September.03.2018
Orrick announced today that Laurent Olléon left the Conseil d'Etat to join the firm as a partner[i] in our Tax practice, resident in Paris.
Laurent has had a distinguished career over the past twenty years, serving in various roles within the Conseil d'Etat, France’s highest administrative law court. Most recently, he served simultaneously as a senior judge within the court’s ninth chamber focused on tax and energy matters, and as an urgent applications judge, dealing with cases in fields as diverse as labor law and antitrust legislation. Laurent also served for eight years as an advocate general, with dozens of his opinions published in law reviews. In addition, he served as an advisor to several ministries and public agencies, and spent two years as chief of staff of a minister, where he led the conception and drafting of legislative bills and administrative orders.
“Laurent brings a deep understanding of how the French regulatory authorities consider both transactions and disputes based on two decades of distinguished government service. This insight will be invaluable to our French and international clients,” said Anne-Sophie Kerfant, Leader of Orrick’s Paris tax practice.
“We’re delighted that Laurent has chosen to move to private practice and to do so with us. The broad spectrum of his legal experience will be a great addition to our Paris office,” added Patrick Tardivy and Frederic Lalance, Co-Leaders of Orrick’s Paris office.
“It has been an honor to serve in the Conseil d’Etat, and I will greatly miss my colleagues there. Yet, I had the willingness to take on new challenges. It is an honor to join Orrick Rambaud Martel, a firm well-known for providing the highest quality advice on the most important legal and business matters in France,” said Laurent.
An alumni of ENA (Promotion Valmy), HEC Paris and Sciences Po Paris, Laurent is the third member of the Conseil d'Etat to join Orrick, in addition to Patrick Hubert and Noël Chahid-Nouraï.
His arrival continues the growth of Orrick’s 120-lawyer Paris office. Recent additions include prominent French antitrust adviser Patrick Hubert, the former head of Clifford Chance’s Paris Antitrust and Competition Group; tax practitioner Charles Briand from Ernst & Young; and corporate partner Guillaume Kessler, the former head of Olswang’s Paris office.