Four female arbitration and litigation specialists have formed a new disputes boutique firm in Paris.

Medici Law, which according to one of the partners opened for business on Monday, was founded by Marie-Laure Bizeau, Valence Borgia, Caroline Duclercq and Delphine Pujos, who will share duties as partners.

All bring extensive experience with major law firms and in international arbitration, and a commitment to pro bono work and supporting social causes.

Borgia comes from K&L Gates, where she practiced for 11 years in litigation and arbitration, rising to counsel. She also had stints at Eversheds Sutherland and was a trainee at Shearman & Sterling.

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Pujos, who had her own firm, practised previously at Linklaters and at Debevoise & Plimpton, while Bizeau comes from arbitration specialist Derains & Gharavi International, where she practiced for 11 years, rising to partner.

Duclercq comes from Altana, where she was a partner for eight years, after also practising at Derains Gharavi.

“We grew up together, professionally, and have wanted for a long time to create our dream firm: one where we could choose our partners, choose how we serve our clients, and bring a flexibility and an agility to arbitration practice,” Borgia said.

Their plans became more concrete toward the end of 2019, well before the COVID-19 crisis emerged, Borgia said.

She believes that Medici’s approach would be particularly well-timed now as companies confront their need for conflict resolution against the backdrop of the global pandemic.

“We can make the process lighter and less cumbersome for companies,” she said, noting that she and Duclercq created a professional group, Wake Up Arbitration, seven years ago to study how the practice could evolve.

The partners propose to donate 10% of their fees, subject to prior client consent, to an endowment fund for organizations that work for equal opportunity and against discrimination and violence.

“In the coming months and years, we will be very busy with the firm and client work, so we will have less time for pro bono,” Borgia said. “The fund is one way we can continue to contribute.”

In France, lawyers have been slowly returning to work as the nation lifts lockdown restrictions. https://www.law.com/international-edition/2020/06/10/disputes-specialists-launch-all-women-paris-boutique/?slreturn=20200511040008

https://www.law.com/international-edition/2020/06/10/disputes-specialists-launch-all-women-paris-boutique/

https://www.magazine-decideurs.com/news/medici-avocats-un-clan-dedie-au-contentieux-et-a-l-arbitrage

https://www.lemondedudroit.fr/vie-des-cabinets/70286-cabinet-medici.html

Four women disputes lawyers, all with strong international law experience, have combined forces to set up Paris-based litigation and arbitration boutique Medici Law Firm.

The four partners — Marie-Laure Bizeau, Valence Borgia, Caroline Duclercq and Delphine Pujos — said in a statement they would work within an innovative and flexible structure.

They have also promised to donate 10% of client fees, by prior agreement, to an endowment fund which will promote equality, address gender-based violence and campaign against discrimination.

'We have the will to embody the values of excellence, efficiency, enthusiasm and ethical commitment,' they said, adding that they aimed to turn litigation risk into an advantage.

Bizeau began her career with Lazareff Law Firm — now Lazareff Le Bars — and worked at Derains & Gharavi for more than 11 years, including as a partner from 2018 to 2020.

With more than 17 years of experience in international arbitration, both as counsel and as an arbitrator, she has worked across cases heard in all the major arbitration institutions, including the ICC’s International Court of Arbitration, which is based in Paris, as well as in investment arbitration proceedings. 

Duclercq spent eight years at Altana, working as both counsel and as an arbitrator. Her practice includes complex construction and engineering proceedings and she has experience with both common law and civil law disputes.

She is active in the French Arbitration Association, serving on its council, and in the ICC, where she is part of the French delegation. 

Borgia is formerly of K&L Gates, where she was a counsel. She is a member of the Paris Bar Council and has also been active in civil litigation associations and in arbitral circles. She has a strong track record conducting pro bono work in the diversity and inclusion arena.

Her practice covers disputes in the energy, transport, aeronautics, media, agri-food, recycling and infrastructure industries and includes Africa-related disputes; Paris is a hub for Francophone dispute resolution for French and African counterparties.

Pujos has more than 15 years’ experience in commercial litigation and international arbitration. She joins the boutique after running her own law practice for two years. Before that she worked at the Paris office of Linklaters as a counsel for nearly ten years, having initially qualified as an M&A lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton. 

Pujos has recently supported the development of mediation initiatives to resolve potential Covid-19 disputes, led by trade association Paris Place de Droit and supported by the Paris Bar, senior corporate counsel network the Cercle Montesquieu and the association of French in-house lawyers AFJE, all under the aegis of the Paris Commercial Court.

https://www.globallegalpost.com/big-stories/all-women-international-disputes-boutique-opens-in-paris-92529375/

COVID-19: Delphine Pujos is one of the third-party conciliators of the business support platform launched within the framework of Paris Place de Droit by the Paris Bar, the Cercle Montesquieu and the AFJE under the aegis of the Paris Commercial Court. It is a confidential and rapid mechanism to help companies resolve potentially contentious commercial situations amicably.

Publication - May 2020 - Journal Spécial des Sociétés - Interview with Valencia Borgia, a woman lawyer committed to professional equality.

Conference - April 2020 - Caroline Duclercq spoke at the conference organized by the Swiss Chinese Law Association on "Third Party Funding in Arbitration" with a particular focus on the consequences of COVID-19 and the financing of future litigation/arbitration.

Training - April 2020 - Caroline Duclercq spoke at the EIMA training course (International School of Alternative Dispute Resolution), in particular on the different phases of an arbitration procedure.

Marie-Laure Bizeau spoke on the topic of "protection in arbitration proceedings" at the conference "The protection of the weaker party and the impecunious party in arbitration (allowing better access to arbitral justice)", organized by the Paris Bar Association and the European Court of Arbitration, which took place on December 18, 2019.