Littler Combines with 170-Lawyer Firm in France

(October 17, 2016) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has combined with Fromont Briens, one of the largest labor and employment law firms in Europe. With offices in Paris and Lyon, France, the Fromont Briens team consists of 170 lawyers that focus on all areas of labor and employment law. The combination follows Littler’s expansion into Germany and Canada last year, and its development of a labor and employment practice of unparalleled scope across Latin America.

“We are excited to welcome Fromont Briens to Littler Global and to connect our extensive global platform with a firm highly regarded for counseling multinational and French companies on complex labor and employment matters,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler, in a joint statement. “Alongside our team of nearly 30 lawyers across four offices in Germany, adding a major presence in France will significantly expand our footprint in Continental Europe and further enhance our ability to provide comprehensive counsel on the myriad employment law issues facing global employers.”

Fromont Briens represents multinational companies based in the United States, France and throughout Europe in a wide variety of industries, including energy, technology, retail, manufacturing, financial services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The firm’s attorneys counsel and defend employers in a range of areas, including individual and collective labor relations, business restructurings, employee benefits and compensation policies, employee retirement and savings plans, and social security and pension matters. Fromont Briens also conducts compliance audits, due diligence reviews and training seminars to help clients mitigate risk.

“With numerous Fortune Global 500 companies maintaining their headquarters in France, and Germany and the U.S. serving as major trading partners to the country, establishing a French presence was an ideal next step in our continued global expansion,” said Peter Susser, Littler’s Global Practice Leader and chair of the firm’s International Employment Law practice. “All Littler Global members have been very impressed with the top-notch services Fromont Briens provides to clients,” added Stephan Swinkels, who served as executive director of L&E Global, an international alliance of labor and employment law firms, prior to joining Littler as a shareholder last June. “The firm also shares our commitment to innovation and using technology to drive greater efficiency in the delivery of legal services.”

Fromont Briens’ international team is led by Guillaume Desmoulin and Sophie Pelicier-Loevenbruck, who counsel national and multinational companies on such matters as labor relations, social security law and business restructurings. Grégory Chastagnol, a member of Fromont Briens’ management committee, has been involved in discussions with Littler from the outset. Additional members of the Fromont Briens management committee include Cédric Guillon, Gilles Briens, David Calvayrac and Philippe Clément.

“Littler Global offers an unparalleled ability to help companies navigate the challenges and considerations that come with managing employees in various global markets,” Guillaume Desmoulin said. “We have developed strong working relationships with Littler attorneys, particularly those in Germany, and feel the firm’s strategy for global expansion and client service model is a perfect fit for our practice.”

“We are thrilled to join forces with Littler and look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues across the globe,” added Grégory Chastagnol. “Considering our complex legal environment and major evolutions over the past few years, operating in France presents unique issues for employers. Fromont Briens’ extensive knowledge of labor and employment law in France and Littler’s position as the world’s leading employment law firm is a powerful combination to service multinational companies.”

Littler’s international operations span three continents – North America, South America and Europe – and include Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include U.S.-based lawyers with exceptional international experience, who are dually licensed practitioners in Australia, Brazil, China, the United Kingdom and South Africa, among other countries.

“Fromont Briens has developed a well-deserved reputation in France and throughout Europe for providing counseling, litigation, auditing and training to employers based on the deep subject matter knowledge of its attorneys,” said Dr. Thomas Griebe, one of the founding partners of Littler Global member firm vangard. “Having worked with Guillaume and his colleagues over the years, we are excited to add a strong neighboring partner that will bring significant value to our global clients.”

As part of the firm’s commitment to keeping global companies informed of labor and employment developments impacting their operations, Littler will host its inaugural Europe Conference on November 10, 2016 in Berlin. For more information and to register for the event, please visithttp://www.littler.com/events/inaugural-europe-conference-germany.

About Fromont Briens

Founded in 1993, Fromont Briens has grown to 170 lawyers practicing in Paris and Lyon and representing French and multinational companies in all areas of labor and employment law. The firm and its attorneys have been recognized as leaders in labor and employment law in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, and has received ISO 9001 certification from the International Organization of Standardization for developing a strong quality management system.

About Littler

Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,000 attorneys in over 70 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 70 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms. For more information visit: www.littler.com.