Biography
Thomas is a founding partner of the Paris office of Signature Litigation and a leading commercial and international litigator. Previously a partner in a major international law firm, Thomas has almost 30 years’ experience in litigation.
Described as “an intelligent and clear-minded lawyer“, a “tough but excellent” litigator, “a good strategist and the best trial lawyer [the client has] seen in the French court system“, Thomas focuses on complex, bet the company litigation.
Recognised by Who’s Who Legal as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent“, Thomas has a seasoned, wide and multifaceted practice, spanning from contract litigation to corporate and banking disputes as well as to fraud and asset tracing. Thomas has been regarded by Who’s Who Legal as one of two ‘Global Elite Thought Leaders’ in France for Life Sciences: Product Liability, and the directory notes he is a “standout figure in the life sciences market“. Previous editions of this directory has also praised Thomas for his “tough style that is very effective.” In Who’s Who Legal’s Product Liability Defence 2022 Guide, Thomas is recognised as one of its ‘Global Elite Thought Leaders’, who is “highly respected by peers and clients alike for his extensive experience in complex product liability cases“.
Thomas has also been listed as one of the “Most Highly Regarded” practitioners in Who’s Who Legal France: Product Liability Defence, with the Guide noting that he is “a pre-eminent figure in the French market“. He is an expert in international, cross-border litigation. Thomas “is very client-focused, very pragmatic, and creative with solutions” (Acritas clients survey, 2018). In the Who’s Who Legal’s Insurance and Reinsurance 2022 Guide, Thomas is ranked as a Thought Leader with the guide noting he “has a sterling reputation in the market thanks to his experience in litigation proceedings, particularly those involving the life sciences sector” and “is a well-established name in the insurance market, held in high esteem by peers for his first-tier work on contentious matters.”
Previous Guides further describe him as “phenomenal for product liability claims and litigation proceedings” and “a tough and pragmatic lawyer” with “deep knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment”. Who’s Who Legal Product Liability Defence France also describes Thomas as “a leading expert in this area for decades” due to his “excellent” work on complex product liability proceedings. He also receives prominent credit as “a very respected practitioner with an exceptionally strong product liability practice”.
Thomas is highly ranked across the Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500 guides; he is ranked as a leading expert by Chambers Global 2023 and Europe 2023 for his litigation and aviation expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Chambers Europe and Global Guides note Thomas is “an excellent litigator with great commercial awareness” and clients describe him as “spectacularly intelligent” as well as noting that he “takes the time to understand the strategic needs of our business and beyond that he is a very pleasant individual, the full package”. Another client also adds that his “strength is to focus on the details and to be extremely closely involved in directing proceedings.”
The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ranks Thomas in its ‘Hall of Fame’ for his aviation and commercial litigation practices, and he is also recommended for insurance. The Guide notes that the aviation team “stands out through its stellar product liability work in the aviation sector“.
Thomas recently co-authored, with Counsel Claire Massiera, the “Investigative Measures: Domestic and International Legal Aspects” chapter in Private Enforcement of Competition Law in Europe, the leading book examining procedural and substantive issues in respect of private enforcement of competition law in Europe.
Thomas is a member of the Board of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). He also serves as Chair of the Superior Appellate Commission of the French Football Federation (FFF).
Experience
- Advising a worldwide automotive manufacturer on emissions issues in France.
- Representing a commercial aircraft manufacturer in the defence of personal injury claims arising from major aircraft accidents.
- Representing an online marketplace in disputes against trademark owners (alleged liability in counterfeiting, breach of selective distribution networks, gross negligence through the websites it hosts).
- Representing a CIS bank in a high profile case against the bank’s former owner in the scope of enforcement proceedings involving piercing the corporate veil and attachment of assets located on the French Riviera and in the French West Indies.
- Representing an Austrian bank in the defence of proceedings before the French Courts in order to obtain the cancellation, based on alleged vitiated consent and fraud, of several subscriptions of subordinated participation capital bonds which amount to a total of €200,000,000.
- Representing corporate clients in defending post M&A claims made on allegations of fraudulent inducement and misrepresentation.
Publications
2023
La lenteur de la justice française : constat et perspectives – Gazette du Palais – 21 March 2023
2022
Collective Redress & Class Actions 2022 – Chambers Global Practice Guide – 05 December 2022
Regulation of the Legal Profession in France Overview – Thomson Reuters Country Q&A – 1 December 2022
Antitrust Litigation 2022 – Chambers Global Practice Guide – 2 November 2022
Signature Litigation Paris promeut deux avocates – Décideurs Magazine – 8 July 2022
Signature Litigation Paris : deux nouvelles Counsels – Le Monde du Droit – 4 July 2022
Guide to Product Liability & Safety 2022: France – Chambers and Partners – 23 June 2022
2021
Signature Litigation : une belle croissance en 2021 – Affiches Parisiennes – 22 December 2021
Signature Litigation annonce une croissance de 22 % et une participation annuelle aux bénéfices de 17,6 %, fait unique à Paris – Le Monde du Droit – 21 December 2021
Signature Litigation annonce une croissance de 22 % – Jusristes associés – 15 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
Antitrust Litigation 2021: France, Trends and Developments – Chambers Global Practice Guides – October 2021
La judiciarisation du devoir de vigilance est enclenchée – Compliances – 9 July 2021
Investigative Measures: Domestic and International Legal Aspects – Chapter in Private Enforcement of Competition Law in Europe – June 2021
CDR – Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery – CDR – 19 March 2021
2020
SIGNATURE LITIGATION TRIPLE SES RÉSULTATS ET ANNONCE UNE PARTICIPATION ANNUELLE AUX BÉNÉFICES DE 17,2 % – Juristes Associés – 6 October 2020
The rise of data breach litigation – Global Data Review – 18 March 2020
Thomas comments on his wishes for 2020 – Option Droit et Affaires – 8 January
Signature Litigation fête son premier anniversaire à Paris – Le Monde du Droit – 7 January 2020
2019
L’action de groupe : quelle défense pour demain ? – Option Droit et Affaires – 11 December 2019
Class Actions in France: A Unique Scheme that Requires a Tailored Defence Strategy – ICLG – 11 November 2019
French blocking statute reform: An opportunity to strengthen international judicial cooperation? – Thomson Reuters – 17 May 2019
All tied up – Global Data Review – 13 May 2019
New reform proposal to relaunch the French blocking statute raises concerns – FT’s Global Risk Regulator – 7 May 2019
Proposed reforms to French blocking statute would still leave companies “stuck between two evils” – Global Investigations Review – 18 April 2019
C’est si bon for Signature Litigation – Global Legal Post – 17 January 2019
Signature moves into Paris with Hogan Lovells hires after 35% growth – Legal Week – 17 January 2019
Areas of Expertise
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We are pleased to announce that Ela Barda has been promoted to Counsel - many congratulations, Ela! Read more here: bit.ly/3XMqd7A #Litigation #CommercialLitigation pic.twitter.com/JxZLKh1qN2