Banking, Finance & Credit
Soulier Bunch’s team brings together experienced attorneys with deep knowledge of the banking and financial industries. Our practice spans the full range of contractual, regulatory, and litigation matters relating to banking, finance, and credit, with a client base that includes financial institutions as well as industrial, commercial, and technology companies.
Our lawyers advise lenders and borrowers at every stage of the structuring, implementation, and completion of banking, finance, and credit transactions. They support clients in negotiations and draft the full range of legal documentation, including but not limited to, in connection with the financing of acquisitions of companies, industrial and real estate assets, syndicated loans, and structured financings. They also assist with the creation and enforcement of guarantees and security interests, and advise on the restructuring of financings and bank debt of distressed companies.
In this context, we regularly assist corporate officers, company directors, and businesses in their discussions with banking partners, including in the framework of amicable or pre-insolvency proceedings (ad hoc mandate, conciliation).
With extensive experience in representing clients before French civil, commercial, and administrative courts, Soulier Bunch assists leading French and foreign banks in debt recovery proceedings and in the enforcement of security interests over movable and immovable property. We also advise French companies and local authorities exposed to complex or speculative financial instruments and crypto assets in annulment and liability proceedings against major financial institutions.
Soulier Bunch also represents clients before financial regulatory authorities, in particular the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) and the ACPR (French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority) in investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and appeals against individual decisions. Leveraging our deep expertise in financial law and sectoral regulation, we advise clients on the design and implementation of internal compliance programs, taking into account the evolving soft law issued by the AMF and the ACPR.
We advise both traditional institutions (French and foreign banks, financial institutions and credit establishments, insurance companies, investment funds and asset managers) and emerging players in the financial sector (insurtechs, fintechs, platforms, financial influencers, crypto-asset providers, etc.).
Representative Work
Advised a French listed industrial group during the negotiation of a EUR 500,000,000 credit line with a bank syndicate comprising sixteen banks and headed by Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas and Crédit Lyonnais, including the preparation of the term sheet and negotiation of the credit agreement with the banks and their counsels
Drafted and negotiated financing agreements in connection with export credit transactions involving various public and private foreign importers
Represented a French financial institution (acting as both lender and new shareholder) in the leveraged buyout of a French company. Reviewed and drafted the full set of documentation, including loan agreements, security agreements, and other legal instruments.
Handled appeals before the Paris Court of Appeals against individual sanction decisions issued by the AMF
Assisted service companies with amendments to internal policies in the context of discussions with the ACPR regarding prudential fund retention obligations applicable to online gaming operators
Represented companies in disputes against banks arising from CEO fraud and other banking litigation matters
