Public law

Public law is very important in France in view of the core role played by institutional and economic public bodies.

It is often essential to take into account public law standards at national and European level to properly carry out transactions or operations in France, as public authorities are involved in a large share of them in the role as shareholders, contractors or regulators.

Magenta helps clients with all matters relating to public business law and is closely involved in regulated sectors (energy, infrastructure, electronic communications, healthcare, urban and rail transport, audiovisual, etc.).

Magenta has extensive expertise covering all aspects of public law in an advisory and litigation role, combined with in-depth sector-specific and regulatory knowledge:

• Award and performance stages of public contracts (procurement contracts, concessions, public-private partnerships);
• Administrative bodies and administrative decision-making processes, public policies and supporting industrial activities;
• State subsidies and aid;
• Foreign investment control;
• Change and restructuring in the public sector (formation of new public entities, public sector privatisation and so-called respiration, creation of subsidiaries, joint ventures, and structuring of public companies as semi-public companies (SEM) or single-transaction semi-public companies (SEMOP);
• Powers of local authorities;
• Public finance and public finance law;
• Public and private property transactions linked to public estate constraints;
• Legislative and regulatory advice.

Our lawyers act in an advisory and litigation role before all administrative and judicial courts, regulatory authorities (French Transport Regulatory Authority (ART), French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), French Electronic Communications, Postal and Print Media Distribution Regulatory Authority (ARCEP)) and in arbitration proceedings.