What Wennev does

klein • wenner is an independent, Paris-headquartered business law firm formed on April 2, 2021 from the merger of KGA Avocats and Wenner, the latter founded in 1963 with a Franco-German specialization. The firm is jointly operated through two French SELAS entities (KGA Avocats and WENNER) sharing the registered office at 19 rue Danielle Casanova, 75001 Paris, with a secondary office at 44 avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris. It provides comprehensive business law advisory and litigation services through specialized practice teams covering Commercial/Competition/Distribution Law, National and International Arbitration (including ICC, CMAP, DIS, CAIP, and Franco-German Chamber of Commerce proceedings), Real Estate and Construction, Corporate/M&A, IP/IT/Data Protection, Labor Law, and Public Law. Differentiated cross-border capabilities are anchored in a German Desk (13 German-speaking lawyers with 60+ years of accumulated Franco-German market experience) and an Italian Desk led by a quadrilingual partner.

The firm targets major French and international industrial groups — primarily German and Italian corporates — in manufacturing, construction, energy (notably renewable energy), and distribution/retail sectors, as well as public sector entities. Revenue is generated through professional legal fees for advisory and litigation work, with bespoke fee proposals tied to matter complexity and the seniority of professionals involved; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct partner-led enterprise engagement, supplemented by referrals through PangeaNet (an international network of independent law firms) and thought leadership through publications, conferences, and a regular Lettre DPO newsletter.

The firm had 43 lawyers at founding in April 2021 and has grown to 46+ lawyers by May 2026 with the addition of three new associates. Recognition includes Décideurs Magazine 2022 'Highly Recommended' ranking in Commercial Litigation, Chambers Europe 2022 acknowledgment of its sports law practice and partner François Klein as a 'notable practitioner', Legal 500 EMEA recognition in 2021 and 2026, and continued Décideurs Leaders League rankings in 2026 for Dispute Resolution and Innovation/Technologies/Telecommunications. Management includes co-directors of publication Michèle Dauvois and Christoph Schödel, with Quitterie Maguin-Kohn as Partner overseeing labor and real estate law.

Name

Wennev

Legal name

KGA Avocats et WENNER, société d'exercice libérale par actions simplifiée

Website

https://kleinwenner.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Short description

klein • wenner is a Paris-based independent business law firm providing corporate, M&A, arbitration, public law, and sector-focused legal services to major French, German, and Italian industrial groups through dedicated German and Italian cross-border practice desks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Business law advisory
• Legal services
• Corporate transactions
• International arbitration
• Mergers acquisitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: The firm provides legal advisory services across all areas of business law including commercial litigation, arbitration, construction law, energy law, competition and distribution law, and public law. Revenue is generated through professional legal fees for advisory and litigation services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

klein • wenner is an independent, multicultural business law firm providing advisory and litigation services across all areas of French and cross-border business law. Its teams advise major French and international industrial groups (particularly German and Italian), distribution and retail companies, and public-sector clients on corporate/M&A, competition and distribution law, national and international arbitration, construction, energy, IP/IT/data protection, labor, real estate, and public law matters. The firm offers dedicated German Desk and Italian Desk services for cross-border clients and participates in the PangeaNet international network of independent law firms.

