Philippe Hameau
Biography
Philippe Hameau is a dispute resolution and arbitration lawyer based in Paris. He is also a restructuring and insolvency lawyer with a particular focus on financial institutions.
With more than 30 years' experience, Philippe represents clients in courts and before arbitration tribunals and has extensive experience of commercial and banking litigation. His Supreme Court background gives him a deep knowledge of the procedural rules of the French courts. He also has extensive experience of OHADA law and arbitration proceedings in Africa.
Philippe advises domestic and international clients on the full range of restructuring mandates, insolvency proceedings and distressed M&A, often with cross-border elements.
He advises debtors, creditors and shareholders facing difficulties in pre insolvency proceedings (mandat ad hoc, conciliation, sauvegarde), with an extensive experience of takeovers of distressed companies under sale plans, having successfully represented numerous investors.
Professional experience
Representative experience
Representative experience
Represented:
- An English construction company on the enforcement of a pledge over the industrial assets of a French insolvent company
- A large international mining company on a breach of agreement for the purchase of Bauxite, Guinea
- Several creditors on the recovery of their claims during the liquidation of an international loaning company
- A Moroccan real estate group in a dispute against Bahraini investors arising out of the termination of a development project in Morocco (ICC, Casablanca, US$70m)
- A mining group in a shareholders' dispute (ICC, Geneva, DRC law, US$250m) against a state-owned company of DRC and their respective rights under a joint venture agreement
- A Canadian group in the paper industry during a post M&A dispute involving expert determination over the value of the shares (ICC arbitration and French courts)
- A mining company in an ICC Arbitration against a state-owned company in a dispute about their mining joint-venture. Gécamines claimed approximately US$250m for a backlog of royalties, an upward adjustment of a key money payment, a lost margin on various contracts and a reimbursement of interests. ERG claimed US$19.5m for unduly paid royalties.
Rankings and recognitions
Rankings and recognitions
- Best Lawyers in France, Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Banking and Finance Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Litigation, 2026
- Legal 500 EMEA France, Insolvency, 2025
"The Restructuring and Insolvency practice is led by Philippe Hameau, a veteran with over 30 years of experience in litigation, the team brings a wealth of expertise from its leading partners. Philippe Hameau has great experience and excellent ability to adapt his advice and strategy to the size and the stakes of matters at hand."
- Décideurs Leaders League, Commercial litigation, Financial dispute, 2024
"Strong reputation"
- Option Droit & Affaires, Restructuring and Insolvency, 2024
- Chambers Europe France, Restructuring and Insolvency, 2023
"Leading individual"
"Philippe demonstrates particular expertise in contentious insolvency matters. He counts multinational corporates and financial institutions amongst his clients. He is pragmatic, uncomplicated, and reasonable in his approach."
Education
Education
- DEA in Private law, University Paris II Panthéon-Assas, 1983
- Institut de Droit des affaires, 1983
Admissions
Admissions
- Avocat au Barreau de Paris
Publications
Publications
- Entreprises en difficulté, anticipez !, La Tribune, July 21, 2014
- La réforme des entreprises en faillite en vigueur aujourd’hui, Le Monde du Droit, July 1, 2014
- Le privilège de conciliation, Journal des Sociétés, 2012
- Sauvegarde: du nouveau avec la Sauvegarde Financière Accélérée, Option Droit et Affaires, 2011
- Cœur Défense: quelle leçon !, Magazine des Affaires, 2011
- Thomson: un tour de passe-passe en Technicolor, Magazine des Affaires 2010
- Les Faillites Internationales - Approche européenne, with Michaël Raimon, IBLJ, 2003
- Force Majeure et Imprévision with Jean-Pascal Bus, Lettre des Juristes d'Affaires , 2020
Speaking engagements
Speaking engagements
Philippe taught civil and commercial law at the University of Paris II and the University of Paris V. He regularly gives lectures to various Universities in France.
Languages
Languages
- French
- English
Insights and news
Insights
