Sylvie Gallage-Alwis
Partner| sylvie.gallage-alwis@signaturelitigation.com | +33 (0)1 70 75 58 00 |
Biography
After 10 years practicing in a major international law firm, Sylvie became one of the founding partners of the Paris office of Signature Litigation and heads its product liability / industrial risk practice.
Sylvie is both an Avocat à la Cour in France and a Solicitor in England & Wales. She is specialised in all cutting-edge complex disputes linked to products, namely product liability, product safety, toxic tort, mass litigation/class action, regulatory compliance, and environment. She is involved in several very high-profile French industrial disaster pending cases.
Sylvie also assists the manufacturers she works for in commercial litigation (e.g. sudden termination, unfair competition, significant imbalance cases) and contract / Terms & conditions review.
Sylvie is highly recognised for her skills as a litigator by directories. She 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”.
Sylvie has been ranked for a number of years as a ‘Thought Leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal France: Product Liability Defence Guide, which notes her “rigorous analysis, strategic guidance and seasoned litigation” on complex product disputes and recognises her as a “a star in the international world” and “well-connected expert”. She is also recognised as one of the ‘Global Elite Thought Leaders’ in Who’s Who Legal’s Product Liability Defence 2022 Guide, which notes Sylvie “cuts a distinguished figure in the market for representing manufacturers in the automotive, energy and food industries“.
She has won several awards such as the “Best in Product Liability” award at the 2019 LMG Euromoney Europe Women in Business Law Awards and the Lexology Client Choice award in Product Liability in 2021. In The Legal 500 EMEA, France chapter, Sylvie is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ for product liability within the Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation category.
Sylvie has experience in all ranges of product-related litigation. She “stands out in the product liability space for her creative solutions and strategic understanding of the many cases she works on”.
She represents a variety of globally recognised manufacturers from industries such as automotive, electronic products, life sciences, cosmetics, new technologies, steel, energy, food, toys, consumer goods etc. In this scope, she has developed strong regulatory knowledge, putting together innovative defences. She is working on very technical legal issues such as the dieselgate, the generalisation of the anxiety damage, alleged planned obsolescence, the liability of marketplaces, class actions and climate justice claims – always representing the manufacturer.
Sylvie is further known in the French market as a leading toxic tort / mass litigation lawyer. As such, she has been involved in most pro-company case law rendered in recent years, notably in asbestos-related cases, with some cases mentioned in the French Civil and Social Security Codes because of the significant reversal in case law they represent.
Sylvie is an active member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA). She also regularly attends meetings of the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO).
Experience
Product Liability
- Advising a leading French automotive manufacturer in the scope of an investigation on diesel emissions.
- Representing a leading US mobile phone manufacturer in the scope of allegations of planned obsolescence.
- Representing a Finnish engine part manufacturer in the scope of investigations ordered following the accident of a passenger ferry.
- Representing a US electric equipment manufacturer in the scope of investigations ordered following the fire of a major data centre.
- Representing a US analyser manufacturer in the scope of investigations ordered following the alleged lack of functioning of a power plant.
- Representing a vaccine manufacturer in the scope of claims filed by patients and/or people who refuse to be vaccinated by said product.
- Assisting a supplier of metal tubes for the nuclear sector in its dispute with its metal supplier and with its own customers all over the world following the disclosure, by its supplier, of irregularities in the said metal.
Product Compliance / Market surveillance authority investigations
- Advising a Japanese pesticides manufacturer following investigations carried out by the French Customs on the composition of one of its products.
- Assisting a leading Japanese printing company in the scope of the regulatory review of their machines sold in the EU.
- Assisting leading marketplace concerning its obligations versus the obligations of the sellers using its platform towards consumers.
- Assisting US cosmetics manufacturer for the development of hand sanitiser/hydrogel
- Assisting individual protective equipment manufacturer following complaints by clients’ employees of lack of proper certification.
- Assisting food raw ingredient manufacturer in the scope of the investigations carried out by the French market surveillance authority, including the sesame crisis.
Toxic Tort / Mass Litigation / Class Action
- Handling a docket of more than 7,000 cases filed by plaintiffs on the ground of their anxiety to develop an asbestos-related disease in the future.
- Handling a docket of more than 400 cases filed by plaintiffs alleging that they have developed a disease linked to an exposure to chemical substances.
- Advising a seeds manufacturer in the scope of claims filed by dozens of farmers on the ground of alleged defects of the seeds.
- Assisting Canadian company in providing an Expert report on over 40 collective redress mechanisms around the world.
