JOFFE & ASSOCIÉS ANNOUNCES THE ARRIVAL OF TWO NEW TAX PARTNERS

Paris, April 2, 2026 — Joffe & Associés announces the arrival of Pierre-Eliott Blum and Alexandre Benslima as partners, to deliver an integrated tax offering combining transactional tax, private wealth tax, and tax litigation defense for business leaders.

 

Their arrival enables the firm to offer a full-service tax practice working in close synergy with the M&A and Private Equity teams, while opening new advisory horizons for executives, entrepreneurs, and private wealth clients.

 

A 360° advisory approach: Transactional, wealth, international, and litigation

 

Pierre-Eliott and Alexandre bring deep expertise in the tax structuring of transactions, due diligence audits, and the design of incentive schemes and management packages. Their practice serves a diverse client base ranging from SMEs and family-owned groups to investment funds, both in France and internationally. They are particularly active in sectors such as Tech, real estate, luxury, construction, sports, communications, and industry.

 

This transactional dimension is complemented by a sharp private wealth tax offering and a strategic approach to tax litigation. The two partners notably advise business leaders on succession and business transfer issues, and work to secure their personal tax position — whether dealing with income tax, the real estate wealth tax (IFI), or complex tax audits.

 

Their international profile also enables them to advise numerous non-residents — particularly in the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East — on their specific issues relating to tax residency and cross-border tax structuring.

 

The arrival of Pierre-Eliott and Alexandre reflects our commitment to expanding the firm’s tax practice. Pierre-Eliott knows the firm inside out, having started his career here. Their dual expertise — spanning transactional advisory, private wealth, and tax litigation — provides our clients with the comprehensive perspective that is essential in a constantly evolving tax landscape,” says Christophe Joffe, founding partner.

 

Pierre-Eliott Blum, 33, advises family-owned groups, investment funds, and shareholders. A French-Canadian dual national and fully bilingual, he developed his expertise at firms including CMS Francis Lefebvre Avocats, Stehlin & Associés, and Lumay Avocats. He holds a Master’s degree in Tax Law from Université Paris Cité (Paris V) and a University Diploma in Sports Law from the University of Montpellier. He is a member of the Institut des Avocats Conseils Fiscaux (IACF).

 

Alexandre Benslima, 31, advises companies and their executives on transactional and private wealth tax matters, with a strong focus on tax litigation. He regularly works on securing restructurings and international flows for a clientele of business owners. He previously practiced at Lumay Avocats, Stehlin & Associés, and Cohen Amir-Aslani. He holds a Magistère in Business Law and a Master’s degree (DJCE — Diplôme de Juriste Conseil d’Entreprise) from the University of Montpellier and is a member of the IACF.

JOFFE & ASSOCIÉS advises the UBEES Group in its €8 million Series A fundraising round

Joffe & Associés advised the Ubees Group, an impact-driven start-up specializing in agricultural pollination through connected beehives, on its first equity fundraising round, raising €8 million.

 

This Series A round was co-led by Starquest and Capagro, with the participation of Newtree Impact, and values Ubees at between €30 million and €40 million. The transaction marks a key milestone in strengthening the company’s teams and accelerating the group’s international expansion.

 

Founded in 2017 in Florida by Arnaud Lacourt, Ubees relocated its headquarters to Paris in 2025 to be closer to its European investors and clients. The company operates in more than 15 countries across five continents, with nearly 15,000 beehives installed, and works with major global players such as Nespresso, Nestlé and Guerlain.

 

This transaction will enable Ubees to accelerate its international rollout, particularly in Europe, Africa and South America, and to triple its beehive fleet, which already comprises nearly 15,000 installed units.

 

On this transaction, the Joffe & Associés team was composed of Virginie Belle and Christophe Joffe (partners) and Antoine Lamy and Rémi Rodriguez (associates).

Newsletter : Second semester 2025

The second half of 2025 has been a vibrant and eventful period for Joffe & Associés.

New appointments and fresh talent, media appearances, legal insights, standout events, and collective challenges — the past six months perfectly reflect the strong momentum driving our firm.

This newsletter takes you through the key highlights of this exciting period.

Enjoy the read, and happy holidays!

