20 leading insolvency and restructuring lawyers in France in 2026
Impact Lawyers' editorial selection brings together twenty professionals with particularly significant experience in insolvency and restructuring in France. Lawyers are listed alphabetically by surname: the table order does not establish internal positions or identify one professional as superior to another.
| Lawyer | Firm | Main profile |
|---|---|---|
| Aurélien Loric | Orrick | Formal insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A |
| Carole Nerguararian | Linklaters | Debt restructuring and insolvency |
| Cecil Billy | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Formal insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A |
| Clément Maillot-Bouvier | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Pre-insolvency work and creditor negotiations |
| Etienne Lupuyo | Linklaters | Special situations finance and NPLs |
| François Kopf | Linklaters | Pre-insolvency work and creditor negotiations |
| Guilhem Bremond | Freshfields | Debt restructuring and insolvency |
| Jean-Gabriel Flandrois | Gide Loyrette Nouel | Pre-insolvency work and creditor negotiations |
| Joanna Gumpelson | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Debt restructuring and insolvency |
| Jonathan Batisse | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Debt restructuring and insolvency |
| Joséphine Bousseau | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Special situations finance and NPLs |
| Nadia Haddad | Gide Loyrette Nouel | Formal insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A |
| Paul Talbourdet | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Pre-insolvency work and creditor negotiations |
| Pauline Bournoville | Gide Loyrette Nouel | Pre-insolvency work and creditor negotiations |
| Philippe Dubois | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Special situations finance and NPLs |
| Philippe Dupichot | Gide Loyrette Nouel | Formal insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A |
| Rémi Tabbagh | Gide Loyrette Nouel | Special situations finance and NPLs |
| Ségolène Coiffet | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Formal insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A |
| Thibaut Lecrenais | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Debt restructuring and insolvency |
| Yamin Ifourah | De Pardieu Brocas Maffei | Special situations finance and NPLs |
How the ranking was prepared
This selection was built from scratch through Impact Lawyers’ own editorial review of professional and public information available through 2026. It does not reproduce or adapt the order of third-party directories, awards or rankings. Profiles were identified and cross-checked using current professional biographies, official law-firm information, publicly verifiable matters and transactions, publications, institutional and academic activity and international experience.
For this practice area, particular attention was paid to insolvency, formal proceedings, debt restructuring, distressed M&A, NPLs and pre-insolvency situations.
The editorial assessment combines five dimensions:
- Depth, continuity and genuine specialisation in the practice: 30%.
- Complexity and relevance of publicly verifiable matters, transactions or responsibilities: 25%.
- Technical command and ability to handle complex matters within the specialty: 20%.
- Professional leadership, independent judgement and ability to lead significant mandates: 15%.
- International profile and doctrinal, academic or institutional contribution: 10%.
Impact Lawyers' own editorial approach
Inclusion does not depend on firm size, media visibility or presence in other rankings. The selection is intended to reflect different practice models, combining major firms, specialist boutiques and professionals with a particularly distinctive individual track record. The apparent number of wins, transactions or clients is not used as an automatic measure because public information is uneven and many matters remain confidential.
How to interpret the selection
This ranking is an editorial snapshot of the market based on public information available in 2026. It does not measure fees, guarantee outcomes or claim that any included professional is the right choice for every matter. The choice of counsel should take into account the precise specialty, potential conflicts of interest, jurisdiction, availability, language, budget and relationship of trust.
Professional careers and firm structures can change. Future editions should therefore verify partner moves, new firms, changes of role and potential incompatibilities before publication.
