Practice Areas
Financial Markets Law
Protecting Investors, Defending Market Integrity
Financial markets law governs transactions conducted on regulated markets and the disclosure obligations imposed on publicly traded companies. At BTK Suchet Avocats, we have developed recognized expertise in defending investors who are victims of securities market violations—including false information, price manipulation, and a failure by intermediaries to exercise due diligence.
Oliver Berg, Esq., Ph.D. in Law and an academic, heads this practice area. He teaches financial markets law at the Universities of Lorraine and Strasbourg and has published numerous works on investor damages and liability in securities matters.
Our Practice in Financial Markets Law
We handle litigation related to false or misleading information (Articles L. 465-1 et seq. of the Monetary and Financial Code), claims for compensation for losses suffered by investors, the formation and management of investor class actions, disputes involving financial intermediaries (banks, investment service providers), and proceedings before the AMF and before civil and criminal courts.
Notable Cases
The firm is involved in several high-profile securities litigation cases. In the Wirecard case, BTK Suchet Avocats represents numerous institutional and retail investors and advises the largest French investor class action group. In the Vivendi case, the firm represented 31 institutional investors, resulting in a settlement after twenty-two years of litigation. In the Worldline case, the firm advises aggrieved shareholders and analyzes possible avenues of recourse.
Frequently Asked Questions : Securities Law
An investor who has been harmed by false or misleading information disseminated by a publicly traded company may file a civil liability claim to seek compensation for their losses. The investor must establish fault (breach of disclosure obligations), damage (losses incurred), and a causal link. The firm regularly forms investor class actions to pool costs and enhance the effectiveness of the legal action.
French law does not recognize a true American-style class action in securities matters. However, it is common to consolidate the claims of numerous investors into a single proceeding—each lawsuit remains formally individual, but the arguments are pooled. Article L. 623-1 of the Consumer and Code also provides for a class action, but this is limited to certain financial losses and may only be brought by an accredited consumer association.
The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) regulates the French financial markets. It oversees the information provided to investors, sanctions market abuse, and may bring a civil action. Aggrieved investors may file a complaint with the AMF and, at the same time, initiate legal proceedings to seek compensation for their losses.