Clerc Avocats

What Clerc Avocats does

Clerc Avocats is a privately-held French boutique law firm specializing in international business law, founded in 1992 and led by Thierry Clerc, who has practiced international law since 1996. The firm operates from two offices in France — a headquarters in Mont-Saint-Aignan (Rouen, Normandy) and a secondary office in Paris — with lawyers admitted to both the Rouen and Paris bars. The firm serves business clients across seven practice areas: civil and commercial law, international law, corporate law, banking and financial law, real estate law, event law, and more recently health law, supported by a unified litigation and dispute resolution capability. Its client base spans import/export, industrial, events, sports, real estate, architecture/construction, new technology, and a secondary segment of high-net-worth individuals with international assets.

The firm's core technology is professional legal services delivery, with no proprietary technology platforms, applications, or AI capabilities disclosed. Service delivery in international matters is enabled through a correspondent network in approximately 50 countries, built and maintained through memberships in international legal networks — notably Eurojuris International (1992–2022, with Clerc serving as board member, president, and working group head) and IR Global — as well as relationships with Normandy Chambers of Commerce, the Rouen-Ningbo Committee, and the French-British Chamber of Commerce. The firm reaches clients through direct engagement, professional referrals, content publications on legal topics, and event participation including Xport Day export development events in 2025 and 2026.

Clerc Avocats generates revenue through professional legal fees for advisory, transactional, and contentious matters on an engagement-specific basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm operates with approximately 5 employees, is privately owned by its founder with no external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries, and shows no history of M&A, funding rounds, or leadership changes. Its growth model is organic and network-driven rather than capital-driven, with expansion pursued through partnership in regional export development events and deepening of international referral pipelines rather than headcount scaling or geographic office expansion.

Name

Clerc Avocats

Legal name

CLERC AVOCATS

Website

https://tclerc-avocats.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clerc Avocats is a 5-person French boutique law firm specializing in international business law, advising import/export, industrial, real estate, and tech clients across practice areas including contracts, corporate, banking, real estate, event, and health law from offices in Rouen and Paris.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Law Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAOAL

Capital Markets Advisory (IPO Readiness, SPAC, ECM/DCM Advisory)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/M&A, Transaction & Restructuring Advisory

Keywords

• International business law
• Commercial litigation
• Corporate legal advisory
• Cross-border transactions
• Trade law services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mont-Saint-Aignan (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: The firm provides legal counsel and representation in areas including civil and commercial law, international law, corporate law, banking and financial law, real estate law, and event law. Services encompass contract drafting and negotiation, litigation, dispute resolution, and legal compliance advisory. Revenue is generated through professional legal fees for advisory, transactional, and contentious matters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Clerc Avocats is a French business law firm providing legal advisory, transactional support, and litigation services across multiple practice areas including civil and commercial law, international law, corporate law, banking and financial law, real estate law, and event law. The firm serves enterprises engaged in import/export, industrial, events, sports, real estate, construction, and new technology sectors, with cross-border matters handled through a network of correspondents in approximately 50 countries.

Product overview

Clerc Avocats is a French law firm providing comprehensive business law services. The firm operates across multiple practice areas including civil and commercial law, international law, corporate law, banking and financial law, real estate law, and event law. Services are delivered through individual legal practice areas supported by a unified litigation and dispute resolution capability. The firm serves clients in France and internationally, specializing in import/export, industrial, events, sports, real estate, architecture/construction, and new technology sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil and Commercial Law - Contract Law Legal services covering civil and commercial matters including contract drafting, negotiation, and dispute resolution for business clients.
• International Law Legal services for cross-border transactions, international disputes, export/import regulations, jurisdictional matters, and international contracts.
• Corporate Law Legal services for corporate governance, company law, shareholder matters, SAS share transfers, and business restructuring for French and foreign-owned companies.
• Banking and Financial Law Legal services for banking transactions, financial regulations, and monetary matters for business clients.
• Real Estate Law Legal services for real estate transactions, property rights, and immovable property matters for real estate companies and investors.
• Event Law Legal services for the events and entertainment industry, including event contracts and event-related disputes.
• Health Law Legal services for the healthcare sector including regulatory compliance and healthcare disputes.
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution Legal representation and counsel in judicial proceedings and alternative dispute resolution methods including arbitration and mediation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assisted clients in international matters across more than 30 countries

