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Since its founding in 1993, the Debt Finance practice has been at the core of De Pardieu, covering both transactional and regulatory aspects.

One of few law firms with a well-rounded comprehensive practice in Bank Lending, Direct Lending and Sponsor Financing. Our teams advise a wide range of credit institutions, financial institutions, alternative capital providers (debt/equity), sponsors and corporations.

We also regularly advise our clients on banking and insurance regulations.

Our regulatory experts in the Debt Finance practice assist French and international asset management companies, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions and investment funds. De Pardieu has extensive regulatory expertise in banking operations, capital markets and structured finance.

Our Debt Finance practice draws on the expertise of a group of nearly thirty lawyers advising on all types of bank and bond financing while constantly turning to the Firm’s regulatory and restructuring practices.

We are able to assist our clients both in France and in their cross-boder transactions thanks to our network of foreign correspondents made up of leading preferred law firms across the globe.

Banking and financial regulatory
  • Creation and authorisation of regulated banking and financial structures (credit institutions, payment institutions, investment firms, portfolio management companies, etc.)
  • Formation and licensing of mutual funds (OPCVM), securitization funds (BCT) employee savings funds (FCPE, SICAVAS) and real estate funds (OPCI), etc.
  • Commercialization of banking services and provision of services at a European level
  • Market and post-market activities
  • Proceedings before the French regulatory authorities (AMF and ACPR)
Capital Markets & Derivatives

The Firm assists and advises its clients on a full range of capital markets transactions, including:

  • public and private debt and equity securities offerings, as well as complex and hybrid securities issuances (such as subordinated debt and preferred shares),
  • securities lending and repo transactions,
  • credit derivative issuances (options, swaps, warrants, etc.…)
  • euro private placements.

The team advises on both English and French law issues in this practice area.

Transactional financing
  • Syndicated financing
  • Acquisition finance, leveraged finance, unitranche finance (LBOs, public offers, MBOs)
  • Property finance (acquisition and development financing, corporate financing of developers and property companies, preferred share equity, loan to own, NPL, etc.)
  • Project finance / PPP
  • Structured financings (cover bonds, securitizations, project bonds)
Debt Portfolio Acquisition

Latest rankings and awards

Legal 500 EMEA 2025

France > Banking and Finance : Transactional Work (Tier 2)

‘The banking and finance team is recognized for its technical excellence and great commercial acumen.”

“Excellent team in the areas of corporate and real estate financing. Unquestionably the best on the market for midcaps corporate financing.”

 

Legal 500 EMEA 2025

France > Derivatives and structured finance (Tier 3)

 

Chambers & Partners France 2025 – Banking & Finance (Band 2)

“What I like about De Pardieu is that I know if I give the team a matter it will be handled thoroughly. The lawyers negotiate fairly but also in your best interest, and don’t compromise the quality of their work, even in tricky situations.”

IFLR 1000 – Banking (Tiers 2)

Capital markets – equity (Tier 4)

Capital markets – debt (Tier 4)

Capital markets – structured finance and securitisation (Tier 4)

Financial Services regulatory (Tier 3)

LE POINT

Banking law (*****)

Specialist lawyers

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