What Bersay does

Bersay is an independent French business law firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Paris (31 avenue Hoche, 75008), with approximately 50 lawyers and a Tel Aviv office opened in 2008. The firm is structured as a SELAS (Société d'Exercice Libéral par Actions Simplifiée) and is partner-controlled, with Jérôme Bersay serving as Président. Bersay delivers advisory and litigation services across 14 practice areas: M&A, Private Equity, Banking & Finance, Restructuring (Distressed Companies), Fund Structuring, Litigation and Arbitration, Tax Law, Labour and Employment Law, IT/IP/Data Protection, Public Law, Economic Law, Real Estate and Construction Law, Fintech, and CSR/ESG.

The firm primarily serves large French and international corporate groups (PME/ETI), investment funds and financial investors, and public entities. Visible enterprise clients include Warner Bros. Discovery France, Société du Grand Paris, TotalEnergies, Suez, METabolic EXplorer (METEX), Chemical Computing Group, and Linkbynet. Revenue is generated through professional service fees structured as quote-based, engagement-by-engagement mandates for advisory work and representation fees for litigation and arbitration. International coverage is delivered through eight foreign desks (Tel Aviv, Japan, USA, Germany, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Africa-Middle East) and a curated network of partner law firms for cross-border mandates, rather than through full international office buildout.

Bersay was the first French law firm to obtain ISO 9001 certification (1998), maintains balanced partner governance with equal gender representation (7 men, 7 women), and is regularly ranked in Chambers Europe, Legal 500 EMEA, Who's Who Legal, and Décideurs Magazine. The firm's recent activity (2023-2026) is concentrated on lateral partner hiring and the creation of new practice lines — Fund Structuring, expanded Restructuring, and M&A reinforcement — indicating a partner-led growth strategy rather than a scale-driven one.

Name

Bersay

Legal name

SELAS Bersay

Website

https://bersay.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bersay is a Paris-based independent business law firm with approximately 50 lawyers offering advisory and litigation services across 14 practice areas, serving French and international corporations, investment funds, and public entities via direct engagement and an eight-desk international network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Law Services

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB), Financial Crime, AML/CFT & Sanctions Compliance (BPAHAFAE)

Keywords

• Business law advisory
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Corporate litigation services
• Private equity legal
• Regulatory compliance law

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Professional services revenue generated through legal advisory and representation services to corporate clients for transactions, litigation, and regulatory matters.
2. Litigation and Arbitration: Legal representation fees for dispute resolution before French and international courts and arbitral tribunals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bersay is a French business law firm offering comprehensive legal advisory and litigation services across 14 practice areas including M&A, Private Equity, Banking & Finance, Restructuring, Fund Structuring, Litigation & Arbitration, Tax, Employment, IT/IP/Data Protection, Public Law, Economic Law, Real Estate, Fintech, and CSR/ESG. The firm serves corporate groups, investment funds, public entities, and entrepreneurs through approximately 50 bilingual lawyers, with delivery via partner-led teams from Paris and Tel Aviv supported by foreign desks and partner law firm networks.

