ULYSSE BDA

What ULYSSE BDA does

ULYSSE BDA is a French business and tax law firm headquartered in Bordeaux with a secondary office in Angoulême, operating as an Association d'avocats à responsabilité professionnelle individuelle. The firm was formed by the 2023 merger of two Bordeaux-based practices — ULYSSE (founded 2010 by Philippe Bonnin and Marc Deneuville, focused on business law and wine estate transactions) and BDA (founded 2010 by Didier Brézillon, focused on French and international tax law) — and is currently led by partners Marie Schocher, Philippe Bonnin, and Alexis Degagny, with Aubane Revol Germain promoted to partner in May 2025. The firm employs 13 people, including 9 fee-earners covering business law, tax law, and wine sector specialization.

The firm delivers ten interlocking legal service lines: Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Governance and Shareholder Relations, Contracts, Tax Law, Transfer Pricing, Wealth Management, Wine and Spirits Law, Wine Estate Transactions, and Business Litigation. Its client base spans French and international mid-market companies, business leaders and entrepreneurs, private equity and investment funds, family-owned businesses, and wine/spirits sector operators. Differentiated expertise in viticultural regulation — including SAFER, Sempastous Law, contrôle des structures, and rural lease drafting — combined with formal membership in the WI&NE wine legal network gives the firm a defensible niche in wine estate M&A. International reach is delivered through the JPA International partnership, which provides access to 4,000 professionals across 48 countries.

Revenue is generated through bespoke, quote-based fee arrangements negotiated on a case-by-case basis, with the firm operating as a partner-led, relationship-driven practice. Go-to-market is anchored in direct partner-led business development, professional referrals via JPA International and PE counterparties, thought-leadership publications on legal reforms, and direct long-term client relationships rather than marketing-driven demand generation. The firm does not have external investors, has no parent or subsidiary entities, and operates independently under its three named partners.

Name

ULYSSE BDA

Legal name

Association d'avocats à responsabilité professionnelle individuelle ULYSSE BDA

Website

https://ulysse-bda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ULYSSE BDA is a 13-person French business and tax law firm in Bordeaux, formed in 2023 from the merger of ULYSSE and BDA, serving mid-market companies, private equity funds, and wine estate operators through partners Marie Schocher, Philippe Bonnin, and Alexis Degagny.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Law & Tax Advisory Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Transaction Tax Structuring & Deal Advisory (BPAHAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transfer Pricing & International Tax Services (BPAHABAI)

Keywords

• Business law advisory
• Mergers acquisitions advisory
• Corporate tax law
• Wine estate transactions
• Private equity legal

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: ULYSSE BDA generates revenue through providing legal and tax advisory services to companies, business leaders, and investment funds. Services include mergers & acquisitions, private equity transactions, tax law, governance, contracts, wine estate transactions, transfer pricing, wealth management, and business litigation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ULYSSE BDA is a French business and tax law firm providing legal advisory services across ten practice areas: mergers & acquisitions, private equity, governance and shareholder relations, contracts, tax law, transfer pricing, wealth management, wine and spirits law, wine estate transactions, and business litigation. Services are delivered by 11 lawyers (4 partners and 6 lawyers plus 1 office manager and 1 legal expert) from offices in Bordeaux and Angoulême, with international reach via the JPA International network.

