Biography
After 26 years practicing in both major international law firms and top tier French law firms, Emmanuèle is one of the founding partners of the Paris office of Signature Litigation. She heads its French Insurance/Reinsurance practice.
Emmanuèle is recognised as a “thought leader” in Who’s Who Thought Leaders 2020. She is also ranked in Who’s Who Legal France: Product Liability Defence 2021, which notes that she “draws recommendations from peers across the EU, the USA and Asia.” Who’s Who Legal also notes Emmanuèle “excels in handling disputes at the intersection of product liability and insurance matters, representing clients from the life sciences sector in litigation and product risk management.” The Product Liability France 2020 Guide highlights Emmanuèle for her “international connections in the market” and her diligent work for insurers in major life-science product liability cases. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Emmanuèle as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for insurance and notes she is “very renowned in the insurance sector“. The Legal 500 also ranks the insurance and reinsurance litigation practice very highly in Paris, and also notes the department “unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators“.
Emmanuèle’s practice focuses on insurance and reinsurance litigation and claims management. She advises leading insurance companies both regarding policy wording and coverage issues. She is also regularly involved in reinsurance litigation. She has been involved in some of the most important product liability cases on behalf of insurers and reinsurers, for instance in the life sciences (medical devices) industry. In this respect, she has developed a specific experience in complex expert-appraisal proceedings and industrial risks investigations.
Emmanuèle also acts in sensitive construction and real estate litigation. In particular, she advises national and international construction companies on post-contract advice for operational legal risk management, claims and disputes.
She assists her clients with pre-litigation and litigation procedures, court-ordered expert proceedings and enforcement actions. She is also involved in ADR.
Emmanuèle has served as International Vice President on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) for three years (2014 – 2017). Previously, and within the same organisation, she had served as Chair of the International Committee and of the Continuing Education Committee for several years.
Emmanuèle is a member of AJAR (Association des Juristes d’Assurance et de Réassurance). She is the author and co-author of numerous domestic and international publications.
Experience
- Advising a leading French insurer, covering a French breast implants manufacturer and involving worldwide (Argentina, UK, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Italy) personal injury cases as well as class actions. Steering the international team of local lawyers and setting up of the global strategy to deny coverage.
- Advising a leading German insurer, covering a leading French engineering company in a dispute arising from a machinery damage resulting from the explosion of a gas turbine in a waste treatment facility in Spain. Managing arbitration proceedings for a claim of over $50m, in a dispute between the Spanish owner and the French engineering company.
- Advising a leading German insurer, covering the biggest European discount chain distributor following the partial collapse and evacuation of a hospital and an orphanage in Turkey, arising out of the construction of a shopping mall.
- Advising the premier leading French oil company and one of its subsidiaries following the failure of a solder on an electrolytic silver-plating chain for producing printed circuit module boards according to the specific silver finish process supplied and installed at the Los Angeles plant of a leading US company.
- Advising a leading French engineering company, sub-contractor in charge of the geotechnical studies for the French main contractor following land subsidence in China in a shopping mall with escalators.
- Advising a leading French luxury bags manufacturer, following the latent defect of leather skins delivered by the German and Dutch sub-contractors, themselves involving Latvian manufacturers.
