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Pauline Bournoville is a finance and corporate restructuring specialist based in Paris.

Pauline specialises in corporate debt restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings, acting for creditors as well as  French and international groups. Her expertise also include working on commercial, banking and financial litigation cases, advising creditors, banks, financial lessors and factoring institutions as well as other debt providers. 

Pauline has been recognised in 2020 for her expertise in debt restructuring, insolvency proceedings and assistance to distressed companies by Option Droit & Affaires.

 

Background

Pauline is a member of the Paris Bar. She holds an advanced degree (DESS) in tax and business law from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills in January 2019, she worked as a lawyer specialising in restructuring,  bankruptcy proceedings and dispute resolution within a French law firm ranked Tier 1 in restructuring. 

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

  • EPH, the Czech holding company of Daniel Kretinsky, in relation to the refinancing of the derivative claims of Rallye, holding company of Casino (Notes amounting to EUR 233 million in a Safeguard proceedings context)
  • the banking pool in relation to the debt restructuring of a French industrial group specialized in the manufacture and the sale of bikes (total restructured indebtedness : EUR 33 million)
  • the banking pool  in relation to the debt restructuring of a French Group acting in the retail sector (restructured indebtedness : EUR 45 million)
  • BNP Paribas  in relation to the collective proceedings of Avila, holding of Alès Group (a French public company leading producer of cosmetic products) for the restructuring of its debt
  • SEWAN, a successful startup in the B2B telecommunication business with EUR 85 million in revenue in 2018, as purchaser of the activities and assets of International Telecommunication Network (ITN) France (in liquidation) through a sale plan
  • the banking pool  in relation to the rehabilitation proceedings of Ludendo Commerce France (a French leading chain of toys retail store) through the assignment of their claim to a new investor
  • the BPCE/Natixis group in relation to the EUR 5 million debt restructuring of the company Le Bilboquet, a company specialising in event and catering and a further EUR 2 million investment into the company
  • Novacel, a subsidiary of group Chargeurs, a global manufacturing and services group in relation to the takeover of certain assets of Arjowiggins Papiers Couches, a global leading producer of paper products, placed in judicial liquidation without pursuit of activity
  • TTH, a French railway group  in relation to its bid over ACC (Ateliers de construction du Centre d’Ingénierie et maintenance) in rehabilitation proceedings. TTH's offer was eventually preferred by the Commercial Court of Clermont-Ferrand to Bombardier's offer. 179 jobs will be saved
  • Groupe Louis Pasteur Santé (a French group of private clinics)  in relation to the acquisition of a minority stake in Groupe Courlancy (French group of private clinics offering synergies with Louis Pasteur Santé) in pre-insolvency proceedings (mandat ad hoc)