CARNO Avocats

What CARNO Avocats does

CARNO Avocats is a French business law firm headquartered in Rouen with a secondary office in Évreux, operating across the Normandy region and serving clients throughout France. Founded in 2020 (some sources cite 2021) by Karine Heudron and Jérôme Dereux, the firm offers advisory and litigation services across six core practice areas: business law (droit des affaires), corporate law (droit des sociétés), tax law (droit fiscal), road traffic law (droit routier), criminal law (droit pénal), and employment law (droit social), plus postulation before Norman courts. The firm pairs a traditional lawyer profile with a business lawyer specialization to support corporate decision-making, with positioning around crisis management, M&A, and business restructuring.

The firm's professional services are delivered through a team of 23 people — two founding partners, eight collaborating lawyers, three jurists, and nine assistants — supported by academic roles at the University of Rouen, NEOMA Business School, CEPIC, and CCI. It also offers outsourced legal direction (Direction Juridique Externalisée) and social audits (Audit Social) as recurring-revenue add-ons for SME clients.

The firm's revenue model is professional-services based: hourly fees, fixed fees for specific matters, and retainer arrangements, with no public pricing disclosed. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, anchored on direct client consultations, regional referrals, MEDEF participation, and high-visibility sports sponsorships (Dragons de Rouen, Rouen Normandie Rugby, Evreux Volley-Ball, Le Havre Athletic Club, plus individual athletes). Growth has been driven in part by two completed mergers — SCP d'Avocats Dhalluin in January 2024 (adding tax-law depth) and SOREJ (Société Rouennaise d'Etudes Juridiques) effective January 1, 2025 (broadening the regional footprint and bench). Customer segments are diversified across companies/entrepreneurs (primary), individuals, and public entities/organizations, with no disclosed anchor-customer dependency.

Name

CARNO Avocats

Legal name

Carno Avocats

Website

https://carno-avocats.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CARNO Avocats is a Rouen- and Évreux-based French law firm offering advisory and litigation services across business, corporate, tax, road traffic, criminal, and employment law to SMEs, entrepreneurs, individuals, and public entities across Normandy and France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rouen

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Legal counsel and advisory services provided to businesses and individuals across multiple practice areas including business law, corporate law, tax law, road traffic law, criminal law, employment law, and postulation before Norman courts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CARNO Avocats is a French law firm operating from Rouen and Évreux in Normandy, providing advisory and litigation services across six specialized practice areas: business law, corporate law, tax law, road traffic law, criminal law, and employment law. The firm also offers postulation services before the Norman courts (Rouen and Évreux jurisdictions). Services are delivered directly by lawyers and jurists, with appointments typically scheduled within 24 hours, and cover both advisory and contentious matters for businesses and individuals.

Product overview

CARNO Avocats is a law firm based in Rouen and Évreux, Normandy, offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services organized into six core practice areas: business law (droit des affaires), corporate law (droit des sociétés), tax law (droit fiscal), traffic/road law (droit routier), criminal law (droit pénal), and labor law (droit social). The firm provides both advisory (conseil) and litigation (contentieux) services, with specializations in crisis management, mergers and acquisitions, and business restructuring. Additional offerings include postulation services for representation before Normandy courts, outsourced legal direction for SMEs, and social audits. The firm was formed through the association of two founding partners, Karine Heudron and Jérôme Dereux, and has grown through mergers including the SCP Dhalluin and Sorej practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conseil en Droit des Affaires

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Florian MerrienminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with paralympic table tennis champion Florian Merrien, supporting him through the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games and continuing through Paris 2024. Merrien is ranked number 3 worldwide in para table tennis. The partnership aligns with the firm's values of excellence and perseverance.
• Dragons de RouencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLongstanding partnership with the Dragons de Rouen ice hockey team, a club recognized nationally and in European competitions. Founding partner Jérôme Dereux is a former player of the Dragons, providing personal connection to the club. Partnership renewed in December 2025.
• Rouen Normandie Rugby (RNR)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-season sponsorship of Rouen Normandie Rugby (RNR), a sport that resonates with the firm's brand values. The partnership includes joint business events such as entrepreneurship workshops held with the rugby club.
• Evreux Volley-Ball (EVB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the women's professional volleyball team (Les Panthères) of Evreux. Jérôme Dereux was elected to the club's board of directors in 2021, deepening the firm's involvement. The team competes in Ligue A, France's top volleyball division.
• Le Havre Athletic Club (HAC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with HAC football club celebrating their return to Ligue 1 after 14 years of absence. The firm expresses pride in supporting the club's historic promotion, aligning with themes of excellence and perseverance.
• Écurie Besnard ParisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership in the equestrian jumping sport, supporting the Besnard Paris stable whose work and commitment merit visibility. The partnership provides visibility for the firm while serving clients who are horse owners and riders requiring legal services.
• ÉquiSeineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvolvement in the ÉquiSeine international show jumping competition held at the Rouen exhibition park. The firm participates in the event's communication team as a volunteer and sponsor.
• Open Capfinances Rouen MétropoleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProud partner of the Open Capfinances tennis tournament, now categorized as a WTA 250 event. The partnership supports excellence in sports and provides visibility among the business community.
• CitizensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Citizens organization for the firm's RSE (corporate social responsibility) commitment announced in May 2023.
• Maison des Entreprises de l'EureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with the Maison des Entreprises de l'Eure on economic difficulties of businesses, hosting joint events on business challenges and legal solutions.
• COLLTREK (Trek Elles Marchent)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport for the COLLTREK initiative under Trek Elles Marchent, a women's hiking/adventure challenge.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BDO Avocats: Mid-tier French legal practice affiliated with BDO, offering business law, tax, and social advisory to regional SMEs and mid-market clients — similar in target segment and practice mix to CARNO Avocats.
• Fidal: Largest French business law firm with a dense regional office network across France, serving SMEs, mid-market companies, and public entities — directly comparable to CARNO's regional business/corporate/tax practice and SME client base.
• Grant Thornton Société d'Avocats: French arm of Grant Thornton's legal practice, focused on corporate, tax, and employment law for mid-market and SME clients across French regions — closely comparable in service breadth and customer type.
• Baker Tilly France: French member of Baker Tilly offering legal, tax, and advisory services to SMEs and mid-market companies through a regional office model — comparable regional positioning and SME focus.
• In Extenso Avocats: French legal practice affiliated with In Extenso, providing business law, tax, and employment services to SMEs across French regions — comparable in size, regional orientation, and client profile.
• Crowe Avocats: Mid-size French legal practice within the Crowe network, offering corporate, tax, and social law services to SMEs and mid-cap firms — similar practice mix and regional French delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG Avocats (Société d'Avocats): French legal arm of KPMG, offering corporate, tax, employment, and M&A services to large corporates and mid-market firms — broader footprint and resources than CARNO but competes in the same business/tax/employment practice areas.
• August & Debouzy: Paris-headquartered French business law firm with national reach in corporate, M&A, tax, employment, and litigation — larger incumbent serving many of the same corporate transaction matters CARNO handles at a regional level.
• EY Société d'Avocats: Big 4-affiliated French law firm providing corporate, tax, employment, and litigation services — overlapping practice areas and mid-market ambitions, with significantly greater scale.
• Deloitte Société d'Avocats: French legal practice of Deloitte offering business, tax, and employment law to corporate and SME clients — broad incumbent competing for the same Normandy and national SME mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carnoavocats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CARNO Avocats