Diane Lamarche
Biography
“She is a smart lawyer and is really good at navigating corporate situations.”
“Diane Lamarche frequently acts for private individuals, investment funds and corporates on commercial and shareholder disputes. One impressed market source reports: ‘She is one of the toughest opponents I have ever faced.’”
Overview
Diane Lamarche is a partner in the Commercial Litigation practice of White & Case in Paris.
Diane has extensive expertise in private and public M&A litigation, with a focus in securities, commercial and corporate law. She mainly acts for major French and foreign companies before the French courts (civil, commercial and criminal) and regulators (such as the AMF). She also assists her clients before foreign jurisdictions and arbitration panels.
Diane's focus is on high-end litigation for clients operating in a wide variety of sectors such as notably private equity funds, financial institutions, industrial firms and technology companies.
Diane has also developed a notable expertise in corporate governance of listed companies. In this field, she advises corporate officers and board members and defends them when they are subject to liability and disciplinary proceedings.
In addition, Diane has a strong expertise in assisting private equity funds in the defense of their shareholders’ rights and on general corporate transactions. She also advises leading listed and non-listed companies on financial and securities transactions and on the negotiation of complex agreements.
Graduated both in finance and law, Diane trained in investment banks (within the M&A department of Lazard in London and the Equity Capital Markets department of HSBC in Paris) and in international business law firms.
Diane is member of the Board of the French American Foundation and of the Paris Committee of Human Rights Watch.
Experience
Litigation
Assisting Amber Capital on the management of its minority stakes in Lagardère and the implementation of its shareholder rights since 2016.
Representing Alec Wildenstein Jr, heir of the internationally renowned art collector family, with numerous civil, tax and criminal French proceedings in which he is involved alongside his sister Diane and uncle Guy Wildenstein, following the deaths of his grandfather Daniel in 2001 and his father Alec Sr. in 2008.
Assisting Deloitte in complex litigations with former partners.
Assisting Groupe Rocca in the context of several disputes.
Assisting Mrs Cristiana Crociani and her husband in a dispute against her sister, Princess Camilla de Bourbon des Deux-Siciles, over the benefit of a family Trust for c. $ 120 million.
Assisting a group of lenders of the Comexposium group in several proceedings following the opening of safeguard proceedings against four Comexposium companies and the adoption of safeguard plans in violation of the lenders' rights.
Assisting SMCP (Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot), a French listed company, in a conflict opposing its former majority shareholder and its new majority shareholder.
Defense of a former director of Toys'R'Us (France) sued by the judicial liquidators of the company to cover an alleged insufficiency of assets of the Company following its judicial liquidation.
Assisting four shareholders of the holding company EJ Barbier, a family-owned company holding a majority stake in the listed company EPC, in proceedings launched by the activist fund Candel & Partners.
Assisting Kresk Developpement in a dispute against the Class Ultim 32/23 regarding the participation of François Gabart and the "Defi SVR-Lazartigue" to the 2022 Route du Rhum.
Assisting Oaktree in the implementation of its securities over French real-estate company Trimax.
Assisting Skello and its shareholders in the context of a dispute with a former director.
Representing Hydranautics in commercial litigations with industrial partners.
Assisting the former directors of EPC Group against a minority shareholder.
Assisting Voodoo in the context of a litigation against former partner and competitor.
Assisting former owners and directors of Dufour Yachts in the context of post-acquisition disputes.
Assisting former shareholders of CMG Sports Club in the context of post-acquisition disputes.
Assisting a leading Financial Institution in a dispute against technology partners.
M&A / Corporate
Representation of Metafore, a creator of high-end venues for meetings and events, in its €15 million financing round to develop its hospitality offer.
Representation of Europcar Mobility Group (Europcar) shareholders Centerbridge Partners, CarVal Investors, Marathon Asset Management and Diameter Capital Partners individually on the tender offer for Europcar by a consortium composed of Volkswagen Group, Attestor Capital and Pon Holdings.
Assisting Elliott Advisors, Amber Capital, Davidson Kempner and Farallon on various investments in French listed companies.
Assisting Deloitte in connection with the sale of In Extenso and with governance issues.
Representation of Otium Capital in connection with the acquisition of Birchbox France.
Representation of Arianee, global specialist in the digital certification of valuables, as well as its founders and two of its main shareholders, Bpifrance and ISAI, in connection with its $20 million Series A financing round.
Representation of Arianee in its initial €8 million financing round to develop its technology and digitize the fashion and luxury industry.
Representation of several listed companies and family group in connection with governance issues.
Representation of fast-growth companies and funds in fundraisings and corporate transactions.
Recognized as "Leading lawyer" by Chambers Global & Europe 2024 for Litigation:Elite in France:
"Diane has superior intelligence and strategic vision."
"I really trust Diane and her judgement."
"She is a smart lawyer and is really good at navigating corporate situations."
Listed as "One of the 'Top 40 lawyers of the French CAC" by Forbes France / Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires (LJA) 2022 & 2023
Recognized as "Leading individual" by Legal 500 EMEA 2023 for Litigation and Stock-market Litigation in France:
"Diane Lamarche: very dynamic and efficient."
Recognized as "Securities Litigator of the Year" at the Women in Business Law Awards 2022
Ranked among the 25 "Rising Stars - Europe's Best Up-and-Coming Female Lawyers" by Law.com 2021
Recognized as "Young Leader" by the French China Foundation 2020