JOFFE & ASSOCIÉS ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF PADDY PASCOT AS COUNSEL

Joffe & Associés is pleased to announce the promotion of Paddy Pascot to Counsel within its Corporate team. This promotion reflects the firm’s development strategy based on internal advancement, a key pillar of its growth model, and highlights its ability to nurture and retain talent. The Corporate team currently comprises 14 lawyers, including 5 partners, 2 counsels, 7 associates, and 1 paralegal.

 

Having been with the firm for nearly ten years, Paddy’s practice covers both Private Equity and M&A transactions. He advises and assists investment funds and companies in carrying out complex operations, including fundraisings, group restructurings, acquisitions, and disposals. Paddy has also developed strong expertise in the media and entertainment sectors, which he actively helps structure within the firm alongside Véronique Dahan and Romain Soiron.

 

Paddy Pascot holds a Master’s degree in Business Law, specializing in M&A and financing, from the University of Évry Val d’Essonne, and has been a member of the Paris Bar since January 2017.

 

Led by five partners—Virginie Belle, Camille Malbezin, Aymeric Dégremont, Christophe Joffe, and Thomas Saltiel, the Corporate team at Joffe & Associés has established itself in just a few years as a key player in mid-cap transactions. With a 15-member team, it represents a major force among independent French law firms in Paris.

 

The Corporate team has recently advised on several significant transactions, including: Demeter on its investment in Allergen Alert, Socadif Capital Investissement on its investment in Yogurt Factory and One Prepaid on the entry of ISAI and ISATIS Capital into its shareholding.

 

“The promotion of Paddy to Counsel is a natural recognition of his expertise, commitment to our clients, and contribution to the development of our Corporate practice and our work in the media and entertainment sectors. Promoting talent from within is at the heart of our model,” said Partner Christophe Joffe.

Legal 500: the IT-Data-Digital team pens the TMT chapter for September 2025

Emilie de Vaucresson, Amanda Dubarry, and Hanna-Marie Borten-Guary contribute to the TMT chapter of the 9th edition of the Legal 500 guide. The legal landscape surrounding technology, media, and telecommunications is constantly evolving, marked in particular by increasingly numerous and complex European regulations.

 

In this context, Emilie de Vaucresson, Amanda Dubarry, and Hanna-Marie Borten-Guary offer a comprehensive overview of the regulations applicable to key issues, including:

 

🔹 Intellectual Property: software protection and copyright
🔹 Digital Transactions: SaaS, licensing, and technology contracts
🔹 Telecommunications: sector-specific regulation and authorizations
🔹 Artificial Intelligence: generative AI and new compliance obligations
… and much more.

👉 Discover their full analysis here.

 

 

Blaide Deltombe for Le Parisien : september 2025

Blaise Deltombe comments in Le Parisien on the evolution of the right to paid leave in case of sick leave.

 

⚖️ The Court of Cassation confirms that paid leave can be carried over in the event of sick leave, and accompanies this decision with a statement expressing the hope that this ruling will set a precedent. This is likely a first step before it is codified in the Labor Code, which would guarantee the inviolability of the new rule.

 

This new rule results from the European Commission’s requirement, which put France on notice to comply with European law on this point last June.

 

This development is a major step forward in better protecting employees’ rights, but it also raises questions about the impact on companies and social security.

 

Read the full article by clicking here: https://www.leparisien.fr/economie/en-arret-maladie-pendant-vos-conges-payes-vous-avez-desormais-le-droit-de-les-reporter-10-09-2025-WWVMGAF4FVBQBKJQ7V5JKWC6A4.php

Aymeric Dégremont for Option Droit et Affaires

📢 Aymeric Dégremont from Joffe & Associés comments in Option Droit & Affaires on the rebounding SME acquisition market… but negotiations remain tense.

 

Despite the recovery in acquisitions of companies valued up to 50 million euros, the complexity of negotiations is still a major issue. Discussions frequently stumble over demanding legal clauses, such as earn-outs and representations and warranties (R&W), which are true sticking points between buyers and sellers.

 

🔍 Pre-acquisition audits have also been significantly strengthened: every financial, legal, social, IT, and compliance aspect is now thoroughly scrutinized.

👉 The result: longer processes, sometimes discouraging for sellers.