Named customers7 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Team France Export NormandiecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026CLERC AVOCATS was a partner of Xport Day 2026, an event organized by Team France Export Normandie, CCI Normandie, Business France, and AD Normandie. The event focused on international development of Normandy businesses with emphasis on Africa and Middle-East markets. The firm participated as a partner to exchange with participating companies on legal issues related to export and international commerce.
• CCI NormandiecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Normandy co-organizes the Xport Day events where Clerc Avocats participates as a partner, supporting Normandy businesses in their international development strategies.
• Business FrancecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Business France, the national agency supporting international economic development, co-organizes Xport Day events. Thierry Clerc collaborates with Business France representatives internationally and participates in agency-organized events to provide legal guidance to exporting companies.
• AD NormandieminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Development agency for Normandy that co-organizes Xport Day export development events, with Clerc Avocats participating to provide legal expertise to attending businesses.
• Xport Day (Normandy Export Development Event)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 June 2025Clerc Avocats participated as a partner in Xport Day 2025 at the Normandy Regional Council headquarters. The event, organized in partnership with public and private stakeholders, was dedicated to supporting companies in their international expansion strategy, targeting business leaders, in-house counsels, export managers, and project leaders.
• IR GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2023Clerc Avocats has been a member of IR Global for multiple years, participating in annual congresses (Amsterdam 2023, Barcelona 2022) to strengthen links with international partners. IR Global is a network of professional services firms.
• French Golf Federation (Fédération française de golf)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 August 2022Clerc Avocats supported the French teams at the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship of Golf, including participation in the opening ceremony at Golf National organized by the French Golf Federation.
• Eurojuris InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClerc Avocats was a member of Eurojuris International from 1992 to 2022 (600 law firms in 50 countries). Thierry Clerc served as board member for 4 years, president for 4 years, and head of the contracts and litigation working group for 8 years. The network provides international legal cooperation and referral relationships.
• Rouen-Ningbo CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClerc Avocats is a member of the Rouen-Ningbo Committee, which supports the twinning between the city of Rouen and Ningbo (a city of 7 million inhabitants south of Shanghai). The firm has presented its expertise developed in Franco-Chinese business to support Chinese entrepreneurs in their development in France.
• French-British Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThierry Clerc was a member of the French-British Chamber of Commerce, supporting cross-border business relations between France and the United Kingdom, particularly relevant given Brexit implications for businesses.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bird & Bird (Paris): International law firm with strong technology, IP, and corporate practices in Paris. Comparable in addressing international business law needs for technology and growth-sector clients.
• Bredin Prat: Leading French business law firm with strong corporate, litigation, and international practices. Competes for the same French and international business law mandates as Clerc Avocats but serves primarily large-cap clients with much deeper partner bench.
• CMS Francis Lefebvre: French member of the CMS international legal network, providing business law services with cross-border coordination. Closely comparable network-based service model — much like Clerc Avocats leverages IR Global and Eurojuris alumni relationships.
• August Debouzy: Established French business law firm with broad practice coverage including international and corporate law. A larger-scale incumbent in the same French business law category where Clerc Avocats operates, but with significantly greater bench depth and Paris-centric positioning.
• Dechert LLP (Paris): International law firm with Paris office focused on corporate, finance, and cross-border matters. Comparable international business law capabilities for French and multinational clients.
• Gide Loyrette Nouel: Premier French international law firm with global offices and broad practice coverage. Directly comparable international business law capability but operating at a vastly larger scale than Clerc Avocats.
• Fieldfisher (France): International law firm with French presence covering business law and cross-border matters. Comparable international network-based delivery model for serving French and international clients.
• Hogan Lovells (Paris): Global law firm with substantial Paris office covering international business law, corporate, and finance matters. Competes for cross-border mandates Clerc Avocats pursues, with much greater international resources.
• Reed Smith (Paris): International law firm with Paris office covering corporate, finance, and international dispute resolution. Comparable cross-border practice scope targeting similar French and international business law matters.

Direct peers

• Lacourte Raquin Tatar: Paris-based boutique French business law firm with focused practice areas. Closely comparable as a smaller specialist firm in the French business law market, serving similar mid-cap and international clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clercavocats

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 Clerc Avocats