Jean-Philippe Robé is a French and New York qualified partner in the Paris office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
Mr. Robé's practice focuses on advising clients on international mergers and acquisitions, financing and other corporate transactions. Described as an 'expert in strategy' by
Paris Legal 500 and praised for his 'sharp advice' by
EMEA Legal 500, he has wide experience assisting clients in most aspects of the legal structuring of their business activities, both in France and abroad. He acts on a daily basis as outside corporate counsel for numerous French and foreign clients and accompanies French clients in connection with high profile cases in the United States.
Mr. Robé's experience encompasses the establishment of companies and joint ventures, assistance in the drafting and negotiation of shareholder agreements and advising on corporate governance matters. He helps clients in their M&A activities in a variety of contexts and industries: he assists foreign investors in their French investments, as well as numerous French investors in their foreign acquisitions of both public and private companies. His experience in this respect covers numerous jurisdictions in Europe, the Middle East, the US and Africa. His clients include companies, banks and private equity funds.
Mr. Robé’s financing practice is twofold: he routinely advises borrowers with regards to French law in connection with acquisition financing, in particular with financial assistance prohibitions and ancillary issues, and he also assists in the taking of security interests on French assets. He is particularly highly regarded for his involvement with innovative financing devices. For example, he was the designer of the first industrial LBO financed in France in a Shari’ah compliant manner.
Mr. Robé has also intervened in distressed situations, advising either companies going through a restructuring process or investors purchasing distressed assets. He recently successfully argued a case which led, for the first time, to the opening of a French Safeguard proceeding in favor of a Luxembourg holding company on the basis that its center of main interest was located at the headquarters of its French subsidiary. This important case, concerning the largest office complex in Europe, Coeur Défense, was taken to the French Supreme Court and the Versailles Court of Appeal and both handed down verdicts favorable to Mr. Robé’s clients.
The author and co-author of several books and articles, Mr. Robé has also given numerous lectures on enterprise law and corporate governance in France, the United States and Italy. He is ranked as a leading lawyer for France: Restructuring/Insolvency by both Chambers Global 2013 and Chambers Europe 2013. He is also recommended in the field of France: Insolvency by Legal 500 EMEA (2013) and was identified as a leading lawyer for representing companies undergoing restructuring and financial distress by French publication Décideurs Stratégies Finance Droit (2009 guide). His commentary on the Coeur Défense safeguard proceedings has appeared in international publications such the Wall Street Journal, Euroweek, IFLR, Capital Structure and French publications La Lettre des Juristes des Affaires, Capital Finance, Option Droit & Affaires, Cbanque, ZoneBourse and Business Immo.
In addition to his French mother tongue, Mr. Robé speaks English and Italian fluently.