 

Aymeric Dégremont points out that “earn-out clauses used to focus on validating forecasts, confirming order books, or renewing contracts, but now they respond to the succession of shocks that have led to the macroeconomic instability we are experiencing.”

 

He adds that “North American buyers pay almost systematic attention to themes that their European or French counterparts detail less, such as compliance, cybersecurity, and GDPR.”

 

👉 In summary: the demands of the SME M&A market are increasing, and vigilance is more crucial than ever for successful transactions.

Agorapulse strengthens its offering with the acquisition of Mention

Agorapulse, a leading player in social media management, announces the acquisition of Mention, a specialist in web and social media monitoring, as part of a court-ordered receivership. Joffe & Associés (Thomas Saltiel, Tehani Goy & Clémence Bestard) acted as legal counsel to Agorapulse in connection with this transaction.

 

As part of its court-ordered receivership, Mention—a recognized expert in web and social media monitoring—has been acquired by Agorapulse, marking a strategic turning point for the latter. This acquisition enables Agorapulse to strengthen its offering by integrating a comprehensive solution dedicated to digital presence management, now combining social media management with the monitoring of trends and online conversations. With this integration, the group now has over 180 employees and 9,000 clients worldwide, generating a combined revenue of 25 million euros.

 

This acquisition addresses a growing demand from businesses looking to centralize the management of their online presence. Marketing professionals are no longer content with simply publishing content—they also want to monitor conversations, analyze trends, and measure the impact of their actions. By integrating Mention’s technologies, Agorapulse expands its areas of expertise to include social listening and reputation monitoring, thereby meeting the current challenges of the digital marketing landscape.

 

Unlike many similar transactions, this acquisition was completed without external fundraising, highlighting Agorapulse’s self-financed growth strategy. The company plans to invest in artificial intelligence to automate content creation, enhance community management efficiency, and streamline reporting analysis. With a projected 20% growth in EBITDA by 2026, Agorapulse positions itself as a leader in the integration of social media management and web listening.

 

 


 

Acquirer or Investor: AGORAPULSE, Emeric Ernoult
Seller: MENTION SOLUTIONS (Advisor: BCM/Jean-Baptiste Albertini – Legal Advisor: BDR & Associés Xavier Brouard)
Acquirer Corporate & Restructuring Lawyer: JOFFE & ASSOCIÉS, Thomas Saltiel, Tehani Goy, Clémence Bestard

Legal 500 2025: Joffe & Associés ranked in 13 practices

🏆 Joffe & Associés is delighted to be ranked again in the Legal 500 EMEA guide, in the following 13 practices:

 

✅ Luxury
✅ Sport
✅ IP -Copyright and trademarks, designs and models
✅ Private equity: venture capital/growth capital, fund creation, LBOs
✅ Public and administrative law
✅ Dispute resolution: commercial litigation
✅ Competition and distribution in the EU
✅ Social law
✅ IT and the Internet
✅ Mergers & Acquisitions

 

A huge thank you to our clients for their trust and to all our Joffe & Associés teams for their day-to-day commitment.

 

👉 Discover the ranking of our teams here.

Groupe Lemer joins Carlesimo Groupe

The Lemer Group, a French specialist in lead and aluminum foundry, joins Carlesimo Groupe to strengthen its market position. Joffe & Associés (Christophe Joffe, Virginie Belle & Alexia Guyot) acted as advisors to Tikehau Capital (lead investor), Ouest Croissance, and Litto Invest, who are selling their stakes in Lemer Group to Carlesimo Groupe as part of this transaction.

 

With its century-old expertise and strong roots in the Nantes region, the Lemer Group has established itself as a key player in various sectors such as yachting, industry, nuclear energy, and security. Following its acquisition in 2016 by Laurent Lécole through an MBO with Tikehau Capital, Ouest Croissance, and Litto Invest (Joffe & Associés had already advised the investors in this transaction), the company has successfully structured and expanded into strategic markets, particularly in the maritime and nuclear sectors. This new acquisition by Carlesimo Groupe will enable it to accelerate its growth and explore new industrial opportunities.

 

This milestone marks a significant step for the company, which now benefits from the support of a strategic industrial player. This merger aims to create the leading French foundry for lead casting in the yachting, industrial, and nuclear sectors while ensuring continuity and innovation within the group.