Professional conduct

Legal professional privilege is general, absolute and unlimited in time (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971; Article 2 of the RIN). It covers consultations, correspondence, documents and all information received, from the very first exchange, whether or not an engagement is concluded. The firm never comments on its matters or on the identity of its clients. The illustrations published on this website are anonymised and cannot be used to identify any real situation.

The lawyer practises in complete independence, with regard to clients and authorities alike. Every enquiry is subject to a prior conflict-of-interest check (Article 4 of the RIN), including where the firm acts in support of a correspondent firm. The firm may decline an engagement, without having to give reasons beyond what the rules of professional conduct require.

The firm accepts a limited number of engagements so as to guarantee the founder's personal involvement, the availability that exceptional situations demand and the quality of the analysis. Every request receives a reply.

In accordance with Article 10 of the Law of 31 December 1971 and Article 11 of the RIN, every assignment is the subject of a prior written fee agreement, save in situations of urgency or force majeure. Fees are set in accordance with established practice, having regard to the difficulty of the matter, the work involved, the strategic and international character of the case and the client's circumstances. No fee may be set solely by reference to the judicial outcome (the pacte de quota litis is prohibited); an additional success fee may be agreed in writing. See The Engagement.

The lawyer is bound by a duty of best endeavours. No information on this website constitutes a promise or guarantee of any outcome. The analyses published describe mechanisms and legal remedies; their outcome depends on the facts of each situation, the courts seised and factors beyond the firm's control.

This website constitutes professional communication within the meaning of Article 10 of the RIN: truthful information about areas of competence, no comparative or disparaging statements, no non-compliant personalised solicitation, and compliance with the rules of the profession. The academic and international positions mentioned are stated for biographical purposes and imply no mandate to represent any international organisation and no institutional endorsement. Quotations are reproduced with the agreement of their authors.

In the cases provided for by the French Monetary and Financial Code (Articles L. 561-2 et seq.), the firm carries out the required identity and know-your-client checks, in compliance with legal professional privilege and the exceptions specific to litigation and legal advisory activities.

Any difficulty relating to the performance of an engagement may be brought to the firm's attention at global@hennebel.legal. Fee disputes fall within the jurisdiction of the Bâtonnier of the Aix-en-Provence Bar, under the procedure laid down in Articles 174 et seq. of the Decree of 27 November 1991. The firm also informs its consumer clients that they may have recourse to the consumer mediator for the legal profession (mediateur-consommation-avocat.fr).