Bignon Lebray

Partner, Corporate law

Partner, Corporate law

Neil Robertson’s main practice is in the field of business law, including, cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity, investments in private equity funds, capital investment, foreign investments in France and contract law.

Neil also  has significant experience of employment law, sports law, television licensed broadcaster agreements, real estate and banking, as well as litigation before the French courts.

Neil has worked extensively in the wine and spirits sector, for both private and public companies, and has advised clients involved in the cosmetics, perfume, media and television sectors, including on the following transactions:

A media group on the acquisition of music festivals Toulouse professional rugby players before the EPCR disciplinary commission The aircraft maintenance group, Satys on the acquisition of Air Livery Ltd An investment in Ynsect by a Chinese fund The sale of cognac Bisquit by the South African Groupe Distell to Campari The shareholders of digital web agency, Altima, on the sale of the group to Accenture The acquisition of French listed companies Belvedère and Marie Brizard The building of a golf course in Maisons Laffitte The acquisition of Brive Rugby Club (CABCL) An Indian company on the acquisition of a French safety footwear manufacturer A French company on the merger of its subsidiary with another group in order to create the biggest golf course operator in France A Caribbean conglomerate on the sale of ChateauOnline (on-line wine sales) to 1855 A French real estate services company on the acquisition of a UK company A UK fund on the sale of Clyde Union Pumps to an American public company A US company on the acquisition of Prince Sports A French subsidiary of KKR and DLJ on the acquisition of a specialised printing company in France The sale of Cognac Hine by way of an auction sale process A company based in the Caribbean, on the sale of a distributor of wines and spirits A foreign investor on the sale of its French property portfolio The merger of two major players in the fragrance and cosmetics sampling sector A foreign investor in French real estate on potential bankruptcy issues and refinancing of its loans from a German bank Negotiation of the Licensed Broadcaster Agreement for the Rugby World Cup on behalf of a French broadcaster

CAREER

1994-2016: Partner, CBR & Associés, Paris 1990-1994 : Coudert Frères, Paris 1985-1990 : Ashurst, London

French, English

Neil is director of CA Brive (cabrive-rugby.com), and a the Founder and Chairman of Golf de Maisons-Laffitte (golfml.com).

1992 : Admitted to the Paris Bar 1987 : Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales 1981 : Guildford College of Law, United Kingdom 1981-1983 : Durham University, United Kingdom, BA Hons, Law 1973-1980 : Fettes College, Edinburgh