Publications
2022
A new frontier: ESG-related litigation risk – Insurance Post – 10 March 2022
La loi anti-gaspillage : une révolution légale et sociétale à hauts risques pour les entreprises – LJA – 21 February 2022
The growing power of shareholder proposals – Financial Times – 18 February 2022
Réparation du préjudice d’anxiété lié à l’amiante : 2 ans pour agir – Predictice – 21 January 2022
2021
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis examines the latest FIVA report to highlight that asbestos claims are at the heart of litigation – PBC Today – 15 December 2021
Energy: supply pressures create crisis in Europe – IBA – 1 December 2021
Partners Sylvie Gallage-Alwis and Thomas Rouhette and Associate Nikita Yahouedeou contribute the French Chapter of Chambers Collective Redress & Class Actions 2021 – Chambers & Partners – 9 November 2021
The Rise Of Climate Change Litigation In Europe – Law360 – 5 October 2021
In-house lawyers take on the climate emergency – International Bar Association – September 2021 Edition
Polluter pays principle – Option Droit et Affaires – 14 September 2021
How will stricter enforcement of the polluter pays principle affect the chemical industry? – Chemical Watch – 14 September 2021
Anxiety damage – On the verge of Becoming Companies’ New Stress – Lawyer Monthly – 10 September 2021
Dangers of generalising the ‘anxiety damage’ recognition – Law Society Gazette – 9 September 2021
Special Report on the Polluter Pays Principle – Lawyer Monthly – 2 September 2021
Climate Change Legislation – Does It Go Far Enough? – Lawyer Monthly – 1 September 2021
Qu’en est-il vraiment du principe du pollueur-payeur? – Le Monde Du Droit – 1 September 2021
European Court of Auditors: Publication of its Special Report on the Polluter Pays Principle – Lawyer Monthly – 17 August 2021
Will companies be washed away by greenwashing claims? – Lawyer Monthly – August 2021 Issue
The daily legal minefield manufacturers have to face – Expert Guides – 16 July 2021
Vers de nouveaux types de contentieux environnementaux – Les Echos Capital Finance – 28 May 2021
Transparence dans la chaîne alimentaire : « Je ne sais rien mais je dirai tout » – ODA – 19 May 2021
The Legal 500: Product Liability Country Comparative Guide, France Chapter – The Legal 500 – April 2021
L’urgence climatique ne se traduit-elle pas en précipitation et chaos juridique ? – La Tribune – 29 March 2021
Partner Sylvie Gallage-Alwis comments in Legal Week re vaccine delays – Legal Week – 29 January 2021
Taking the law into their own hands: how investors are using litigation to achieve ESG impact – Responsible Investor – 27 January 2021
EU Rule Presents New Medical Device Compliance Hurdles – Law360 – 15 January 2021
2020
5G: the start of a new legal saga? – Telemedia Online – 9 December 2020
Companies should monitor the Commission’s environment-related actions – Open Access Government – 3 December 2020
La 5G : début d’une nouvelle saga judiciaire ? – Option Droit et Affaires – 2 December 2020
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis interviewed by Who’s Who Legal – Who’s who Legal – December 2020
Financial institutions: soon in the eye of the climate litigation storm? – Thomson Reuters – 27 November 2020
Class action and hidden defect: the judicial tribunal of Versailles sheds a welcome light – Revue de Jurisprudence de Droit des Affaires – November 2020 Edition
Climate Litigation Momentum Building in Europe – Today’s GC – Autumn 2020 Edition
Covid : ce que les entreprises doivent faire pour éviter la faute juridique – Les Echos – 25 September 2020
Product liability and safety in France: overview – PLC – 9 September 2020
COVID-19 and Force Majeure: French Courts Stick With the Contract – Legal Week – 31 August 2020
The anxiety to develop a disease: companies doing business in France should worry – The Barrister – 19 August 2020
CJEU’S Annual Report: Manufacturers, Climate change & Chemical substances – Lawyer Monthly – 4 August 2020
EU Class Action Policy Guided By Wrong Measure Of Success – Law360 – 15 July 2020
L’action de groupe : une déception, mais pour qui? – La Lettre des Juristes d’Affaires – 10 July 2020
L’anxiété : un préjudice qui n’est plus limité au contentieux de l’amiante – Option Droit et Affaires – 1 July 2020
French Force Majeure Case Holds COVID-19 Lessons For Cos. – Law360 – 18 June 2020
Clause by clause: COVID-19 can be a force majeure event – Thomson Reuters – 17 June 2020
Commercial Litigation: COVID-19 recognised as force majeure – Lawyer Monthly – 8 June 2020
What does product-related litigation look like in France today? – Who’s Who Legal – 29 May 2020
The DGCCRF and online platforms’ duty to inform consumers – Lawyer Monthly – 28 May 2020
Le Toxic Tort à la française : c’est pire qu’Outre-Atlantique… – Le Monde du Droit – 11 May 2020
Operating companies & Covid-19: Beware of tomorrow’s litigation! – The Barrister – 7 May 2020
Protection de l’environnement : entreprises, préparez-vous à une vague de contentieux – Le Monde du Droit – 23 April 2020
Why climate change litigation is heating up across Europe – Litigation Futures – 22 April 2020
COVID-19 : attention demain aux contentieux pour les entreprises – La Tribune – 21 April 2020
An inventory of litigation risks for operating businesses during COVID-19 – Lawyer Monthly – 17 April 2020
French Court Rebukes Amazon Over Worker Health and Safety, Prompts Company to Shut Warehouses in France – Legal Week – 15 April 2020
Covid-19 : comment éviter les risques de contentieux – Les Echos – 15 April 2020
French Cos. Should Beware 4 Legal Risks Of Reopening – Law360 – 14 April 2020
Does EU product law need to change to stay relevant? – Lawyer Monthly – 23 March 2020
Areas of Expertise
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Graham Huntley comments in Financial News
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11 May 2022
Signature Partners
