Businesses and government agencies are now investing in large-scale infrastructure projects. The challenges involved require detailed legal and financial solutions.
Because of the vigorous development of this type of project over recent years, applying legal techniques to enable their implementation has become a separate discipline in its own right. Foremost among the projects in question are transport and energy infrastructure and what is known as “social” infrastructure (in the areas of health, justice, education, and housing, for example). Financing techniques also need to be adapted to the specific features of each project.
To support you in carrying out and financing these infrastructure projects, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre offers an approach grounded on in-depth knowledge of the various areas of activity in play; synergies with members of the CMS network; and our lawyers’ legal and operational expertise.

Our Practice Areas

Whether you are a public or private operator, your concerns with respect to Infrastructure and project financing essentially relate to design, construction, finance, operation, maintenance and insurance. Our legal team offers you a legal or taxation service tailored to your needs to enable coordination and management of:

• Concession Agreements and BOT (Built Operate Transfer) 
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)
• Contracts for design-construction, operation and maintenance, interface, “turnkey” contracts
• Legal Advice and representation in contractual negotiations 
• Credit and Securities Documentation  
• Equity Investments through banks or bonds 
• Group Contracts and Project Companies 
• Land Development and Town Planning Issues 
• Health and Safety Issues
• Tender Procedures
• Etc.

Our Approach

Our lawyers are well aware of the economic and financial implications that may flow from their recommendations. For that reason they follow a multidisciplinary approach giving you all-encompassing legal advice on banking and finance law, real property law, public law, company law, commercial law, social security law and tax law.
Furthermore, our clients in both the private (operators, sponsors, investors, banks and other financial institutions) and public sector are undergoing a major transformation, including internationalisation. In order to provide them with innovative and tailored solutions we are an integral part of the CMS  “Infrastructure and Project Finance” committee, which brings together lawyers who are experts in PPPs and based in Western, Central or Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Our Clients

Our clients enjoy the benefit of the firm’s wide experience together with that of CMS, honed in Europe, Africa, Asia and America. We work closely with private operators in the industrial, construction and finance fields as well as with public sector bodies, which allows us to provide realistic, practical advice, tailored to our clients’ areas of interest and grounded on previous experience.

Our Team

Each Infrastructure and project financing operation is very specific. So we set up a team of specialists in banking and finance law, real property law, public law, company law, commercial law, social security law and tax law. It is coordinated by an experienced lawyer who will be assigned to you as your individual go-to person, guaranteeing service quality.