Eric Bouffard is a partner in the Paris office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, where he serves as a member of the firm’s Litigation, International Arbitration, Enforcement, Environmental and Social Governance and Business Restructuring Practice Groups.

Mr. Bouffard  is particularly active in cross-border litigation, commercial arbitration, commercial law (including insolvency and recovery of debt), industrial risk (latent defects, interruption of production, delay and disruption claims, consequential losses), international trade and insurance before both judicial courts and arbitral tribunals.

He is regularly involved in M&A disputes, shareholders and more generally project partners disputes.

Mr. Bouffard has provided clients with legal and strategic advice for responding to crisis or anticipating them. He is knowledgeable in the conduct of risk assessments and the review and implementation of compliance programs in fast-changing regulatory environments. He advises various French multinationals on Loi Sapin II aspects.

Legal 500 EMEA 2022 ranks our Paris Commercial Litigation practice in Tier 2, noting that they are “a very close-knit and a very complementary team of lawyers, very attentive to their clients and their business constraints. A team with whom it is very pleasant to work.” The directory also distinguishes Mr Bouffard in its International Arbitration category, highlighting he is “highly recommended.” Previous editions described him as an “experienced” lawyer that “provide[s] strategic and spot-on advice” and an “excellent litigator“. “[He] assists both French and international clients with an array of contentious matters”. He is noted for his expertise in restructuring matters and disputes connected to the banking and finance industry. He is appreciated by clients for his “pedagogical skills to explain complex matters“ ; “He’s accessible and a straight-talker. He gives constructive advice.“

Benchmark Litigation Europe has named him a “Litigation Star” year after year since he entered the ranking in 2022, while Best Lawyers in France has consistently recommended him for International Arbitration since 2020. Leaders League France has also distinguished him for M&A disputes, Commercial litigation and Arbitration.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in 2017, Mr. Bouffard practiced with Ashurst from 2005.  He previously practiced in the Paris office of Holman Fenwick & Willan, Clyde & Co., and RBM2L.  He is a member of the Association Française d’Arbitrage (AFA),  Association Française du Contract Management (AFCM), International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and Association Française de Droit Maritime (AFDM).

A member of the Paris Bar, Mr. Bouffard graduated in 1993 from University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas) where he received a DESS (postgraduate degree) in litigation and arbitration. He is the co-author of « Tactics in M&A arbitration », a book which gives a pan-European view on the questions which systematically arise in M&A arbitration proceedings.

He speaks English fluently.