Sophie-Jeanne Laroche
Special European Counsel, Litigation
Sophie-Jeanne Laroche is special European counsel in the Litigation Department.
She represents French and foreign clients before national courts in a wide range of complex financial, commercial and corporate litigation (in particular shareholder’s and post-acquisition disputes) often in an international context.
She provides strategic advice in pre-litigation or litigation phases for companies handling complex crisis and sensitive disputes.
Sophie-Jeanne advises her clients on prevention and anticipation conflicts and is actively involved in the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as mediation.
In the previous editions of Legal 500 EMEA, clients noted that : “Working with Sophie-Jeanne Laroche is a joy: she knows how take the drama out of a dispute, clearly explain the issues, and, as she pleads herself in court, she has excellent knowledge of the judges at the Commercial Court; as a result, she knows how to write strong and well-founded conclusions on the one hand, and prepare the salient points of a pleading that will mark on the other hand. She is exceptionally available and works sufficiently in advance for all questions to be addressed calmly." and that "Sophie-Jeanne Laroche has an attention and a reflection of rare efficiency. Immediate adaptation to hazards and immediate intervention." Clients also noted that "she is an extremely competent lawyer with whom it is very pleasant to work.”
Sophie-Jeanne Laroche has been ranked by Legal 500 EMEA 2024 as “Rising Star” for Dispute Resolution – Commercial Litigation, a client noted that "Sophie-Jeanne Laroche: her intellectual power guarantees a creativity rare among lawyers, but a creativity which is always at the service of efficiency. She wonderfully combines the scientific demands of reasoning and tactical thinking in the management of litigation." Sophie-Jeanne has also been recognized again by Best Lawyers in 2024 for Litigation.
She has been lecturer on civil law at Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne.
Experience
SJL has recently advised a large number of companies in the context of post-M&A and shareholders’ disputes:
- Arkema in a class action initiated by over 250 employees and their unions in the context of the sale of KemOne;
- an investment fund in a dispute related to the exercise of a call option;
- an investment fund in a dispute relating to the application and interpretation of a shareholders’ agreement and the implementation of reciprocal put and call options;
- a pharmaceutical company in a dispute related to the enforcement of a call option;
- a company and its majority shareholder in a dispute relating to the exit of certain minority shareholders as a result of a share capital increase followed by a share capital reduction (coup d’accordéon);
- several companies in disputes related to the dismissal of key managers;
- a French financial institution in a dispute concerning an alleged abuse of majority .
SJL has also recently advised companies in the context of commercial disputes:
- key managers of an energy company in an unfair competition dispute;
- a leading media and advertising company and its founders in an unfair competition dispute;
- an investment fund in a dispute related to a non-compete agreement;
- a leading transport company in a dispute related to the execution of a key strategic commercial agreement;
- a Michelin star Chef in relation to the execution of a commercial agreement.
SJL has also advised companies in the context of cross-border disputes:
- a company specialized in translation solutions in a dispute relating to an international letter of credit involving French and Korean companies;
- a company in the context of several disputes initiated in France and in Poland related to the execution of commercial agreements and to the recognition of foreign judgements;
- a company in a dispute concerning the non-enforceability of a foreign judgment contrary to French public order.
Credentials
Education
Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne, DEA Droit des affaires et de l’économie, 2005 Université Paris II - Panthéon-Assas, DEA Droit Privé Général, 2004