Services for companies
French law & property

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Our French law and property department, which is based in London, offers specialist, bilingual assistance to clients buying or selling property or with business dealings in France.

The department is renowned for its experience in a number of areas of French law, including:

· Buying and selling French property

· Establishing and managing French companies

· French inheritance and succession planning

· Wealth tax

· Employment of personnel employed by individuals

· Cross-border succession planning and Wills in collaboration with the Private Client Department

· Transfer of property share following divorce

· Assessment of assets owned (current and most appropriate structure, implication) in collaboration with UK advisor if required


French Property Website
The French department has launched its own dedicated French property website, which provides a comprehensive resource for people looking to buy a property or set up a business in France.

Click to visit www.frenchpropertylaw.co.uk

French Desk
Russell-Cooke offers a dedicated service for French Businesses who are looking to expand their business interests into the UK. Click for more details in French or English.
 
It is a big advantage to have a lawyer with first-hand experience of the French legal system
Background

It is vital for anyone with property dealings in France to get legal advice from a suitably qualified lawyer.

Not only is the French system of buying and selling property very different from the English one; other differences in the law - notably the tax and inheritance system - have potentially far-reaching implications for English purchasers.

For example, in France certain members of your family (parents and children, but not husbands or wives) have an absolute right to inherit part of your assets, whatever your wishes.

The department can offer advice on these and various other matters connected with property ownership or business dealings in France.

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Dawn Alderson Dawn Alderson
Patrick Delas Patrick Delas
Véronique Cardon Emile Totic
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The French Law Department is led by Dawn Alderson, an experienced bilingual avocat and solicitor qualified in both French and English law. Dawn practised in France for over a decade before joining Russell-Cooke in 2000.

Dawn works closely with Patrick Delas, a French lawyer with extensive experience managing French and English clients looking to set up a business in France.

They have recently been joined by Véronique Cardon who is trained as a Notaire (Diplomée Notaire France) and worked for a large notarial practice in Paris for a number of years before moving to London.

All have extensive experience of French law that comes only from working in France and an extensive network of French contacts.

Click on a name on the left to bring up a biography.


telephone  Tel: 020 8394 6374

email  E-mail our helpdesk

Request our departmental brochure
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Legal guides


French Wealth Tax New Schedule *2008 Update*
French wealth tax (impôt de solidarité sur la fortune – ISF) applies to UK residents whose French assets have a net value of more than 770,000 Euros (approx, £500,000) with a
number of exclusions, in particular for businesses and non-resident financial assets.

Patrick Delas looks at the updated details for 2008.

Full article 


Purchasing a Property in France
This guide is a chapter written by Dawn Alderson for Going to France – Your life and Business companion. Published by the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, the new edition is a genuine bible for British expatriates intending to set up a home and/or business in France.

Click here to download the Purchasing a Property in France chapter.

The book is available from all good bookshops and can also be purchased directly from the publisher’s website: www.ccfgb.co.uk


French Inheritance Tax Tables

* Download the tables here, using Acrobat.


Inheritance Law Brochure
The law relating to succession and inheritance tax in France is very different from that in England. Russell-Cooke's French Law department provides a brief outline of the differences and highlights what you need to be aware of.

* Download a copy here, using Acrobat.


Setting up a Business in France
An Overview

* Download a copy here, using Acrobat.


French Property Overview
Buying a residential property in France.

* Download a copy here, using Acrobat.




To request a printed copy of these guides click here.

(If you do not have Acrobat, download it here free of charge.)
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Photograph of women		 back to top Useful links

French Property Information
French Property Price Guidelines
Living France Magazine

Tourist Information
The French Information Centre
Paris Tourist Office
French Weather
Houses for rent in France
Map of France
Route planner for France
Tourist Offices in France

Travel Information
SNCF Tour Operator
Eurostar
French Road Maps
Traffic Information

French Property Related Services
EDF Energy Suppliers
France Telecom
Gaz de France
Household tradesmen and contractors directory
EDM Surveyors

Miscellaneous
French Yellow Pages
Universal Currency Converter