Dorothée de Bernis joins Desfilis as a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice. Her arrival strengthens the team led by Aline McGowan, which now comprises two partners, one counsel and two associates, and consolidates the firm’s comprehensive approach to anticipating, structuring and resolving disputes and litigation.
Dorothée de Bernis advises French and international clients on business litigation, assisting them in the resolution of their most complex and sensitive disputes. Her practice covers commercial and corporate finance litigation, shareholder disputes, and contractual and tort liability claims, with particular emphasis on professional liability. She also handles corporate litigation, contract and competition law disputes, debt recovery and enforcement proceedings, and fraud matters, and advises clients on high-stakes estate and inheritance disputes.
She has developed an expertise in banking litigation, acting for a client base of French and European financial institutions.
Dorothée de Bernis also has significant experience in arbitration, gained over the course of her career on major market-wide cases.
She assists her clients in mediation proceedings and before civil and commercial courts, arbitral tribunals and regulatory authorities.
This experience enables her to regularly assist clients in the drafting and review of high-stakes contracts.
Drawing on a dual French and common law background, forged over seven years spent in the United Kingdom – including two years at Herbert Smith in London – she brings her clients a great understanding of cross-border issues.
“We are delighted to welcome Dorothée to our Litigation practice. Her dual legal background and recognised expertise across several complementary areas of business litigation enrich the scope of our services and strengthen our ability to support all of the firm’s clients on complex, international matters,” comments Aline McGowan, partner.
“I am delighted to be joining Desfilis. I was particularly drawn to the deeply collective nature of the firm’s governance, as well as the culture of proximity and attentiveness that the partners cultivate in their client relationships. I look forward to offering my own clients this new framework of trust, and to contributing, alongside Aline and the whole team, to the growth of the Litigation department,” adds Dorothée de Bernis.
Dorothée de Bernis began her career at Herbert Smith in London before joining Carbonnier Lamaze Rasle in 2006.
A member of the Paris Bar since 2006 and a former member of the Bar of England and Wales, she holds a dual degree in French and English law from King’s College London and the Sorbonne, as well as an undergraduate degree in History from Université Paris X – Nanterre. Dorothée also served for seven years as President and Vice-President of MARCALLIANCE, the international alliance co-founded by FORVIS MAZARS, the world’s fifth-largest audit group.
