Member Profiles

Maryse Naudin began her career in the tax department of one of the major accounting firms, where she was in charge of the real estate practice and the South East Asia clientele, prior to co-founding Tirard, Naudin. She now has more than 30 years' experience in advising and defending a varied clientele, from multinational corporations to high net worth individuals, in relation to cross-border tax issues. She has a particular expertise in advising foreign investors acquiring French real estate property as well as advising French clients with foreign interests. Maryse Naudin also has a wealth of expertise in matters relating to trust aspects in a civil law environment, European taxation, and in particular to tax litigation with respect to community freedoms. Ms. Naudin is the co-founder and former secretary of the French branch of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and a former chairman of the "International Estate Planning" commission of the Union Internationale des Avocats. She is a frequent speaker at seminars dealing with international tax planning in the context of various matters, such as European Holdings or structuring investments in French real estate.

His expertise covers the various fields of civil and commercial law, including construction, project, aviation and corporate disputes, product liability and contracts for large French and international companies. In the insurance sector, Nicolas advises on matters relating to professional or product liability in the areas of aviation, pharmaceuticals, energy, chemicals and construction. Nicolas' arbitration experience involves acting as counsel during ad hoc or institutional arbitrations. In addition, he has experience as an arbitrator in domestic commercial disputes. Nicolas is also well known for his broad expertise in Africa related matters which includes representing several African governments in project disputes and contractual negotiations. Nicolas currently heads the Paris Africa group. Nicolas speaks French and English and is a member of the Paris and New York bars.

Loïc Lemercier, Partner, heads the Intellectual Property and Technologies (IP&T) group of Dentons’ Paris office. Over the last 10 years, Loïc has handled both contentious and non-contentious patent, trademark, copyright, design, unfair competition and trade secret cases. Focusing on industrial property, Loïc has built a solid patent litigation track record assisting many large corporations with a particular emphasis on the pharmaceutical and telecoms sectors. Loïc's practice includes initiating and defending preliminary injunction proceedings, seizures for gathering evidence, and actions on the merits dealing with validity and/or infringement of the intellectual property rights. Loïc regularly advises clients in the technology sector, particularly in relation to FRAND obligations and the impact of those obligations on obtaining relief in France. In addition to his litigation work, Loïc advises his clients on contract negotiation and drafting (e.g. R&D, trademark or patent licensing, pledge agreement) in the context of M&A transactions. Experience Leading Chinese ICT company operating globally: Advising on FRAND and patent issues in a case where a patent holder refused to engage licensing negotiations and where a claim was therefore filed to evidence that a breach of its obligation to license its SEPs on FRAND terms has been made, and also that the patents were invalid. French high-tech group operating globally: Advising on drafting internal policies for protecting inventions carried out by trainees or third parties. Leading modem manufacturer: Advising on partnership agreements to facilitate market adoption of new technologies. Medical device manufacturer: Representing in an alternative dispute resolution further to a patent infringement action brought before French courts. US veterinary company: Representing before French courts in connection with the launch of a generic drug on the French market. Global healthcare player: Representing before French courts in connection with infringement seizure proceedings followed by a main action and IP proceedings on a biosimilar formulation patent. UK pharmaceutical company focusing on urological disorders: Representing before the Court of Appeal against a decision of the French PTO rejecting an SPC application. Swiss multinational biopharmaceutical company: Assisting with the strategy to avoid infringement actions in Europe. One of the global leaders in generic and biopharmaceutical treatments: Representing before French courts and advising in connection with several patent litigations (invalidity and infringement). French worldwide leader in cosmetics: Advising on trademark issues regarding the acquisition of a competitor business. Japanese automotive manufacturer: Advising on trademark, design and copyright issues. Company operating internationally in the clinical healthcare software sector: Advising on the submission of a firm offer and launch of an exclusive agreement to acquire part of the healthcare software business. European multinational aerospace group: Advising on R&D agreements. International hotel group: Advising on IP license agreements. Recognition WIPR Leaders 2021: Loïc is recognized as “Patent Leader - France”. MIP IP Stars 2020/2021: Loïc is recognized as a "Rising Star". Legal 500 EMEA: Loïc is recognized as a "Standout practitioner", Tier 1, in the "Intellectual Property" category (2019). One market observer comments that Loïc “plays an important role in the team" (2018). Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) 2019: Loïc is recognized as a "Rising Star" in the "Intellectual Property" category. Insights Co-author, "Private Acquisitions: Intellectual Property Issues (France)", Practical Law, June 1, 2021 “French Court of Appeal SPC decision raises validity concerns,” IAM Media, October 2020 “Protection of a slogan as a trademark, beware of headache,” Passle, September 2020 Co-author, “Compulsory licensing and new provisions affecting IP holders during the coronavirus crisis in France and globally,” Passle, April 2020 Co-author, “Evolution of IP Protection for Artificial Intelligence in France,” Lexology, January 2020 Activities and Affiliations Presentations Lecturer, Intellectual Property Law, Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux de la cour d'appel de Paris (EFB), since 2017 Memberships Member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) Prior and Present Employment Joined Dentons in 2021 Counsel, Clifford Chance, 2019-2021