Product overview

ULYSSE BDA is a business and tax law firm headquartered in Bordeaux, France, formed by the 2010 merger of ULYSSE (founded by Philippe Bonnin and Marc Deneuville) and BDA (founded by Didier Brézillon). The firm operates as a unified multi-practice legal services firm rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offering spans ten distinct legal service areas: Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Governance & Company Law, Contracts, Tax Law, Transfer Pricing, Wealth Management, Wine and Spirits Law, Wine Estate Transactions, and Business Litigation. These services are delivered by a team of eleven lawyers and are supported by two international network partnerships — JPA International (accounting and audit network) and WI&NE (wine industry legal network) — enabling the firm to serve clients throughout France and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mergers & Acquisitions Legal advisory for French and international M&A transactions, including acquisitions, company transfers, restructuring, partnerships, and joint ventures, with due diligence, negotiation, and deal execution support.
• Private Equity Legal support for fundraising operations and equity transactions involving financial investors and credit institutions, including LBOs, management packages, and shareholder arrangements.
• Governance – Shareholder Relations – Company Law Legal assistance for company incorporation, shareholder relations, governance structuring, shareholder agreements, management packages, and conflict resolution between shareholders or officers.
• Contracts Drafting, negotiation, and review of commercial contracts including sales agreements, distribution networks, commercial agents, franchising, IT contracts, and terms and conditions for French and international contexts.
• Tax Law Corporate and personal taxation advisory covering tax structuring for acquisitions and disposals, tax audits, international tax strategy, transfer pricing, and tax litigation representation before French and international authorities.
• Transfer Pricing International tax advisory on transfer pricing compliance, documentation (master file and local files), intra-group agreements, and assistance during tax audits focused on transfer pricing matters.
• Wealth Management Legal and tax advisory for high-net-worth individuals and business leaders on wealth structuring, IFI returns, family business transfers using Dutreil pacts, holding structures, and contribution-transfer schemes.
• Wine and Spirits Law Legal support for wine and spirits sector operators including intra-family business transfers, wine estate trademark protection, rural lease drafting, and landlord-tenant dispute resolution; member of the WI&NE wine-law network.
• Wine Estate Transactions Real estate transaction advisory for wine estates, including structuring plans, legal documentation for agricultural operating company share sales, and representation for both French entrepreneurs and international investors throughout France.
• Business Litigation Civil and commercial dispute resolution, representing companies and their officers at all stages of litigation from court proceedings through enforcement of judgments, including pre- and post-litigation negotiations and settlement agreements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Advised on Siblu's acquisition of 7 camp sites, increasing portfolio by approximately 3,500 units
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• JPA InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerULYSSE BDA has formed a partnership with JPA International, a network of chartered accountants and statutory auditors, to develop legal and tax services for clients operating in complex international environments. JPA International operates in 48 countries across all continents, with 4000 professionals in 150 offices serving 35000 clients worldwide in statutory and contractual auditing. JPA International is a member of the Forum of Firm.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• EY Société d'Avocats: French member firm of EY providing legal and tax advisory including transfer pricing, M&A and international tax. Clément Latour interned there; represents another Big Four legal competitor on the tax-heavy work ULYSSE BDA performs.
• Fidal: Largest French business law and tax firm with national footprint across all major practice areas including M&A, PE, tax, transfer pricing and wealth management. Direct overlap with ULYSSE BDA's core offerings at much greater scale; ULYSSE BDA team alumni previously worked there.
• Bredin Prat: Paris-based elite business law firm with leading French M&A and corporate practice. Aubane Revol Germain interned there; represents the top-end competitor for sophisticated French M&A mandates ULYSSE BDA may be considered for.
• Taj (Deloitte Société d'Avocats): French member firm of Deloitte Legal providing business law, tax, and transfer pricing services to mid-market and large enterprises. Philippe Bonnin previously directed its Bordeaux office for 12 years, making it both a competitor and a talent source for ULYSSE BDA.
• Mazars Société d'Avocats: French arm of Mazars providing tax, legal and corporate advisory. Emilie Denaud interned in its Paris tax team; competes for French mid-market tax and corporate restructuring mandates.
• Landwell & Associés (PwC Société d'Avocats): French member firm of PwC Legal providing tax, corporate, and transfer pricing services. Marc Deneuville previously worked there; competes for French mid-market tax and corporate mandates including wine sector clients.

Direct peers

• Fromont Briens: Paris-headquartered French business law firm recognized for its wine and spirits law practice alongside corporate, tax and employment work. Closest direct competitor on the wine-law specialism that ULYSSE BDA has built into a differentiator.
• Cornet Vincent Ségurel: Independent French business law firm with multi-office regional footprint offering M&A, PE, tax and corporate services to mid-market clients. Direct competitor for the same Nouvelle-Aquitaine and broader French mid-market mandate pool.
• JPA International member firms: Network of independent accounting and audit firms across 48 countries with which ULYSSE BDA partners. Sister member firms refer clients to ULYSSE BDA for French legal/tax work and compete with ULYSSE BDA's team in cross-border mandates.
• WI&NE (Wine Industry Network of Experts) member firms: International network of law firms specialized in wine and spirits law that ULYSSE BDA is a member of. Sister firms offer the same wine-law specialism in other jurisdictions (Italy, Spain, US, etc.) and are the closest functional peers for cross-border wine estate transactions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ulysse-bda-avocats

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 ULYSSE BDA