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French heritage
International
ambition

Founded in 1972, DS Avocats reflects an extraordinary team adventure unfolding across four continents.

Forward-thinking and adventurous by nature, DS Avocats was among the first French law firms to open offices in jurisdictions that were still considered “emerging” at the time, but that are now true engines of the global economy and international transaction hubs.

DS Avocats was, in particular, the first French law firm to open an office in China in 1986. For more than 30 years, the firm has been building an experienced and perfectly bilingual team dedicated to supporting French and international clients enter the market and develop their businesses in China and Asia.

Committed to its strategy of being a global French law firm, DS Avocats continued to extend its practice to new regions, in particular North America (Canada) and South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru) as well as to Africa (Senegal), while reinforcing its presence in Europe (Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium).

The firm has also adopted a decentralised model: its offices are based locally and work together with the international Desks to provide efficient and innovative assistance to clients with all their expansion and development projects across the world.

Today, DS Avocats has about 400 legal professionals, including lawyers and other legal practitioners, and has developed a dual expertise in transactional and contentious matters in all areas of business law.

The values of DS Avocats - excellence, availability, agility, international mindset - are at the heart of the commitment we make to our clients.

Governance of DS Avocats

The governance of the law firm DS Avocats is structured for a long-term development strategy.

PRESIDENT
General Secretary
  • Thierry Carlier

Corporate Secretary DS Group
Administrative and Financial Director
  • Christophe Lerays

Executive Director China
  • Andréa Buchin

Tenders
Associate lawyers
Communication
Corporate
Ethics
Billing
Finance
IT
Quality
HR / Employees
DS Parcours (Knowledge)
Pro Bono
CSR
PRESIDENT
Administration
General Secretary
  • Thierry Carlier

Corporate Secretary DS Group
Administrative and Financial Director
  • Christophe Lerays

Executive Director China
  • Andréa Buchin

Missions
Tenders
Associate lawyers
Communication
Corporate
Ethics
Billing
Finance
IT
Quality
HR / Employees
DS Parcours (Knowledge)
Pro Bono
CSR
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RSE commitments

At DS Avocats, we understood a long time ago that our sense of responsibility must match the trust our clients, associates and partners across the globe place in us.

Our legal practice is guided by the principles of ethics, solidarity and respect for the environment. These are translated into tangible objectives in DS Avocats’ 2025 Strategic Development Plan and are the central thread of our reflection and actions on corporate social and environmental responsibility.

A member of the Global Compact since 2015, our corporate social and environmental commitment actively contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is centered on three pillars :

1. Environmental – complying with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the fight against the loss of biodiversity and the depletion of natural resources ;

2. Social – favouring an engaged HR policy that focuses on diversity, equality and equal training of men and women at DS Avocats ;

3. Economic – developing the pro bono practice.

 

 

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Pro Bono

Our pro bono investment is deeply rooted in our corporate and environmental responsibility. This renewed commitment to serving the public interest is based on the fundamental values of the practice of law.

In every country where we are based, our lawyers contribute, both individually and collectively, to public interest and community projects by, for example, providing free legal support to ensure equal access to justice for all and sponsoring youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

DS Avocats is a member of the Alliance of Lawyers for Human Rights (AADH), which provides free and confidential legal advice to organisations, associations and institutions that protect human and environmental rights.

The firm also supports Planète Urgence, an NGO that works to protect forests and biodiversity.

 

 

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We law you

DS invents We Law You.
The first competition proposed by
a law firm for start-ups.

Find money, partners, a support structure, a roof ?
Manage partners, co-workers, taxes, conflicts ?
Mastering business relations ?
Yes, it is possible !

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Activities

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Articles

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Events

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