Our team
Founding partners, admitted French and New York lawyers, a trainee lawyer with international experience and experienced business founders work together around French legal questions affecting international clients.
Legal leadership
Alexandre Riou and Geoffroy Canivet lead the legal practice, bringing French corporate, contract and disputes experience to international matters.
Founding Partner
Nantes Bar · New York Bar
Alexandre manages the London office and advises founders, shareholders and investors on French funding rounds, acquisitions, restructuring, disposals and business disputes. He joined 186 AVOCATS as a partner in 2018.
Founding Partner
Avocat at the Paris Bar
Geoffroy founded the entity that became 186 AVOCATS in 2012. His French-law work covers contracts, group structures and disputes for companies, associations and foundations across sectors including technology, real estate, media and sport.
International legal practice
Pia de Saint Laurent advises on French civil, commercial and immigration matters. Jade Milin is admitted to practise in the State of New York and supports immigration, mobility and cross-border legal coordination involving France; her Paris Bar admission remains pending.
French Lawyer
Paris Bar · Registered Foreign Lawyer
Pia is an Associate at 186 AVOCATS in London. She works on French civil and commercial matters, including disputes, commercial law and visa questions for French and English clients whose matters cross the Channel.
New York Attorney
Admitted in New York · Paris Bar admission candidate
Jade is admitted to practise in the State of New York and is a candidate for admission to the Paris Bar. She supports immigration, mobility and cross-border legal coordination involving France.
Developing talent
Alex Ghigo supports cross-border legal work while developing his practice in an international environment. He is not presented as independently admitted to practise law in any jurisdiction.
Trainee Lawyer
LLB · LLM · LPC
Alex has a background in English and international economic law. His studies include an LLB from Warwick, an LLM from SOAS and the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law.
Business perspective
Randall Edwards and Richard Hammond-Chambers-Borgnis bring commercial, financial and international operating experience to the London business.
Director, 186 London Limited
Chartered Accountant
Randall is an FCA Chartered Accountant, former PwC corporate-finance partner and founding member of the London business. He brings more than 35 years of experience in company sales, succession, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions and valuation.
Director, 186 London Limited
Founder and CEO, French Connections HCB
Richard is a Franco-British founder and Director of 186 London Limited who runs the shared St James’s office. He coordinates relocation, residency, property and business projects through French Connections HCB, separately from the regulated legal work delivered by 186 AVOCATS.
Working together
We coordinate with your existing solicitors, accountants, tax advisers and other professionals whenever the matter benefits from a joined-up cross-border approach.
Start a conversation
Tell us briefly what you are trying to achieve. We will identify the appropriate person to review your enquiry and, where suitable, arrange a St James’s meeting by prior appointment.