Product overview

klein • wenner is a unified law firm formed from the merger of KGA Avocats and WENNER in April 2021. It offers comprehensive business law services through specialized practice teams covering Commercial/Competition/Distribution Law, National & International Arbitration, Real Estate, Corporate/M&A, IP/IT/Data Protection, Labor Law, and Public Law. The firm operates specialized desks including an Italian Desk and German Desk to serve cross-border clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial, Competition and Distribution Law Advisory and litigation services on commercialization of products and services in B2B and B2C contexts, covering distribution networks, sales networks, franchising, competition law, unfair competition, pricing regulations, and promotional activities. Targeted at companies active in distribution, franchising, and retail.
• National and International Arbitration Representation in litigation, arbitration, and mediation proceedings before ICC, CMAP, DIS, CAIP, and under the arbitration rules of the Franco-German Chamber of Commerce. Targeted at commercial parties facing domestic and cross-border disputes.
• Corporate / Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory and litigation support on corporate law matters, including consulting on, and drafting of, sale and acquisition contracts for companies and business assets, as well as commercial contracts. Targeted at international clients, including German- and English-speaking corporate buyers, sellers, and investors.
• IP / IT / Data Protection Advisory on intellectual property, information technology, and data protection matters, including the regular publication of the Lettre DPO newsletter covering data protection topics. Targeted at businesses requiring French and EU compliance on data and IT matters.
• Labor Law Specialist labor law advisory for employers, covering employment contracts, workplace issues, and related contentious matters. Targeted at companies and groups with French-based workforces.
• Public Law Specialized public law advisory and litigation, including administrative contracts, market regulation, public domain issues, and public procurement disputes. Targeted at public-sector clients and private companies dealing with regulators.
• Real Estate Law Specialist real estate law advisory with deep experience in commercial leases, alongside broader real estate transactional and contentious matters. Targeted at landlords, tenants, investors, and corporate occupiers.
• Energy Law Advisory and representation on energy sector matters, with extensive experience in renewable energy projects for French and international industrial groups. Targeted at energy-sector clients developing and operating renewable and conventional energy projects.
• Construction Law Specialist construction law advisory and dispute resolution, including representation in construction-related disputes. Targeted at construction companies, developers, and industrial groups undertaking building projects in France.
• German Desk Dedicated cross-border legal counsel provided by 13 German-speaking lawyers with more than 60 years of accumulated experience in the Franco-German market, supporting German companies with activities in France on cross-border commercial activities, industrial contracts, and international arbitration.
• Italian Desk Dedicated cross-border legal counsel provided by quadrilingual (Italian, French, German, English) lawyers assisting Italian companies and investors expanding into France on cross-border transactions, contract negotiation, commercial disputes, and regulatory compliance, with specializations in construction, commercial, and energy law.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 'Highly Recommended' in Commercial Litigation by Décideurs Magazine 2022
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PangeaNetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerklein • wenner is a member of PangeaNet, an international network of independent law firms. The firm actively participates in PangeaNet practice group meetings and events, such as the Vienna meetings in 2026. Jean-François Davené participates in the PangeaNet Commercial Law team. The network enables cross-border legal services referrals and collaborations throughout Europe and internationally.
• France-Italy Chamber of Commerce (Camera di Commercio FRANCE ITALIE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe firm participated in 'LE GALA' organized by the France-Italy Chamber of Commerce in June 2018, representing the Italian market desk of the firm. The event was attended by over 350 prominent figures from major companies and principal Franco-Italian institutions.
• AIJA (International Association of Young Lawyers)minorStrategic or Co-development Partnerklein • wenner participates in AIJA German-Speaking Regional Meetings. Partner Mathias Schmid participated in the 2026 meeting in Palma de Mallorca on the topic 'Leading with Balance'.
• LexisNexisminorGTM or Marketing Partnerklein • wenner partners with LexisNexis for joint events such as the 'Cocktail Actualités juridiques droit de la donnée' (Data Law legal news cocktail event) organized in June 2022.
• KGA AvocatscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKGA Avocats and Wenner merged in April 2021 to form klein • wenner. Both were long-standing partners with over 50 years of combined experience. KGA Avocats was a société d'exercice libérale par actions simplifiée with share capital of €291,177.62.
• WennercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWenner, founded in 1963, was a German-French law firm with over 60 years of experience in the Franco-German market. It merged with KGA Avocats in April 2021 to form klein • wenner. Wenner was a société d'exercice libérale par actions simplifiée with share capital of €1,283.44.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Linklaters: Global magic-circle firm with a substantial Paris office serving major corporates on cross-border M&A, finance and dispute resolution. Comparable in cross-border transaction capability and serving international industrial groups in France.
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton: Elite US-headquartered firm with one of the leading Paris offices for cross-border M&A, antitrust and international litigation. Comparable in serving international industrial clients on Franco-German and other European cross-border matters.
• Hogan Lovells: Global law firm with notable Paris office covering M&A, infrastructure, energy and dispute resolution. Comparable in serving industrial and energy sector clients on cross-border mandates, including renewable energy and infrastructure.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Global magic-circle firm with strong Paris office serving international corporates on cross-border M&A, arbitration and competition. Comparable in cross-border M&A and arbitration work for industrial groups, though it operates at significantly larger scale across many practice areas.
• Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Global law firm with Paris office serving major French and international corporates on energy, infrastructure, M&A and international arbitration. Comparable in serving industrial groups and energy clients on cross-border mandates.

Regional players

• Taylor Wessing: International firm with strong Franco-German practice via offices in Paris and Germany. Highly comparable on the cross-border Franco-German axis that is klein • wenner's primary differentiator, though headquartered outside France.
• Noerr: Leading German-headquartered law firm with Franco-German cross-border capabilities and Paris presence. Comparable on the German Desk / Franco-German axis where klein • wenner competes for mandates from German industrials in France.

Direct peers

• Gide Loyrette Nouel: Leading Paris-based business law firm advising French and international corporates on M&A, finance, litigation and public law. Directly comparable in primary location, client base (industrial groups), and core practice areas including cross-border transactions and dispute resolution.
• Bredin Prat: Elite Paris business law firm serving major French and international corporates on M&A, antitrust, litigation and public law. Directly comparable as a top-tier Paris business law firm competing for the same large-cap mandates klein • wenner targets.
• Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier: Premium Paris business law firm focused on M&A, litigation and restructuring for French and international groups. Directly comparable in serving large industrial clients with cross-border mandates and complex disputes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/klein_wenner?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/kleinwenner
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/klein-wenner

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Wennev