Find Lawyers in Paris, France for Administrative Law
Practice Area Overview
Administrative law is the law governing the Administration (i.e. governmental entities, State, public organizations, local authorities and certain private law entities with prerogatives of public power) as well as the law applicable to its relations with citizens, individuals or legal entities. Administrative law governs the material and human means of the Administration (public domain, public service), and its unilateral or contractual acts and the consequences thereof, in particular in terms of responsibility.
It has been developed by a judge outside the judicial sphere, on the basis of a limited number of reference texts (e.g. Act dated February 17, 1800 on Public Works). Most of the case law consists of decisions made by the Conseil d’Etat re-created in 1799 by Bonaparte. The existence of the administrative judge results from the Act dated August 16 and 24, 1790, prohibiting judges from “disturbing (…) the operations of public authorities”. It reinforces the separation of the executive and judicial powers.
Case law remains an essential element under administrative law but it more and more relies on codes (administrative justice code, public procurement code, code of relations between the public and the Administration, general code of local authorities, general code of properties of public entities, etc.).
Administrative law is based on general interest, i.e. a criterion of lawfulness of the Administration’s acts. Its purpose is the compliance with the hierarchy of standards (from the Constitution to municipal orders) and the general principals of law (principal of equal rights, continuity in public services, etc.). It favors the public service interest instead of individual interests and provides the Administration with action means, such as prerogatives of public power, which exceed those provided for by ordinary law for private bodies (civil law, commercial law). The administrative act is enforceable directly and is deemed legal so long as its unlawfulness is not evidenced by a judge. An administrative contract may be amended by the Administration unilaterally.
The rights of the individual are recognized, such as : the lawfulness of any administrative order (ultra vires) may be disputed before a judge controlling the grounds thereof (principle of proportionality); indemnification in case of fault by the Administration or abnormal and special damage.
With constitutional law, administrative law is the main subject of public law.
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Le droit administratif est à la fois le droit propre à l'administration (constituée des personnes publiques : l'Etat, les établissements publics, les collectivités territoriales, mais aussi de certaines personnes privées dotées de prérogatives de puissance publique) et le droit applicable à ses relations avec les administrés, individus ou personnes morales. Ce droit régit les moyens matériels et humains de l'administration (domaine public, fonction publique), mais aussi ses actes juridiques, qu'ils soient unilatéraux ou contractuels, ses agissements de fait et leurs conséquences, notamment en matière de responsabilité.
Il a été construit par un juge extérieur au monde judiciaire, sur la base d'un nombre limité de textes fondateurs (ex : loi du 28 pluviôse an VIII sur les travaux publics). C'est pour l'essentiel l'œuvre du Conseil d'Etat, recréé en 1799 par Bonaparte. L'existence du juge administratif découle de l'interdiction faite aux juges par la loi des 16 et 24 août 1790 de "troubler (…) les opérations des corps administratifs". Elle prolonge la séparation des pouvoirs exécutif et judiciaire.
La place de la jurisprudence reste essentielle dans le droit administratif, qui s'appuie de plus en plus sur des codes (code de justice administrative, code des marchés publics, code des relations entre le public et l'administration, code général des collectivités territoriales, code général des propriétés des personnes publiques etc).
Le droit administratif est fondé sur l'intérêt général, critère de la légalité des actes de l'administration. Il vise le respect de la hiérarchie des normes (de la Constitution à l'arrêté municipal) et des principes généraux du droit (principe d'égalité, continuité des services publics etc). Il privilégie l'intérêt du service public sur celui de l'individu et reconnaît à l'administration des moyens d'actions, notamment les prérogatives de puissance publique, qui vont au-delà de ceux du droit commun applicable aux personnes privées (droit civil, droit commercial). L'acte administratif est directement exécutoire et présumé légal tant que son illégalité n'a pas été établie par le juge. Le contrat administratif peut être modifié unilatéralement par l'administration.
Les droits de l'individu sont garantis : contester la légalité de toute décision administrative (recours pour excès de pouvoir) devant un juge qui en contrôle les motifs (proportionnalité); être indemnisé en cas de faute de l'administration ou si elle fait subir un préjudice anormal et spécial, pour citer deux droits essentiels.
Le droit administratif est la principale branche du droit public, à côté du droit constitutionnel.
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Partner of BG2V since 2023 - Member of the Paris Bar since 2000 Experience : BG2V, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Brandford-Griffith Baverez Cotty, Baker McKenzie. Education : Sciences Po Paris, Public Service Section, DESS in public law litigation, University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, DEA in European competition law, University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. Practice areas : Nicolas Autet advises on public law (public contracts, town planning law, local authority l...
Benjamin de Sevin has been elected as a partner in 2020. There are three main aspects to his practice: First of all, public contract law (public procurement, concessions, occupation of the public domain, etc.). Benjamin assists French and international public entities and private operators in the conclusion and performance of their contracts, both as counsel and in litigation, with expertise in infrastructure concessions and PPPs (public-private partnerships). He is often involved in dealing ...
