Ydès

What Ydès does

Ydès is a French business law firm (SELARL inter-barreaux) headquartered in Lyon, founded in 1945, with four offices across France (Lyon, Paris, Avignon, Bourg-en-Bresse) and approximately 100 lawyers and collaborators. The firm operates 18–19 distinct practice areas spanning corporate/M&A, tax engineering and litigation, employment law, real estate, construction and leases, intellectual property, data protection, banking and finance, business restructuring, public business law, environmental law, healthcare and life sciences, competition and distribution, and international contracts. Its revenue model is professional services fee-for-engagement on advisory and litigation mandates, with notarial services delivered through an exclusive partnership with SELAS Paul & Associés. Ydès serves a hybrid client base — startups, SMEs, mid-sized enterprises (ETI), large national and international corporations, and high-net-worth individuals — with relationship-driven, partner-led engagement and dedicated bilingual desks (Brazilian/Portuguese, Italian, Spanish) to support cross-border work.

International capabilities are delivered through three core network memberships: IAG Global (exclusive French representation, ~100 countries, 8,000+ lawyers/tax advisors), Advoc, and Law Firm Network (which Ydès codirects for the Real Estate working group). Additional professional affiliations include Privacy Rules, the European Employment Lawyers Association, and the Franco-Swiss and Franco-German Chambers of Commerce. Distribution is traditional — direct enterprise engagement through the four French offices plus international referrals via network partnerships — and the firm actively invests in thought leadership through legal publications, newsletters, event participation (Salon CIEL Lyon, Sommet du Droit), and academic engagement (Dauphine-PSL).

Recent strategic activity (2024–2026) indicates a deliberate build-out of new practice capabilities — Real Estate Paris team (Feb 2025), Crisis Management and Mediation (Apr 2025), Public Business Law (Jun 2025), and Healthcare and Life Sciences (Mar 2026) — alongside sustained lateral hiring and a first-time Legal 500 ranking in 2026. The firm has no public disclosures on revenue, does not have external investors (structured as a lawyer-owned SELARL), and is led by partner Jean-Christophe Chevallier.

Name

Ydès

Legal name

Ydès SELARL

Website

https://ydes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ydès is a French business law firm (founded 1945) with ~100 lawyers across four French offices, providing multidisciplinary advisory and litigation across 18 practice areas (corporate, tax, employment, real estate, IP, banking, restructuring) to startups, SMEs, ETIs, large corporations, and HNW individuals, supported by international network memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

White-Collar Defense & Investigations (BPAHAAAJ)

Keywords

• Business law advisory
• Corporate legal services
• Mergers acquisitions law
• Tax advisory services
• Commercial litigation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 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: Fees for legal counsel and representation in business law matters including corporate transactions, tax advisory, employment law, real estate transactions, and more
2. Litigation and Dispute Resolution: Fees for court representation, arbitration, mediation, and pre-litigation advisory services across all practice areas
3. Notary Partnership Services: Notarial services provided through partnership with SELAS Paul & Associés for real estate transactions, property development, family law, and business services

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ydès is a French business law firm providing advisory and litigation services across 18 domains including corporate M&A, tax, employment, intellectual property, real estate, banking and finance, data protection, and public business law. The firm operates through approximately 100 lawyers and collaborators across four French offices (Lyon, Paris, Avignon, Bourg-en-Bresse) and extends its reach to nearly 100 countries via international legal networks.

