Pierre-Emmanuel Fender is a partner in the Paris office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and a member of the firm’s Litigation and Business Restructuring & Reorganization practice groups.

Mr. Fender specializes in complex cross-border restructurings and French pre-insolvency and insolvency matters. He regularly advises investors on the management or acquisition of defaulting entities, distressed companies undergoing insolvency proceedings, and creditors—including banks and CLOs—for the recovery of their receivables and the protection of their securities.

Mr. Fender’s practice also focuses on resolving complex disputes through litigation proceedings, primarily in an international context. He is involved in a broad range of general commercial disputes (contract and liability) and corporate litigation (such as shareholder disputes, enforcement of warranties, and takeovers of distressed companies) in various business sectors including aeronautics, insurance, finance, and healthcare, among others.

He co-leads our ESG practice in Paris, providing holistic advice to clients in relation to their corporate responsibility and ESG risks and opportunities, while also preparing them for potential litigation in France.

Mr. Fender is recommended by Chambers Europe 2022 in its Restructuring/Insolvency category. Clients report that he has a “very practical approach,” adding that he is “very good in anticipating issues and has a good grasp of the situation in negotiations.” Mr. Fender is noted for his expertise in cross-border restructurings and French insolvency matters with his client portfolio including lenders, investors and distressed companies.

Legal 500 2022 ranks our Commercial Litigation practice in Tier 2, noting that “Pierre-Emmanuel Fender demonstrates excellent technical skills, is rigorous and brings a strategic vision to cases”. Previous editions already distinguished Mr. Fender in this category, reporting that he “has excellent technique, is rigorous and provides a strategic outlook over cases,” and describing him as an “excellent litigator.” Best Lawyers in France also consistently recommends him for Insolvency while Benchmark Litigation Europe has also described him as a “highly regarded lawyer” in its 2022 edition.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in 2017, Mr. Fender practiced with Ashurst for fifteen years.

Admitted to the Paris Bar, Mr. Fender graduated in 2000 from the University of Strasbourg III Robert Schumann, with a DESS (postgraduate degree) in business law and a DJCE Magistère (postgraduate degree) in Franco-German business law; and with a Maîtrise (LLM) in business law. He is a member of the French Institute of Insolvency Practitioners (IFPPC). In May 2016, he published an article titled, “Prévention des difficultés des entreprises: le banquier et le pouvoir de dire non … sans limite?” in Le Monde du Droit. He is also an occasional speaker at Strasbourg University where he delivers a training and workshop session on French restructuring to DJCE students.

He speaks English fluently.