Lionel Lesur

Partner

Lionel Lesur is a partner in our Corporate-M&A and Private Equity departments and the chair of our Antitrust-Competition department. Admitted to the bars of Paris and Rome, he also heads our Italian Desk.

Lionel mainly advises international companies, as well as investment funds across a broad range of industries, including Life Sciences, Fashion & Luxury and Technologies. He has substantial experience negotiating corporate / private M&A transactions (mergers and acquisitions, joint-ventures, minority investments, strategic alliances, etc.) and complex commercial contracts, as well as advising foreign companies seeking to establish and strategically expand their presence in France.

Lionel also has significant experience in French and EU antitrust and competition law, and routinely advises on multi-jurisdictional merger control filings, as well as cartel and abuse of dominance investigations. Lionel’s breadth of experience also includes private enforcement, distribution, compliance and FDI screening issues.

He regularly lectures on M&A and competition law at leading French universities and business schools, such as Aix-Marseille University and Paris II Panthéon-Assas University, as well as ESCP Business School, and is an active member of the IBA and AIJA.

WHAT THEY SAY
  • Quoted in Best Lawyers in France 2024 Guide
  • Who’s Who Legal 2023: Lionel Lesur is recognized as “National Leader” in “Competition
  • Legal 500 EMEA 2024: Lionel Lesur is quoted in the categories Mergers & Acquisitions et Private Equity: LBO
    ‘Super competent, brilliant team, very attentive, fully supportive. ’
    ‘They are very pro-active and available. ’
    ‘Lionel Lesur is a very supportive and trusted advisor. ’
    ‘Responsive and deal makers.’
    ‘The team is solid and competent. Fast and clear.’
    ‘Very agile team and very focused on the specific issues of its clients, beyond the deal itself. Real relationship-building approach with a desire to help.’
    ‘Multi-disciplinary, committed, reliable, responsive and of good quality for intermediate-sized M&A files or legal due diligence. Quality service provided.’
    ‘Lionel Lesur – good perspective, ability to find solutions to problems, does not hesitate to give an opinion.’
  • Option Droit & Affaires 2024: Lionel Lesur is quoted in the category Equity development and LBOs, the majority of which involve companies with less than €50 million in assets (3 stars)
  • Leaders League 2024 – Silver award « Mergers & acquisitions – Mid to large »
  • Leaders League 2023: Lionel Lesur is ranked in the “Transactions between €75m and €500m” (Excellent) and “Merger Control” (Excellent) categories of the Mergers & Acquisitions Guide
  • Leaders League 2023: Lionel Lesur is ranked in the categories “Antitrust & Anticompetitive Practices” (Excellent), “Merger Control” (Excellent) and “Distribution Law and Restrictive Practices” (Reputed Practice) of the Litigation & Arbitration Guide
  • Leaders League 2023: Lionel Lesur is ranked in the “Mid-cap LBO transactions ” (Excellent) categorie of the Private Equity Guide
  • Leaders League 2023: Lionel Lesur is ranked in the categories “E-Health” (Highly recommended), “Capital, joint venture, and corporate transactions” (Highly recommended) and “Regulatory law” (Highly recommended) of the Healthcare, pharmaceuticals & biotech Guide
  • Option Droit & Affaires 2023: Lionel Lesur is quoted among the leading firms for M&A deals under 200 million euros ranking (4 stars)
Education
  • HEC Paris : School of Management
  • CEMS (Community of European Management School) : Master in International Management
  • University of Paris-Nanterre : Postgraduate degree (DEA) in European and International Business Law
  • University of Paris XI – Sceaux : Postgraduate degree (DESS) in Business Law
  • University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas : B.A (Maîtrise) in Tax and Business law