Press Coverage
Class actions et assurances : encore un choc de l’année 2020 ou une réforme inaboutie ? – La Gazette du Palais – 19 January 2021
Perte d’exploitation : le grand flou – La Tribune de l’assurance – 8 December 2020
Nouvelle directive sur les « class actions » : une réforme inachevée ? – La Tribune de l’assurance – 15 September 2020
Pertes d’exploitation : quelles leçons tirer de la crise sanitaire ? – L’Argus de l’assurance – 9 July 2020
Covid-19 : une opportunité pour refonder l’assurance cyber – La Tribune de l’assurance – 7 july 2020
A la croisée des chemins – La Tribune de l’assurance – 30 June 2020
L’assurance cyber devra tirer des leçons du Covid-19 – L’Agefi – 11 June 2020
L’assurance annulation à l’épreuve du Covid-19 – La Tribune de l’assurance – 9 June 2020
Collective Redress Directive to change European liability landscape – Commercial Risk Online – May 2020
How should insurers address cyber risks, a French perspective – Actuarial Post – May 2020
La pandémie du Covid-19 : une opportunité de repenser l’assurance cyber ? – Le Monde du Droit – 15 May 2020
GEMP : une réponse ambiguë à un risque chronique – La Tribune de l’assurance – 5 May 2020
How Proposed EU Class Action Directive Could Affect Insurers – Liability, Risk and Insurance – 15 April 2020
GDPR and cyber risk insurance: how can insurers improve their cyber risk products – Actuarial Post – 14 April 2020
Les apports de la nouvelle directive sur les actions transfrontalières seraient-ils une menace pour les assureurs? – La Lettre des Juristes d’Affaires – 13 April 2020
Le projet de la nouvelle directive sur les « class actions », une menace pour les assureurs ? – L’Agefi – 2 April 2020
GDPR and cyber risk insurance: how can insurers improve their cyber risk products – Private Security Report – 27 March 2020
Coronavirus : comment assurer et indemniser la perte d’exploitation des entreprises ? – Le Parisien – 26 March 2020
Article in relation to GDPR and cyber-risk insurance – IT Pro Portal – 26 March 2020
How Proposed EU Class Action Directive Could Affect Insurers – Law360 – 25 March 2020
Strikes and popular movements: An unclear yet chronic risk for insurers – La Lettre des Juristes d’Affaires – 31 January 2020
Grèves, émeutes et mouvements populaires : une réponse ambiguë à un risque chronique – Face au Risque – 18 December 2019
Carriers need a better understanding of the insurability of cyber risk – Insurance Day – 5 December 2019
Areas of Expertise
Emmanuèle Lutfalla's Latest Published Articles
@SignatureLitLLP
Partner @florepoloni and Associate Thibaud Roujou de Boubée discuss the recent update of the #IBA rules on the taking of evidence, in @lemondedudroit bit.ly/32kvwPG pic.twitter.com/Hpl3LaZ00i
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for international arbitration and is recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2021 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for international arbitration. He is praised as a “brilliant advocate” and the Guide also notes that he is “is experienced in cases involving Greece, the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia, the Middle East, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa“. Ioannis is also ranked in Chambers Global for his international arbitration practice. He has been commended for his ability to “see right to the heart of sprawling banking disputes.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recognised as a “notable practitioner” in banking litigation by The Legal 500 UK Guide and is also “highly recommended” for commercial litigation expertise. He is further described as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
Nicolas Brooke
Nicolas has deep experience in the management of complex and international high stakes litigations. He receives high praise within the industry; his team at Société Générale was awarded the “Trophée d’or Direction Juridique Contentieux” by Décideurs/Leaders League and most recently Nicolas won the “Outstanding In-house Counsel” award at the Global Investigations Review Awards in 2018. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Nicolas as a ‘Leading Individual’ for compliance, and notes he has “outstanding professional skills and shows a good sense of strategy.”
Natalia Chumak
Natalia is ranked in the Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK Guides for her International Arbitration expertise. She has previously been praised by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for her “fantastic experience and responsiveness“, for being an “extremely good tactical mind“, a “steely litigator with excellent litigation instincts” and she has been praised for her ability to “remain incredibly calm under pressure“.
Julian Connerty
Julian has been ranked in Chambers for Civil Fraud and the Guide notes he “has considerable expertise in international fraud cases.” Julian is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his civil fraud and banking litigation expertise. The Legal 500 notes that Julian is an “extremely experienced practitioner” and “a specialist in international fraud and asset recovery actions”. Julian is also described as “subtle and meticulous” and “inspires great confidence in all around him”.
