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 practice.
Sylvie is one of the youngest French practitioners recognised for her skills as a litigator by directories. 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.
Sylvie is both an Avocat à la Cour in France and a Solicitor in England & Wales. 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“and is “analytical, intelligent and responsive“. Sylvie is ranked as a ‘Thought Leader’ in the Who’s Who Legal France: Product Liability Defence 2021 Guide, which notes her “rigorous analysis, strategic guidance and seasoned litigation” on complex product disputes. Clients applaud Sylvie for her “customer-centric and financially aware” approach and Who’s Who Legal recognises her as a “a star in the international world” and “well-connected expert”. She has also been awarded the “Best in Product Liability” award at the 2019 LMG Euromoney Europe Women in Business Law Awards. In The Legal 500 EMEA 2020, France chapter, Sylvie is recognised as the only Next Generation Lawyer for product liability under Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation. Sylvie is recognised for her work on “high-profile toxic tort and product liability cases, handing a number of asbestos claims.”
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 is recognised as a rising star for Product Liability in France since 2015 by the LMG Expert Guides. She represents a variety of globally recognised manufacturers from industries such as automotive, electronic products, cosmetics, new technologies, steel, energy, food, toys, etc. In this scope, she has developed strong regulatory knowledge, putting together innovative defences.
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/Product Compliance
- Advising a leading automotive manufacturer in the scope of an investigation on diesel emissions.
- Representing a leading mobile phone manufacturer in the scope of allegations of planned obsolescence.
- Advising a pesticides manufacturer following investigations carried out by the French Customs on the composition of one of its products.
- Advising prominent cosmetics manufacturers in the scope of investigations by the EU market surveillance authorities on the composition and labelling of their products.
- Advising an automotive spare part manufacturer for the launching of innovative products on the EU market (connected vehicles related).
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.
Press Coverage
La 5G : début d’une nouvelle saga judiciaire ? – Option Droit et Affaires – 2 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
Sylvie Gallage-Alwis's Latest Published Articles

@SignatureLitLLP
Paul Brehony, Abdulali Jiwaji, @jdshearman, and Ligia Bob examine in PLC Magazine the transition from #LIBOR to alternatives and how businesses must act now to reduce risks and exposure in relation to potential LIBOR-related #litigation bit.ly/3uw5ohQ pic.twitter.com/GPVNPMXKNb