Employment contracts, dismissal, discrimination claims, executive compensation and workforce restructuring.
Filter by specialisation
Bilingual lawyer in Paris with 12+ years experience helping over 350 clients. English-speaking for expats in France.
Global law firm with major Paris office serving multinational clients across all practice areas.
International law firm with Paris office covering broad range of legal services for businesses.
English-speaking employment lawyer in Paris dealing with all aspects of employment law contentious and non-contentious particularly for UK and US businesses and individuals.
Specializes in employee rights wrongful dismissal harassment and negotiation of exit packages for English-speaking employees in France.
Partner and Head of French Employment practice. Recognised as one of the best employment lawyers in France.
Major French law firm with English-speaking team
Rights vary by country, but typically include notice periods, severance pay and the right to challenge unfair dismissal. An employment lawyer can assess your specific situation.
Yes — employment contracts must generally comply with local law regardless of the employer's home country. A local lawyer should review any contract before you sign.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across France's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsSince the ordonnances Macron of September 2017, French labour courts apply a mandatory compensation cap (the barème Macron) for unfair dismissal — confirmed constitutional by the Conseil d'État and upheld by the Cour de cassation in its landmark ruling of May 11, 2022 (no. 21-14.490).
| Ancienneté (years) | ≥11 employees Min (months) |
≥11 employees Max (months) |
<11 employees Min (months) |
<11 employees Max (months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (less than 1 year) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 |
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.5 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | 3 | 6 | 1.5 | 6 |
| 8 | 3 | 8 | 2.5 | 8 |
| 10 | 3 | 10 | 2.5 | 10 |
| 15 | 3 | 13 | 2.5 | 13 |
| 20 | 3 | 15.5 | 2.5 | 15.5 |
| 30+ (maximum) | 3 | 20 | 2.5 | 20 |
Amounts are in months of gross salary. The barème does NOT apply to: discrimination, harcèlement moral/sexuel, violation of fundamental freedoms, denunciation of crimes — these have no cap (Code du travail art. L. 1235-3-1).
| Stage | Duration | Typical Avocat Fee (HT) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation | 1 hour | €100–250 |
| File review & opinion letter | 2–3 weeks | €500–1,500 |
| Bureau de conciliation (CPH) | 1–6 months | €800–2,000 |
| Bureau de jugement (full hearing) | 12–24 months total | €2,500–6,000 |
| Cour d'appel (if appealed) | +12–18 months | €3,000–8,000 |
| Full CPH case (conciliation to judgment) | 18–30 months | €3,500–8,000 |
No loser-pays rule at CPH — unlike civil courts, the losing party at Conseil de prud'hommes does not automatically pay the other side's avocat fees (Code du travail art. R. 1453-1). Art. 700 CPC awards are possible but discretionary and modest (€500–2,000 typically).
Facts: US national, CDI (permanent contract), Île-de-France, salary €6,200/month brut, 6 years seniority, employer cites "motif personnel" (attitude) — contested as sans cause réelle et sérieuse.
| Item | Amount |
| Barème Macron — max at 6 years (6 months × €6,200) | €37,200 |
| Indemnité légale de licenciement (¼ month × 6 years = 1.5 months) | €9,300 |
| Préavis (3 months — convention collective cadres) | €18,600 |
| Avocat fees (CPH conciliation → judgment) | €5,000–7,000 |
| Best-case employee recovery (net of fees) | ≈ €55,000–60,000 |
Key deadlines: Contestation must be filed at Prud'hommes within 12 months of dismissal notification (Code du travail art. L. 1471-1 — reduced from 5 years by loi Macron 2015). Rupture conventionnelle homologuée (mutual agreed termination) avoids CPH entirely and entitles to chômage (ARE) via France Travail.
