The 10 Best English-Speaking Law Firms in Paris (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 10 picks

The best English-speaking law firms in Paris in 2026 include Gide and August Debouzy for business law, Charles Russell Speechlys for private clients and family wealth, Syntaxe for international personal tax, and DBO Avocats and Cabinet Ancel for divorce and international family law. Avi Bitton is a leading employee-side employment firm, and Kohen Avocats handles property disputes.

How we chose

These are law firms, so this list is held to a higher bar than a restaurant round-up. Every firm here is a currently operating Paris practice with its own website and office, a clear stated focus, and evidence on its own site that it works in English or with international clients. We mixed large firms with smaller practices that take on individuals. Nobody paid to be included and there are no affiliate links on this page.

We do not rank lawyers by outcome, fee or 'best' in any legal sense, and nothing here is legal advice. Treat it as a shortlist to start from.

Check any avocat before you hire them: every lawyer practicing in Paris is listed by the Paris Bar in the Barreau de Paris directory, and lawyers across France are in the Conseil National des Barreaux (CNB) directory, which also shows any certified specialisms.

In France the lawyer (avocat) advises and goes to court, while the notaire, a separate public official, handles property sales, marriage contracts and estates. Most expats need an avocat for an employment dispute, a divorce, a business set-up, a tax question or a contested inheritance, and a notaire for anything involving buying a home or settling an estate.

1. Gide Loyrette Nouel — Saint-Augustin (8th)

One of France's largest independent international law firms, founded in Paris in 1920.

Specialty Corporate, banking, tax, employment, real estate, litigationBest for Companies, investors, executives and international groups

Gide is one of the founding names of international law in France. It was set up in Paris in 1920, has offices across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and works daily in English on cross-border deals, disputes and regulatory matters.

It is primarily a business firm, so it suits companies setting up or investing in France, and senior executives with complex employment or tax questions, rather than routine personal matters.

Good to know: Large firms bill hourly; for a personal matter, ask whether a smaller specialist on this list would be more cost-effective.

15 rue de Laborde, 75008 Paris

Google Maps Website

2. August Debouzy — Parc Monceau (8th)

A leading independent French business firm with a strong employment and tax bench.

Specialty Corporate, employment, tax, IP, litigation, public lawBest for Companies, founders, investors and senior executives

August Debouzy is one of the best-known independent French law firms, built on business law and known in particular for employment, intellectual property, tax and disputes. Its English-language website reflects a large international client base.

It suits foreign companies opening a French subsidiary, founders raising money, and executives negotiating a departure from a French employer.

Good to know: Its offices are on rue de Téhéran near Parc Monceau; meetings are by appointment.

7 rue de Téhéran, 75008 Paris

Google Maps Website

3. Charles Russell Speechlys — Étoile (8th)

A London-headquartered firm whose Paris office focuses on business owners, families and private wealth.

Specialty Private client, tax, corporate, disputesBest for Families, business owners, private investors and family groups

Charles Russell Speechlys is a UK-based international firm, and its Paris office near the Arc de Triomphe combines legal and tax advice for companies, investors and families. The office highlights structuring private and business wealth for owners and family groups, alongside cross-border corporate work and disputes.

For British and other international families with assets in France and abroad, the combination of French lawyers and a home office in London is the main draw.

Good to know: If your question also involves UK law, ask for the Paris and London teams to be on the same call from the start.

41 avenue de Friedland, 75008 Paris

Google Maps Website

4. Syntaxe Avocats — Saint-Germain (7th)

A tax boutique covering business tax and the international tax affairs of private clients, in French and English.

Specialty Personal and business tax, international private-client tax, tax auditsBest for Executives, business owners and internationally mobile individuals

Syntaxe is a Paris law firm that does only tax, for businesses and for individuals. Its practice includes the personal taxation of company directors, international tax for private clients, and defending clients in French tax audits and disputes.

The firm states that it works fluently in French and English. It is a good fit for someone arriving in France with investments, a company or pension rights abroad who wants to understand their French tax position before the first return.

Good to know: Bring your last tax returns from your home country to the first meeting; it speeds up the analysis.

262 boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris

Google Maps Website

5. DBO Avocats — Latin Quarter (5th)

A family and estates firm founded in 2005 with a dedicated international families practice.

Specialty Divorce, children, successions, international family lawBest for Couples, parents and families with ties to more than one country

DBO Avocats practices only family and estate law, from its offices in Paris and Bordeaux. Its work covers couples and divorce, children, family wealth, successions, the protection of vulnerable adults, and mediation.

It has a specific practice in international private family law: marriages, divorces and estates that involve more than one country, which is exactly where expat cases tend to get complicated.

Good to know: In a cross-border separation, contact a lawyer early: which country's court is seized first can matter.

15 rue Gay-Lussac, 75005 Paris

Google Maps Website

6. Cabinet Ancel — Châtelet (1st)

Bruno Ancel's family-law practice, handling amicable, contested and international divorces.

Specialty Divorce, international divorce, child custody, recognition of foreign judgmentsBest for Individuals and parents, including international couples

Cabinet Ancel is built around Maître Bruno Ancel and concentrates on family law: amicable and contested divorces, international divorces, child custody and residence, spousal support, and enforcing foreign judgments in France (exequatur).

The site has an English version with English-language client reviews, and the practice is listed on the Australian Embassy's list of lawyers in France for international divorce and child custody.