Steven De Lara
Steven practices in both London and Gibraltar. A multi-faceted lawyer, he engages in complex contentious and non-contentious corporate and commercial matters, with a particular expertise on insolvency, restructuring and regulatory mandates. Steven is ranked in the Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Europe 2021 Guides for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution. He is described as an “insightful, dedicated lawyer with great attention to detail” and adds that Steven is “extremely hard-working, client-focused and very knowledgeable.” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide also recognises Steven as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar.
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis
Sylvie is described by Who’s Who Legal as a “dynamic and determined litigator“, who is “a firm favourite among clients” as “she always goes the extra mile to support her clients, and is proactive in seeking commercial solutions to disputes” and is “analytical, intelligent and responsive“. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Sylvie as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ for Product Liability Litigation in France and she is recognised for her work on “high-profile toxic tort and product liability cases, handing a number of asbestos claims.”
Graham Huntley
Graham is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”. The Legal 500 recognises Graham for being a “a leading figure in commercial dispute resolution and widely regarded as a rainmaker.”
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation. The Guide notes he “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. Abdul is also praised for being “a steady hand during turbulent times”. Chambers Global has described him as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Emmanuèle Lutfalla
Emmanuèle is recognised as a ‘Thought Leader’ in Who’s Who Legal’s France 2020 Guide. She is also ranked as both a ‘National’ (in France) and ‘Global’ Leader for Product Liability Defence in Who’s Who Legal. The Guide notes Emmanuèle “excels in handling disputes at the intersection of product liability and insurance matters, representing clients from the life sciences sector in litigation and product risk management.” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Emmanuèle as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for insurance and notes she is “very renowned in the insurance sector“. The Legal 500 also ranks the insurance and reinsurance litigation practice very highly in Paris, and also notes the department “unites an impressive bench of stellar litigators“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès is ranked as a Band 3 expert in Chambers Global 2021 and Chambers Latin America 2021 for his Insurance expertise in the region.
Elliott Phillips
Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in global commercial litigation and international contentious trusts disputes. He has been recognised in The Legal 500 for his experience in dispute resolution work and is also ranked as a Band 2 individual in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. Elliott is also recognised as one of the world’s leading private client lawyers and trusts and estates litigators, and is listed in the Private Client Global Elite community. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Elliott as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution in Gibraltar, and notes he “is a specialist in international trusts and estates disputes.” A referee in the 2021 Guide praises Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in Who’s Who Legal Arbitration – Future Leaders, Flore is described as “the most dynamic young arbitration practitioner in Paris“, “a very dynamic and multi-skilled lawyer” and praised for her “excellent communication skills and perfect knowledge of arbitration“. The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 Guide ranks Flore as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for dispute resolution and has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ lawyer for International Arbitration. Flore has been praised for her “extensive expertise in international arbitration” and described as “extremely capable”.
Thomas Rouhette
Thomas is ranked Band 2 by both Chambers Global and Europe for his litigation and aviation law expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide consistently recognises Thomas as a ‘Leading Individual’ for his aviation and commercial litigation practices. Who’s Who Legal regards Thomas as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent.”
Tom Snelling
Highly ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for his commercial litigation expertise, Tom Snelling is described in the 2020 Guide as “extraordinarily good” and an “utter pleasure to work with and enormously talented, with a sixth sense for where a case is going and very sound judgement”. The Guides have also noted that Tom is “amazingly dedicated with strong credentials in international litigation” and that he is both “practical and commercial”. Tom is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation expertise.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “an exceptionally committed, exceptionally hard working lawyer, with a careful and thorough approach to issues” and “a really effective litigator“. He has also been described as “very smart, client focused and details-oriented” and “excellent, with great attention to detail, wide experience and excellent client care’“. He has also been praised as “highly professional”, and “a strategic thinker” who “brings real energy to cases”. He is highly ranked across the Commercial Litigation, International Arbitration and Professional Negligence categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Josh Wong
Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2021 for his international arbitration expertise, and the Guide notes that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He is also ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
