Patrick Thiébart

Partner

Patrick Thiébart co-heads our Labor and Employment law department.

Patrick advises French and international companies on virtually all labor, employment and HR issues.

He routinely assists clients in the preparation and implementation of workforce reduction plans or corporate restructurings, and in handling all workforce issues in acquisitions, transfers or mergers of listed or unlisted companies.

He represents employers in labor and employment law disputes, including class actions and actions challenging workforce reduction plans.

Patrick is a member of the American Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the European Employment Lawyers Association.

WHAT THEY SAY
  • Best Lawyers 2024: Patrick Thiébart
  • Legal 500 EMEA 2023: Patrick Thiébart is recognized in Employment.
    Franklin has an experienced team, which is regularly instructed by large French and international companies including names in the aviation and telecoms sectors. The team provides the whole range of assistance to clients including dealing with the employment aspects of M&A deals, downsizings and restructuring projects as well as handling litigation. The team also regularly assists clients with compliance work and managing crisis situations such as moral and sexual harassment situations. The practice is co-headed by Patrick Thiébart and Myriam de Gaudusson.
    Testimonials: ‘Good skills and expertise, availability, interpersonal skills.’
  • Chambers Europe 2023 : What the team is known for: Franklin operates an established practice group offering experience in employment issues arising from harassment claims and corporate restructurings, including mass redundancy. The team advises on senior executive departures and working time policies, as well as acting on employment disputes. The firm’s clients stem from a range of industries including technology, travel and automotive.
    Strengths: “The Franklin team are very attentive. When there is an urgent matter, the lawyers move mountains to address the concerns.
  • Option Droit & Affaires 2022: Patrick Thiébart is recognized in the category “PSE and related collective litigations” of the Restructuring ranking
  • Leaders League 2022: Patrick Thiébart is recognized in the categories:
    • Collective bargaining and social relations: Excellent
    • High-risk individual litigation: Excellent
    • Social management of M&As and social audits: Excellent
    • Reorganizations, socials programs, and related litigation: Excellent
    • Compliance program: Excellent
    • Social compliance: Highly recommended
    • Social security: Highly recommended
    • Additional social protection: Highly recommended
    • International investigation and internal investigation: Highly recommended
    • Collective and individual compensation: Recommended
    • Mobility and expatriation: Recommended
    • Representation of senior executives: Recommended
  • Legal 500 EMEA 2022 : Franklin leads both a solid stand-alone practice as well as a busy supporting employment law practice. The team assists a varied client base that includes several retailers and asset management funds and handles a wide range of collective and individual employment work. It regularly manages restructuring and M&A-related work and is increasingly involved alongside managers and investment funds to advise in the context of fundraising transactions, notably on managers’ incentives packages and remuneration matters. Litigation is another area of strength, with the team recently winning a major case that could potentially set a new precedent regarding remuneration paid in dividends. The team’s experience in compliance work and conducting internal investigations are other assets. The very qualified Patrick Thiébart and Myriam de Gaudusson are in charge.
    Testimonials:
    ‘High-level of competence, approach, flexibility, support, speed, attention to details, patience and advice have been the qualities demonstrated along the entire process.’
    ‘The firm supported our group on a strategic and impactful social project, in the context of a particular situation of an urgent nature. The teams have shown great responsiveness and adaptability, while providing us with very high-quality legal and operational advice. Their expertise and perfect knowledge of our business sector have enabled us to complete this complex project, all while preserving the interests of our group.’
    ‘All the people who accompanied us on the employment aspect of the project have shown great professionalism. Beyond their knowledge and skills in their areas of expertise, of which the plurality within the teams constitutes a real asset, they are distinguished by qualities of responsiveness, adaptability, but also human qualities and the ability to listen.’
    ‘High quality of solutions provided to complicated labour law issues.’
  • Chambers Europe 2022 : What the team is known for: Franklin operates an established practice group offering experience in employment issues arising from harassment claims and corporate restructurings, including mass redundancy. The team advises on senior executive departures and working time policies, as well as acting on employment disputes. The firm’s clients stem from a range of industries, including technology, travel and automotive.
    Strengths: Clients describe the lawyers as “creative in the solutions they provided,” further appreciating the network at the firm’s disposal.
  • Legal 500 2021 : The team advises a prominent client base and is already managing a high amount of strategic restructuring projects, including workforce downsizing projects involving several hundreds of employees and site closures. In addition, the practice also offers strong know-how in dealing with sensitive individual litigation, notably in relation to high-level executives, discrimination and sexual harassment files. Compliance advice and remote working issues in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic are also offered.
    Brilliant technique.’
    Patrick Thiébart shows great responsiveness and provides superb practical advice.’
  • Chambers 2021 : What the team is known for: Established practice group offering experience in employment issues arising from harassment claims and corporate restructurings, including mass redundancy. Advises on senior executive departures and working time policies. Also acts on employment disputes. Clients stem from a range of industries, including technology, travel and automotive.
    Patrick Thiébart “always acted swiftly and has great knowledge of the French employment legislation,”reports one client. He has a wealth of experience in employment litigations relating to conflict with trade unions, collective terminations and harassment claims.”
  • Option Droit & Affaires 2021 : Category “PSE and related collective litigations” of the Restructuring ranking
  • Décideurs 2021 :
    • Collective bargaining and labor relations: Excellent
    • Restructuring, redundancy plans and related litigation: Excellent
    • Risky litigation and criminal labor law: Excellent
    • Social management of M&A and social audits: Excellent
    • Representation of executives : Renowned practice
    • Mobility & Expatriation: Reputable practice
    • Enquête internationale et enquête interne : Highly regarded
    • Programme de conformité : Highly regarded
    • Complementary social protection: Highly regarded
    • Collective and individual remuneration: Reputed practice
    • Health, social security & optimization : Reputed practice
Education
  • University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas : Postgraduate Diploma (DEA) in European Law