Morgan Jamet presents the Contracts department of the firm

Morgan Jamet, can you tell us about your career path?

Yes, of course. I began my career in a traditional way, as an associate lawyer in business law firms before founding my own firm, which I called Arst Avocats. I wanted to create a full-service business law firm. And in fifteen years, it has grown into a team of just over twenty lawyers and legal professionals working in several areas of expertise. Personally, I have remained very committed to a diverse practice, encompassing both advisory and litigation work in contract law , commercial law, corporate law , insolvency law, commercial leases, and even white-collar crime. I manage a wide variety of projects, including contractual matters, acquisitions, structuring, and business transfers. I am fortunate to be able to rely on excellent teams with whom I enjoy working.

Specifically, what can you tell us about the Contracts department at the law firm Arst Avocats?

Today, our team consists of two partners, Jefferson Larue and myself, and four associates and legal professionals. A fifth is expected to join us soon. We handle a wide range of contractual issues, from simple requests for advice or reviews of draft contracts submitted to our clients, to the contractual organization of networks, the drafting of standard contracts for our clients, the creation of new types of contracts, the development of complex contracts, and the management of all phases of the contract lifecycle. We work in a multitude of sectors: commercial contracts, IT and digital contracts, distribution , renewable energy, and more.

We have developed strong expertise in certain types of interventions, such as, for example, the creation and management of franchise networks or mass contractual audits (Jefferson Larue has relatively unique experience in this area). You could say that Jefferson was able to design and operate an auditing machine, and I was able to design and operate a franchising machine. This is one of our professional achievements.

The department's activity is also constantly diversifying with very regular requests of a new kind: regulatory audits, requests for secondment to companies, types of contracts not previously used, requests for specific training…

What are the strengths of this department?

A very strong motivation, which allows for great responsiveness. A certain creativity and a great deal of pragmatism. Contracts are designed as tools created to be as easy as possible for clients to use. This is achieved through attentive listening to clients, which allows us to experience their projects alongside them, to take ownership of them, and to respect the purpose and spirit of the desired relationship, naturally with all the necessary guidance. The crucial moment is often the first meeting(s), when we delve into the project with the client and analyze it in detail

Doesn't a Contracts department in a law firm surprise some clients?

Yes, because a misconception persists: that contract drafting is primarily the domain of in-house counsel. Having provided extensive training to lawyers for over fifteen years, particularly on contract law reform , I've observed the surprise of some upon discovering that this activity exists within law firms. Some even wonder what a lawyer could possibly offer them in this area! Of course, some are accustomed to it. This activity certainly has its place, and has for a long time, within law firms. It's even a very natural extension of our work, which is to listen, advise, and draft legal documents. Consequently, some clients don't even consider asking their lawyer about contract drafting. While not all lawyers are skilled in this area, some firms, like ours, specialize in it.

What future do you envision for this department?

Always more new clients and new projects (laughs). Within the firm, the goal is to allow each lawyer or legal professional to practice the way they love and thrive, perhaps even building or retaining a client base if they so desire. For the firm, the aim is to become a leader in the field, not only for its technical expertise but also for its approachable and human way of working with clients.