A graduate of the ICN, Jean-Marc Petit quickly moved into private practice after his initial experience as an auditor with Deloitte. In 1981, he founded GMP with two partners. The firm developed a French and international client base, offering a full range of traditional integrated services: accounting, payroll and company secretarial support. In 1999, the firm joined the In Extenso network of accountancy firms, part of the Deloitte group. During this period, the firm consolidated its expertise in dealing with international clients and extended its range of services to include the outsourcing of the accounting function of larger groups and assistance in the implementation of IT solutions and management reporting and information systems. In May 2008, Jean-Marc took his firm out of the Deloitte network and founded Fi.Solutions. He is in charge of business development and personally supervises a number of consulting and audit engagements for the firm’s French and international clients. In January 2023, ECOVIS Fi.Solutions joins the Compagnie Fiduciaire, a group of companies with a wide range of expertise and around 1000 employees and partners.

MCE CARREL is a distinctive boutique law firm within the French legal landscape, combining deep sector expertise with a strategic, innovation-driven approach that aligns closely with the needs of high-growth, technology-focused clients. Established in 2014 by Alexandra Carrel, the firm has evolved from its origins as Cabinet Carrel into an internationally connected practice, reflecting both the trajectory of its founder and the increasingly global ambitions of its client base. Its positioning today is firmly anchored in IP, life sciences and digital innovation – areas in which the firm has cultivated both technical fluency and commercial acuity. The firm’s philosophy is rooted in a “made-to-measure strategic, business approach”, which distinguishes it from more traditional legal service providers. Rather than offering isolated legal advice, MCE CARREL operates as a partner in innovation, advising clients across the entire life cycle of their technologies – from early-stage R&D through to commercialisation, licensing and eventual exit strategies.  Its practice encompasses corporate and M&A transactions, private equity and venture capital investments, tax law, labour law, commercial law and litigation. This combination of highly specialised expertise and complementary legal services enables the firm to support clients throughout the entire life cycle of their businesses, investments and personal projects. Today, MCE CARREL is particularly recognised for its integrated approach to innovation-driven industries. Rather than treating IP as a standalone discipline, the firm combines IP, corporate, commercial, regulatory and transactional expertise to provide comprehensive advice tailored to the business objectives of its clients. This multidisciplinary approach is especially valuable in sectors where innovation constitutes the principal source of value creation and competitive advantage.  At the heart of the firm's innovation and IP practice is Alexandra Carrel. With more than two decades of experience, she brings a rare combination of legal, scientific and commercial expertise. Her background includes senior positions in leading international law firms, as well as serving as General Counsel and Secretary General of Inserm Transfert, the technology transfer arm of the French National Institute of Health & Medical Research. This unique experience has provided her with a deep understanding of IP not merely as a legal asset, but as a strategic driver of innovation, investment, collaboration and business growth. Alexandra's expertise is particularly pronounced in the life sciences, energy and technology sectors, where she advises clients on the protection, development and commercialisation of innovative products and technologies, including pharma, biotechnology platforms, medical devices, digital health solutions, batteries, new materials, energy storage systems, clean technologies and technologies supporting the energy transition. Her practice also encompasses data governance, data management, AI and digital innovation, with a particular focus on the legal and strategic issues arising from the generation, sharing, protection and exploitation of data in research-intensive and technology-driven industries. Qualified in both French and Swiss law, and familiar with American legal frameworks and market practices, Alexandra is particularly well positioned to assist clients in cross-border transactions and international collaborations. Her ability to bridge legal systems, scientific environments and business cultures is particularly valued by clients operating in highly regulated and innovation-driven sectors. Alexandra has developed particular expertise in assisting innovative companies across the complete gamut of innovation – from early-stage research and technology transfer through financing rounds, strategic partnerships and commercial scale-up, including the renegotiation of legacy agreements where IP rights and future economic interests must be carefully balanced. A significant aspect of her practice consists of helping clients develop IP strategies aligned with their long-term business objectives, whether the objective is to retain control over core technologies, establish collaborative development models or leverage IP assets in fundraising and M&A transactions. Alexandra provides commercially focused advice grounded in a deep understanding of both legal and business considerations. Her work frequently involves structuring complex collaborations between industry, academic institutions and research organisations. She regularly advises on technology transfer, product manufacturing and industrialisation, out-licensing, cross-licensing and co-development transactions, data-sharing frameworks, strategic alliances and joint ventures. These operations often involve sophisticated arrangements related to IP ownership, future developments, governance structures, revenue sharing mechanisms and commercialisation rights. In addition to her advisory work, Alexandra is actively involved in knowledge dissemination and capacity building. She regularly delivers training programmes and seminars on IP, innovation management and technology transfer in both France and Switzerland, contributing to the development of best practices within the innovation ecosystem. Committed to delivering pragmatic and cost-effective legal solutions, Alexandra and her team actively leverage advanced legal technologies and AI tools to streamline legal processes, enhance efficiency and reduce legal costs for clients, while maintaining the high level of legal analysis, judgement and strategic advice required for intricate and high-value matters. This combination of sector expertise, technological innovation and commercial awareness allows her to support clients facing increasingly complex legal and strategic challenges in fast-evolving industries.