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Ioannis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 Guide for international arbitration, which notes that he “consistently produces extraordinary, excellent work and he fills the client with great confidence and comfort”. He is further described as “adept at handling BIT claims” and “is very experienced and brings a wealth of knowledge to the field.” He is also recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2022 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for international arbitration, commercial litigation and banking litigation, and has been described as having “a real technical mastery of banking law“, “an excellent arbitration lawyer, who is smart, efficient and very responsive“, and “a very experienced and creative lawyer, who is able to think out of the box.” He has also been praised as a “brilliant advocate“. The Guide also notes that he is “is experienced in cases involving Greece, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Middle East, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa“. Ioannis is also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2022 Arbitration Guide. He has been described as “well recognised for his top-notch arbitration practice among peers who say he is “very experienced and engaging with the tribunal”.”
Paul Brehony
Paul is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2022 Guide for civil fraud, commercial litigation and banking litigation. He is commended as “a highly accomplished insolvency litigator“, who “is fantastic in highly complex insolvency cases where his knowledge and experience put him head and shoulders above others“. Previous guides have described Paul as a “notable practitioner” for banking litigation and “highly recommended” for commercial litigation. He is further praised as “charming, well organised and a pleasure to litigate with.”
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 2022 for his civil fraud expertise. The Legal 500 has noted 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”.
Simon Fawell
Simon has more than 20 years’ experience across a wide range of commercial and financial litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on complex banking and structured finance matters. He also specialises in advising on issues related to cyber-breach recovery and related litigation as well as insurance/reinsurance disputes. Simon is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK for his litigation and arbitration expertise and is commended as “a strong strategic thinker”, “a real team player” and “very good to work with”.
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 ‘Leading Individual’ 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.”
Becca Hogan
Becca is recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ by The Legal 500 UK 2022 for banking litigation and is described as “stellar“, “calm and strategic“. She has also been praised for her “good instincts” and “commercial approach”. She is also recognised as “exceptional”, “totally on top of the detail, with good instincts and a commercial approach” and “highly talented”.
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 UK 2022 recognises Graham as a ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer for both banking litigation and commercial litigation, and a ‘Leading Individual’ for his civil fraud expertise. He is described as “a doyen of London banking litigation” and a “master tactician“.
Abdulali Jiwaji
Abdul is regarded as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for Commercial Litigation and a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail. The Guide notes he “inspires confidence” and a commentator notes that: “One of the best litigators I have had the privilege of working with is Abdulali Jiwaji.” Abdul is further described as having “a grip of the big picture and the detail; very deft in client handling; tenacious and determined; swift, responsive and clear-thinking“. Previous Guides have noted Abdul “is always on the ball and has a good tactical brain” and recognises he “has always provided sound and very considered advice”. He 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“. The Chambers Europe 2022 Guide notes that Emmanuèle noted as “the key point of contact” for insurance at the firm. Chambers ranks Signature Paris’ insurance practice as a leading firm in its Europe Guide and highlights the team’s “knowledge and ability to handle complex and difficult matters“.
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès has been ranked as an expert in Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America 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 Guide described Elliott as “an accomplished litigator, highly experienced, knowledgeable and great to have on your side” and another praised his “vast knowledge and experience across an array of different areas” and noted he is “the stand-out practitioner in a hugely talented team.“
Flore Poloni
Ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Arbitration Guide, 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 as a leading expert 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 ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer 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 2022 for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail and Commercial Litigation.
Daniel Spendlove
The Legal 500 UK Guide describes Daniel as “hugely talented“, “with a really creative eye for litigation strategy“, “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, Banking Litigation and International Arbitration categories. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Rory Spillman
Rory is recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ by The Legal 500 UK 2022 for banking litigation and is described as “impressive“, “excellent” and a “real authority“. Rory is a member of the Junior LSLA and LSLA.
Josh Wong
Described as a “a highly experienced commercial international arbitration expert“, Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for international arbitration. Past guides have also noted that he is “an expert in security, asset tracing and enforcement actions involving multiple jurisdictions”. He has also been 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.