Product overview

Ydès is a French business law firm offering comprehensive legal services through 19 distinct practice areas covering corporate/M&A, tax, real estate, employment, litigation, banking/finance, intellectual property, data protection, environmental law, public law, healthcare/life sciences, and international contracts. The firm also provides notary services through a partnership with Paul & Associés. The practice areas function as distinct service lines within a unified full-service platform, enabling cross-disciplinary advisory for clients ranging from startups to large groups. International capabilities are supported through networks including IAG Global, Advoc, The Law Firm Network, and Privacy Rules, covering nearly 100 countries with over 8,000 lawyers and tax specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate – Fusions & Acquisitions Legal advisory on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate transactions for businesses across France and internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Consistently ranked in Décideurs Magazine across multiple categories including Forte Notoriété and Pratique Réputée ratings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Law Firm NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ydès codirects the Real Estate working group of Law Firm Network and is the sole French member. Ydès organized the EMEA Regional Conference in 2025.
• Privacy RulesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Exclusive international network of experts in personal data protection. Ydès participates as a member since 2018 for data protection expertise sharing.
• IAG Global (International Advisory Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of law firms with presence in nearly 100 countries and over 8,000 lawyers and tax advisors. Ydès is an exclusive member representing France, providing cross-border legal services coordination and referrals for international transactions.
• AdvoccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of independent law firms. Ydès participates in European M&A conferences and collaborates on cross-border client matters. Marcelo Mazzilli represents Ydès in ADVOC Europe activities.
• Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA)minorOthersProfessional association for lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region. Ydès participates for regional business development.
• International Bar AssociationminorOthersGlobal professional association for bar associations and lawyers. Membership supports international professional development.
• European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA)minorOthersEuropean association for employment lawyers. Harold Berrier participates in EELA conferences including 2025 Annual Conference in London.
• Franco-Swiss Chamber of CommerceminorOthersBilateral chamber of commerce supporting business relations between France and Switzerland.
• Franco-German Chamber of Commerce and IndustryminorOthersBilateral chamber of commerce supporting business relations between France and Germany.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)minorOthersProfessional body for land, property, and construction professionals. Membership supports real estate practice.
• SELAS Paul & Associés – Notaires LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership with notarial firm located within Ydès Lyon office. Provides integrated notarial services for real estate transactions, property development, family law, and business matters. Partnership extends to Paris and Nice offices for broader coverage.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Bredin Prat: Top-tier French business law firm headquartered in Paris with strong corporate M&A, litigation, and competition practices. Comparable to Ydès in practice areas but significantly larger and focused on premium Paris-based mandates.
• Gide Loyrette Nouel: Leading French business law firm with strong international footprint and full-service practice. Comparable to Ydès in multi-disciplinary breadth but operates at a much larger scale with global ambitions.
• Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier: Elite French business law firm focused on high-end M&A, corporate finance, and litigation. Comparable to Ydès in corporate practice emphasis but significantly larger and concentrated in premium Paris work.
• CMS Francis Lefebvre: Major international law firm with significant French presence offering full-service business law advice. Comparable to Ydès in practice breadth and tax depth, but operates at much larger scale with global network resources.

Direct peers

• FTPA (Fidal-Taylor-Pachoud-Associés): French mid-size business law firm offering multi-disciplinary business law advisory. Comparable to Ydès in scale and service breadth across M&A, tax, employment, and litigation.
• Bersay & Associés: Paris-based mid-size business law firm with full-service capabilities including M&A, tax, IP, and employment. Comparable to Ydès in size, practice breadth, and SME/mid-market focus.
• Racine: Mid-size French business law firm with national footprint and broad practice coverage including M&A, employment, real estate, and tax. Closely comparable to Ydès in scale, multi-disciplinary model, and target client mix.
• Altana: Independent French business law firm with full-service platform covering corporate, IP, competition, employment, and public law. Comparable to Ydès as a multi-disciplinary alternative to top-tier firms.
• Auguste Debouzy: Paris-based French business law firm of comparable mid-size with multi-disciplinary practice spanning corporate, employment, IP, and public law. Directly comparable to Ydès in offering breadth and client-segment focus.

Emerging players

• Volkov & Partners / equivalent Franco-Russian desk alternative: Use as placeholder not applicable. Replacing with: Simon Associés — French mid-size business law firm with multi-disciplinary practice spanning corporate, tax, real estate, and employment, comparable in scale and service model to Ydès.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ydes-avocats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Ydès