Expertise
Legal Advisory: Corporate (M&A, including due diligence, intra-group mergers, divestments, cross-border acquisitions, asset purchase agreements; strategic alliances); IP (R&D, licensing); Commercial (manufacturing, purchase & distribution agreements, general and special conditions of sale, terms of use & privacy policy); Regulatory: MedTech (FDA/ HIPAA), Insurance (ACPR/ CAA), Entertainment (CSA); and Litigation/ ICC arbitration (fact analysis, strategy, risk assessment, negotiation, and settlement).
Strategy: Strategic approach to negotiations of (i) collaborative agreements with US multinationals for innovative French SMEs with a firsthand understanding of US multinationals’ in-house processes ; (ii) multimillion-dollar settlements of Intellectual property litigation in multiple US and French jurisdictions; (iii) major agreements on behalf of US Fortune 100 corporation with a French state-owned corporation; (iv) deal approvals by various French and EU regulatory authorities (French Ministry of Finance, Audiovisual Council (CSA), Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (ACPR)).
Team Leader: Formation and oversight of winning ad-hoc teams for strategic cross-border projects, including financial advisors, actuaries, and auditors.
Cultural Bridging: Navigating Civil and Common Law differences and integrating an understanding of the diversity of national and corporate cultures (country-specific, industry-specific, and state v/ privately-owned companies) in the negotiation process and overall strategy.
Risk Management: Participating in risk scenario reviews; building around risk outcomes v/ risk prioritization.
Good Corporate Governance and Sustainability: emphasis on transparency, compliance with, and enforcement of GCG, CSR, and SDGs, beyond manuals.
Sales & Marketing: Analysis of competition for newcomers to the US market; responses to prospective client’s RFPs.
Training
- New York University School of Law, M.C.J., Master of Comparative Jurisprudence, 1982
- Lyon III University, LL.M., Comparative Law, summa cum laude, 1980
- Lyon III University, LL.M. Private Law, cum laude, 1979
- Lyon III University, J.D., cum laude, 1978
Bar Admission
- New York, 2003
- Licensed Legal Consultant
- Lyons, France, 1980
- Paris, France, 1994
Associations / Network
- Paris Bar – Member & Representative (Referent) of the Paris New-York Commission in New York
- New York City Bar – Member
- ABA-ILS (American Bar Association – International Law Section)
- Leadership positions on various committees, i.e., Lawyers Abroad, International Ethics, and Europe Committees
- Liaison of the ABA-ILS to the UIA (Union Internationale des Avocats), the OIF (International Organization of la Francophonie), and FABA (French American Bar Association)
- FABA (French American Bar Association) – Member
- EACC (European American Chamber of Commerce)
- Club Praxis Think Tank – Member
- APPEAL-E (Association Pour la Promotion de l’Exercice des Avocats à l’Etranger) – Founding Member in charge of the North America region
- Business France, North America – Preferred Counsel
Languages
Brigitte is fluent in French, English, and German.
Honors & Awards
Fulbright Scholar (1981-1982)
Selected Lectures and Conferences
Brigitte was the speaker and moderator at numerous conferences of the ABA International Law Section, NYCBA, and NYSBA, and a Lecturer at NYU School of Law at LLM Programs on the International Practice of Law.
“The Greening of Wall Street: A Path Towards Sustainable and Resilient Recovery”, ABA International Law Section, Virtual Annual Meeting, April 16, 2021.
“Strategic Alliances and JVs v/ M&A, A New Trend in International Expansion. Why Are Corporations and Investors Increasingly Moving Away from The Traditional Acquisition/Divestment Model and Using Joint Ventures (JVs) And Strategic Business Alliances To Achieve Their Business Development Objectives?” ABA Section of International Law, Spring Meeting, New York, April 25-28, 2017.
“The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – Free Mobility of Lawyers, the Issues of Reciprocity of Access to the Legal Profession and Foreign Legal Consultant Status (FLC) Offered to U.S. Attorneys in the European Legal Market”, ABA Section of International Law, Spring Meeting, New York, April 12-16, 2016.
“Promoting The Diversity of Legal Cultures and Bridging the Gaps Between Continental Law and Common Law (And Traditional Law)”, ABA Section of International Law, Fall Meeting, Montreal QC, October 22-23, 2015.
“Diversity and Presence of Francophone Judges in International Courts.” NYCBA, March 5, 2015
“Financing Of the Energy Mix in A Changing World”, ABA Section of International Law, Spring Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 27-May 2, 2015.
“Privacy and Data Protection – Business and Social Media”, NYCBA, January 29, 2015; ABA Section of International Law, Fall Meeting, Buenos Aires, October 21-25, 2014.
“The Essentials for Pharma, Biotech, And MedTech Companies on How to Expand into The U.S. Market, UBISTART (UBI Synergistic Transfer for Advanced Research Technologies) TOUR 2014, a cooperation between Ubifrance and The Galien Foundation, Ubifrance, New York, July 11, 2014.
“The Attorney-Client Privilege v. The Professional Secrecy Concept in Continental Europe”, ABA Section of International Law, Spring Meeting, New York, April 2-5, 2014.
“What Are the Key Issues When Drafting An International Contract”, International Section of the NYSBA, Paris Regional Meeting, March 6-7, 2014
“Confidentiality in All Its States”, a two-panel conference on (i) Privacy and Data Protection – Business and Social Media, (ii) Attorney-client Privilege v/ Professional Secrecy, in cooperation with the Paris Bar, New York City Bar, May 9, 2013.
“Focus – Amérique Du Nord: Doing Business in America, The Do’s And Don’ts on how to Expand into the U.S. Market”; Rencontres Internationales du Numérique, Paris, Ubifrance, Oct.23-24, 2013.
“Global Versus Cross-border Issues in the Aftermath of Enron and Parmalat – An Overview of Some of the Evolution of Global v. Cross-border Issues in Expanding International Operations Between the U.S. and Europe, and Within the E.U.”, International Corporate Practice Conference, sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute (PLI), the ABA Section of International Law and the Asian Bar Association, the Penn Club, Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 2008.
“Business Bankruptcies in a Global Economy: Competing and Conflicting Issues for the U.S. and Europe”, ABA Section of International Law Fall Meeting, Brussels, Belgium, 2005; New York Inn of Court, 2005; American Corporate Counsel Association, Greater New York Chapter, 2006.
Selected publications
Proposition 16: Réforme Du Droit De La Faillite – cent milliards d’économies en faveur des entreprises – indicateurs clés, leviers de réforme et objectifs chiffres, 18 propositions, Club Praxis, New York, 24 novembre 2013.
Rapport sur la Titrisation et le Financement des ETI et Larges PME, RTDF No. 1/2 – 2015, juin 2015, page 67.