: In 2007, Karine Destarac launched her law firm, drawing on her past experience as the head of the public sector and subsequently, the urban planning and development department in various law firms. Her firm primarily focuses on urban planning and development law, reflecting her expert knowledge in this field. Karine's influence extends beyond her firm, as she contributed to the working group established by the Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development, and Town and Country Planni...
Paul Elfassi has been a lawyer since 2000 and a partner of BCTG Avocats since 2014. He is mainly involved in energy law, environmental law, mining law and public business law. He also assists private companies from the signing to the execution of public commission contracts. He advises them on public competition law and public property law to carry out complex operations. He also represents his clients in financial disputes with public persons. Paul has developed a transversal competence in e...
Hélène Gelas advises on public law, environmental law, urban planning law and energy law, in the field of energy and real estate. She holds a doctorate in law and assists her clients, from large listed groups and investment funds to small and medium-sized French and international companies, with advice and litigation before the administrative courts and in all stages of projects, whether for major real estate development projects or for renewable energy projects (wind, photovolt...
After having been Legal Director of a multinational group for many years, Julien Girard works in public business law, construction and real estate law in the context of major infrastructure projects, both in terms of advice and litigation, as well as in matters of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). His multidisciplinary training, his teaching activities as well as years of experience as legal director have enabled him to acquire very operational legal expertise, both with large industrial...
Philippe Hansen has been a partner since 2011. He’s specialized in urban planning, development law and became one of the most reknown experts in public property law. He also works regularly in the railway sector regulation and in art law, working both for public institutions and museums and for private collectors. He’s the author of a textbook on public property law (Propriété des personnes publiques en 100 questions, Le Moniteur, 2012). He also participates in sever...
Avocat associé fondateur inscrit au barreau de Paris depuis 1969 Spécialiste en droit de l'environnement et en droit public Christian Huglo a consacré sa carrière d'avocat et d'enseignant à faire pénétrer le droit de l'environnement dans tous les secteurs de la vie publique et de l'économie, tant au niveau national qu'international. Après un passage à la Commission européenne des Droits de l'Homme de Strasbourg, Chri...
Franck Lepron joined UGGC Avocats in 2003, after spending three years in the Public-Private Partnerships department at Landwell. In 2011 he became a partner of the firm. Since then, Franck Lepron and two other partners have overseen the Public Business Law department, whichi is one of the firm’s benchmark activities. Franck Lepron’s practice mainly focuses on public procurement law and public contracts (concessions; procurement contracts; partnership agreements) and his clientele ...
Agnès Macaire concentrates on public business law, as both counsel and litigator. As such, she handles issues relating to administrative law, public contracts, public land, financial public law and regulated sectors. Agnès Macaire has developed particular expertise in public-private partnerships and project finance. She assists public law bodies or private entities (sponsors, financial investors and lenders) within the context of award or performance of partnership contracts or ...
Philippe Malléa, Doctor of Laws since 1987, acts in the field of public law and project financing where he heads up the department. Following 24 years’ corporate experience within legal departments – 10 years in the Elf Aquitaine Group (now Total) and 10 years at Bouygues – he joined the legal profession in 2004. Philippe Malléa has developed considerable international experience, particularly in Europe (Spain, France, Great Britain and Italy) and Africa (Seneg...
Alexandre Moustardier has developed an advisory and litigation activity, upstream and downstream, in environmental law and town planning / construction law with institutions, SMEs / SMIs, industrialists, developers, companies involved in particular in cement and quarrying, energy, agrifood, chemicals, waste treatment, etc. Managing Partner of the firm ATMOS Avocats (formerly named Selarl Huglo Lepage & Associés until December 31, 2017), Alexandre Moustardier has developed, for twen...
Olivier works for private and public clients in the design, procurement and execution of complex contracts and sustainable city projects. Olivier has a recognized expertise in energy efficiency. In March 2011, he submitted a report on energy performance contracts to the French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, drafted the CPE models ("clausiers") for the Ministry of Ecology in 2012 and submitted, as co-pilot, a report on "Innovative financing of energy effic...
Jerome Pentecoste has extensive experience in privately financed public projects, public business law, regulatory and administrative litigation. For over 29 years, Jerome has advised industrials, banks, public entities within the context of major contracts (PPP, concessions, long-term leases, public domain titles, complex public procurement, financial and operating leases). He regularly works on feasibility studies and fulfillment difficulties (addenda, penalties, agreement protocols) or prem...
Bruno Richard is Partner in the Paris office. He has a recognised practice of administrative law, the construction of works, public buildings or infrastructure and of networks, both in France and worldwide, in both transactional and litigation matters. He has an extensive experience in EPC contracts and major public procurement contracts especially in the infrastructure sector in France. He advises private and public companies, French or international clients, as well as financial institution...
Maître Roxane Sageloli intervient en conseil comme en contentieux dans les domaines du droit de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement, et du droit public en général. Elle accompagne les collectivités et entreprises, associations et particuliers dans le montage, la sécurisation et le suivi de nombreux projets urbains et d’aménagement. Domaines d'intervention : Urbanisme et aménagement Droit public des affaires Droit de l’...
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