Good to know: If you already have a divorce or custody order from another country, ask specifically about having it recognized in France.

11 boulevard de Sébastopol, 75001 Paris

Google Maps Website

7. Avi Bitton Avocats — Tuileries (1st)

An employee-side employment firm that has advised thousands of managers and executives.

Specialty Employment law: dismissal, negotiated exits, harassment, stock optionsBest for Employees, managers and expatriate executives

Avi Bitton Avocats is a labor law firm of about 14 lawyers that mainly represents employees, especially managers and executives. It handles dismissals, negotiated departures (rupture conventionnelle), harassment and discrimination claims, stock options and cases before the labor tribunal (conseil de prud'hommes).

It lists English, Italian and Portuguese as working languages and works on cases for expatriate executives with links to the US, UK and elsewhere.

Good to know: Do not sign a settlement or rupture conventionnelle before getting advice; there is a short withdrawal period, but it is easy to miss.

10 rue des Pyramides, 75001 Paris

Google Maps Website

8. Kohen Avocats — Wagram (17th)

A property and business law practice that publishes detailed English guides for foreign owners.

Specialty Real estate disputes, leases, co-ownership, construction defects, business lawBest for Owners, landlords, tenants and small businesses

Kohen Avocats, led by Maître Reda Kohen, handles real estate and business law: residential and commercial leases, unpaid rent and evictions, co-ownership disputes, off-plan purchases, construction defects, SCI property companies, and commercial contracts.

Its English-language site includes guides for foreign owners of French property, such as questions of English wills and French succession law. It suits an owner or landlord who has a problem with a property already bought.

Good to know: The office is open by appointment Monday to Saturday.

11 rue Margueritte, 75017 Paris

Google Maps Website

9. Luis Wolff Kono — Passy (16th)

A French-American litigator admitted in Paris, New York and New Jersey.

Specialty Criminal law, residence permits and citizenship, inheritance and contract disputesBest for English-, Portuguese- and French-speaking individuals

Luis Wolff Kono is a Paris-based French-American attorney with some 30 years' experience and admissions in Paris, New York and New Jersey. His practice covers criminal cases, appeals against refused residence permits, French citizenship by descent, inheritance disputes and contract litigation.

He works in English, French and Portuguese, which makes him a practical choice for an American or Brazilian client who needs someone to explain French procedure in their own language.

Good to know: For a refused titre de séjour, appeal deadlines are short; get in touch as soon as you receive the decision.

24 avenue Jules Janin, 75116 Paris

Google Maps Website

10. SVZ — Champs-Élysées / Alma (8th)

A 70-lawyer French business firm with bilingual teams advising foreign companies in France.

Specialty Corporate, M&A, tax, employment, real estate, disputesBest for Foreign companies, funds and management teams

SVZ (Sekri Valentin Zerrouk) is a French business law firm of more than 70 lawyers covering deals, financing, tax, employment, real estate, public law, disputes and restructuring.

It advises foreign companies operating in France and says its lawyers are bilingual or trilingual. It is a solid choice for an international business that wants a full-service French firm without the price tag of the largest names.

Good to know: For a single question, such as an employment contract for your first French hire, ask for a fixed quote.

16 cours Albert 1er, 75008 Paris

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

How much does a lawyer cost in Paris?

Lawyers' fees in France are not fixed by law, but a written fee agreement (convention d'honoraires) is compulsory. It can set an hourly rate, a flat fee or a mix, and a success fee is only allowed on top of a base fee. Hourly rates vary widely between a solo practice and a large international firm, so ask for an estimate for your whole matter at the first meeting.

What is the difference between an avocat and a notaire?

An avocat advises you and represents you in court. A notaire is a public official who drafts and certifies deeds: property sales, mortgages, marriage contracts, gifts and estates must go through one. On a home purchase you deal mainly with the notaire, though some buyers also ask an avocat to review the contract.

How do I check that a French lawyer is registered?

Search the lawyer's name in the Barreau de Paris directory (for Paris) or the CNB national directory. Both show whether the person is a registered avocat, and the CNB directory lists any certified specialisms, such as family law or tax law. Lawyers from other countries can also be registered at the Paris Bar.

How can I find an English-speaking lawyer in Paris?

Many Paris firms work in English, especially in business, tax and family law. Several embassies, including those of the US, UK and Australia, publish lists of English-speaking lawyers in France; the lists are not endorsements but are a useful starting point. Ask at the first call whether the lawyer handling your case, not just the firm, works in English.

Can an international couple divorce in France?

Often, yes, if one of you lives in France or other EU jurisdiction rules point to France. Since 2017 a divorce by mutual consent can be done without a judge, with each spouse represented by their own lawyer and the agreement filed with a notaire, but it is not available in every case and may need extra steps to be recognized abroad. A family lawyer used to cross-border cases will check jurisdiction and which country's law applies first.

1. Gide Loyrette Nouel — Saint-Augustin (8th)

2. August Debouzy — Parc Monceau (8th)

3. Charles Russell Speechlys — Étoile (8th)

4. Syntaxe Avocats — Saint-Germain (7th)

5. DBO Avocats — Latin Quarter (5th)

6. Cabinet Ancel — Châtelet (1st)

7. Avi Bitton Avocats — Tuileries (1st)

8. Kohen Avocats — Wagram (17th)

9. Luis Wolff Kono — Passy (16th)

10. SVZ — Champs-Élysées / Alma (8th)

Frequently asked questions

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