SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS

What SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS does

SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS is a Paris-based independent boutique law firm founded in 1969 by Daniel Soulez Larivière, specializing in criminal defense, aviation law, compliance and negotiated justice, and complex crisis litigation. The firm operates through a partner-associate binôme working method that pairs senior counsel with associates on every matter, supplemented by collective strategic review across the team. Service areas cover criminal defense (corporate liability, executive defense, transnational corruption), aviation (defense of authorities, manufacturers, airlines, airports, and victims), compliance and negotiated justice (DPA/CJIP work, including among the first French firms to negotiate a DPA with the US Department of Justice in 2013), and complex litigation including industrial disaster and mass-tort matters.

The firm has handled landmark cases including the Rainbow Warrior affair, AZF factory explosion, Erika oil spill, Habsheim, Mont Saint Odile and Concorde aviation crashes, Terminal 2E collapse, and the PIP breast implant scandal. Client base is concentrated in aviation (DGAC, Air France, Airbus, Continental Airlines), energy (Total/Grande Paroisse), healthcare (French National Blood Transfusion Center), and government/public sector matters. The firm operates from a single Paris headquarters (22 avenue de la Grande Armée, 75017) and engages internationally through cooperation with American, British, Irish, and other foreign counsel rather than through owned offices.

Revenue is generated through professional legal services fees billed on hourly, fixed-fee, or success-based arrangements depending on case type and complexity. Following founder Daniel Soulez Larivière's death in 2022, the firm is co-managed by partners Aurélia Grignon and Capucine Lanta de Bérard under the AARPI structure registered with the Paris Bar since January 1, 2020. The firm has remained independent with no private equity, parent company, or external ownership evidenced, and operates as a deliberately small boutique of approximately seven to ten lawyers and support staff.

Name

SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS

Legal name

SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS AARPI

Website

https://soulezlariviere.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS is a Paris-based independent boutique law firm founded in 1969, specializing in criminal defense, aviation law, compliance and negotiated justice, and complex crisis litigation for corporations, executives, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Professional legal services billed to clients including corporations, executives, and individuals for criminal defense, compliance, aviation law, and complex litigation matters. Revenue generated through hourly fees, fixed fees for specific services, and success-based arrangements depending on case type.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS is a Paris-based boutique criminal defense law firm founded in 1969, providing specialized legal representation across criminal defense (défense pénale), compliance and negotiated justice (DPA/CJIP), aviation law, and complex litigation/crisis management. The firm serves corporations, executives, public officials, victims, and aviation stakeholders in France and internationally, leveraging its partner-associate binôme working method on every engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Defence (Défense Pénale) Core criminal defense practice covering all areas of criminal law, representing companies, executives, and individuals facing criminal liability, including homicide, injuries, corporate liability, and regulatory prosecution.
• Compliance and Negotiated Justice (Conformité et Justice Négociée) Advisory and defense services in transnational proceedings involving international corruption, cybercrime, and compliance matters, including Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPA) and Convention Judiciaire d'Intérêt Public (CJIP).
• Aviation Law (Aviation) Legal representation in all aeronautical matters involving civil or criminal liability, serving aviation authorities, manufacturers, airlines, airports, and victims of aviation incidents.
• Litigation (Contentieux) Complex litigation and crisis management services for companies of all sizes, from multinationals to SMEs, handling pre-litigation and litigation matters in connection with major industrial accidents, scandals, and corporate crises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully defended DGAC officials in multiple aviation accidents resulting in acquittals or dismissals over 35+ years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Gide Loyrette NouelminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on the Erika case where three lawyers from Gide Loyrette Nouel worked alongside the firm's team to represent Total in the maritime pollution proceedings.
• Cabinet MonferranminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on the AZF case with Jacques Monferran and team based in Toulouse for civil compensation handling of victims.
• Cabinet BoivinminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on the AZF case with Jean-Pierre Boivin and team for comprehensive handling of the industrial disaster case.
• European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm's lawyers are strongly involved in the ECBA association for shaping European legislation and jurisprudence on defense rights, including issues of access to case files prior to surrender, appeals against proportionality or impartiality of European arrest warrant decisions, and adaptation of pre-trial detention criteria.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Viguié Schmidt & Associés: Paris boutique with strong criminal defense, business law and crisis management practice serving corporate clients and executives. Comparable boutique structure and client profile.
• Bredin Prat: Leading independent French business law firm with a strong white-collar criminal defense and litigation practice serving major corporates and executives in complex, often cross-border matters — directly comparable in client base and matter profile to Soulez Larivière.
• Gide Loyrette Nouel: Major full-service French firm with a renowned litigation and white-collar defense practice and an established cooperation relationship with Soulez Larivière (e.g., Erika case). Comparable on cross-border criminal and regulatory defense matters.
• Kiejman & Marembert: Boutique Paris criminal defense firm specializing in defending individuals and corporations in complex, often high-profile matters. Closest boutique peer in size, structure and practice focus.

Broad incumbents

• Clifford Chance: Global full-service firm with a Paris litigation, regulatory and white-collar practice serving major corporates on criminal, compliance and crisis matters — competing on the same transnational mandates.
• Jones Day: Global firm with an active Paris investigations and white-collar practice representing corporates and executives in cross-border criminal and regulatory matters. Overlaps on DPA / CJIP work.
• Allen & Overy (A&O Shearman): Global law firm with a substantial Paris office covering white-collar, investigations and compliance work for multinational clients. Competes for the same cross-border DPA / compliance mandates.
• Bird & Bird: International firm with a recognized aviation sector practice and Paris office advising airlines, manufacturers and regulators on aviation liability matters — directly comparable on the firm's aviation practice.
• Hogan Lovells: Global firm with a strong Paris investigations, criminal and compliance practice advising corporates on transnational corruption, DPA and aviation-related matters — comparable global-reach competitor.

Emerging players

• Steptoe & Johnson: US firm with strong white-collar defense, FCPA and DPA practice; collaborates with European firms on cross-border DPA / CJIP mandates, comparable to the firm's US-side negotiated-justice work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soulez-lariviere-associes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 SOULEZ LARIVIERE AVOCATS