Product overview

Bersay is a French business law firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services organized as distinct practice areas. The firm provides M&A, Private Equity, Banking & Finance, Restructuring, Fund Structuring, Litigation and Arbitration, Tax Law, Labour and Employment Law, IT/IP and Data Protection, Public Law, Economic Law, Real Estate and Construction Law, Fintech, and CSR/ESG advisory services. These practice areas operate as specialized service lines that collectively address all legal needs of businesses in advisory and litigation contexts, both nationally and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) Corporate M&A advisory covering acquisitions, divestitures, partnerships, joint ventures, and restructurings with pragmatic management for investment funds, industrial groups, institutional bodies, and business leaders. The team comprises experienced lawyers with deep knowledge of market players.
• Private Equity Full-service private equity support including venture capital, growth capital, LBO, MBO, MBI transactions, and fund structuring advice for French and international private equity investors across sectors.
• Banking & Finance Financing transactions advisory covering acquisition finance, corporate finance, equity bridge financing, and debt restructuring for financial institutions, banks, debt funds, and large corporates.
• Restructuring (Distressed Companies) Legal advice for debtors, creditors, investors, and directors on preventive proceedings, collective insolvency proceedings, and debt restructuring of distressed companies at national and international level, in both amicable and judicial contexts.
• Fund Structuring Expertise in structuring French and Luxembourg private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and debt funds, co-investment funds, funds of funds, and dedicated funds, including approval of portfolio management companies. Led by Partner Stéphanie Alexandrino.
• Litigation and Arbitration Resolution of legal disputes for French and foreign companies at all stages, including pre-litigation and litigation before French and European courts, arbitration, mediation, and corporate criminal law. Recognized with Band 2 Chambers & Partners 2024 ranking.
• Tax Law Corporate and individual tax strategy, tax structuring for transactions, estate planning, tax litigation, transfer pricing, and international taxation advice for companies and private clients, with representation in dealings with the tax administration.
• Labour and Employment Law Employment law support including individual and collective relations, criminal employment law, crisis management, and assistance for companies undergoing transformation or restructuring. Recognized for expertise in individual risk litigation, criminal labour law, and social management of M&A.
• IT, IP and Data Protection Legal expertise in information technology, internet, e-commerce, data protection (GDPR compliance), intellectual property, telecommunications law, media, AI and digital transformation, gaming, NFT, and metaverse.
• Public Law Advice for local authorities and public entities on public contracts, telecommunications regulation, general administrative law, public structures, public domain land, economic regulations, state aid, and administrative litigation. Recognized as 'Excellent' in Market Regulatory by Décideurs 2023.
• Economic Law Competition, distribution, commercial and consumer contracts advisory including anti-competitive practices, merger controls, commercial agreements, franchise, and consumer law.
• Real Estate and Construction Law Real estate investment, financing, lease drafting, acquisition and sale of properties, construction contracts, asset management, and urban planning litigation. Recognized in Décideurs 2025 Guide Immobilier.
• Fintech Specialized legal support for blockchain, compliance, payment services, and crowdfunding in the fintech sector.
• Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSR/ESG) ESG and CSR advisory including CSR audits, investor compliance, compliance mapping, liability prevention, human rights due diligence, and sustainable investment support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked Band 2 in Chambers & Partners 2024 Litigation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Partner Law Firms WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBersay has formed close relationships with first-rate law firms around the world to serve clients on cross-border transactions. These firms were chosen for their expertise, reputation, and adherence to common values including responsiveness, efficiency, team spirit, and tenacity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bredin Prat: Premier French independent business law firm, larger and more deeply resourced, leading many of the same M&A, litigation, and competition mandates. Sets the upper benchmark for French independent business-law competition.
• Gide Loyrette Nouel: Major French business law firm with strong international network and M&A, finance, dispute resolution, and restructuring practices. Larger competitor for cross-border mandates where Bersay relies on partner firms.
• Norton Rose Fulbright: International firm with Paris capability across banking & finance, M&A, restructuring, and disputes. Competes for the same French and international mid-cap and large-cap mandates.
• Allen & Overy (A&O Shearman): Magic Circle–scale international firm with substantial Paris presence; competes for the larger end of the same French and cross-border M&A, banking & finance, and restructuring deals Bersay targets.
• DLA Piper: Global law firm with a large Paris office competing for the same French and cross-border M&A, finance, and restructuring mandates, but operating with vastly greater headcount and cross-border reach.
• Hogan Lovells: Global law firm with Paris office active in M&A, finance, restructuring, and regulated sectors (telecom, energy). Competes for cross-border mandates originating from French corporates and PE sponsors.

Direct peers

• Vaughan Avocats: Paris-based independent business law firm of similar size covering M&A, private equity, employment, IP, and restructuring. Direct competitor for French mid-cap corporate advisory work.
• August Debouzy: Paris-based independent business law firm of comparable size and full-service coverage (M&A, public law, restructuring, employment, IP). Same French mid-cap and PE client profile, competing head-to-head for similar mandates.
• Jeantet: Independent French business law firm of similar headcount with full-service practice areas (M&A, restructuring, IP, employment). Direct competitor for French mid-cap corporate and PE mandates with comparable international-desk model.
• Reinhart Marville Torre: Smaller French independent business law firm focused on M&A, private equity, restructuring, and employment. Closest headcount peer; competes for the same French mid-cap corporate and fund mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bersay
• Xx.com/Bersay_Associes

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bersay