Catherine Saint Geniest and Karl Hepp de Sevelinges have been nominated co-managing partners, both for a 3-year mandate as part of a new ‘executive committee’ replacing the Management Board. The executive committee will be assisted in its daily management tasks by a general secretary appointed last autumn.

Five generations

The co-managing partners are taking over from Lorraine Donnedieu de Vabres, Thierry Brun and Philippe Portier, who had managed the firm for several successive mandates. A board of partners has also been elected to define overall strategy and managing the relationship between the firm's partners. A statement says the co-managing partners will be ‘reinforcing the firm's vision, maintaining and reinforcing the pillars that have made Jeantet successful for nearly the past 100 years.’ The firms serves a clientele of mainly top-tier French groups, family businesses and groups, but also foreign and international companies. Ms Saint Geniest said, ‘it's a new chapter for our law firm, in keeping with the five generations of lawyers that have been at its helm but also in a spirit of openness allowing us to explore new avenues and take advantage of new opportunities. For the first time in its entire history, the firm will be managed by partners that joined as part of the firm's external growth strategy. Karl and I are grateful to the former management team who has not only ensured the firm's continued success but has also graciously stepped down, an essential proof of trust, for which we also thank the whole partnership.’

Pioneers

The firm, founded in 1924 and based on Avenue Kléber, has been a pioneer among French law firm, creating in 2011 a practice in public affairs and lobbying and positioning itself since 2015 in the digital economy market with a specific service offer and a webzine called DigitLegal. A multidisciplinary Compliance team was added in 2017. Karl Hepp de Sevelinges explained, ‘Jeantet has built its success with its pioneering spirit. As a reminder, it is the first law firm with a clear strategy on offering legal advice to foreign businesses as well as in the field of Economic Law. This attitude drives us to constantly innovate, to have the means to master new challenges as well as anticipating and developing a forward-looking approach for our clients.’