients concerning alleged side effects from the vaccine and/or claims by individuals who have refused to be vaccinated requesting additional data about the vaccine.

Toxic Tort

Toxic Tort/Asbestos Damage

• Representing leading manufacturers and large industrial groups in relation to more than 600 separate claims in different courts in France filed by former employees claiming to have developed asbestos-related diseases.
• Representing a Swiss/US car equipment manufacturer in relation to asbestos-related litigationin France.

Toxic Tort/Asbestos Anxiety

• Representing leading manufacturers and large industrial groups in relation to more than 10,000 separate claims in more than 10 different courts in France filed by individuals on the grounds of their anxiety to develop an asbestos-related disease in the future (“fear of cancer” cases)

Toxic Tort/Chemicals

• Representing a US consumer product manufacturer in relation to claims filed by French employees of its French subsidiary on the grounds of exposure to chemical substances.