Industrials
€86m
Sale of 100% of the share capital to a German family group
Counsel to the seller
2025
Mergers & acquisitions · Contracts · Commercial litigation
Counsel for those who decide
We advise executives, investment funds and growing companies on the deals that shape their future — from the letter of intent to closing, and through litigation when it comes to that.
- Lyon & Geneva
- Founded in 2004
- 22 lawyers
- Working in FR · EN · DE
The firm
A small team, two partners on every matter
Delcourt & Steiner was founded in 2004 by two business law practitioners, one trained at the Lyon Bar, the other in Geneva. Twenty years on, the firm remains deliberately small: twenty-two lawyers, two offices, no delegation of the client relationship.
We work for executives selling the company of a lifetime, for funds that must hold a timetable, for mid-sized businesses growing faster than their contracts. Every time, two partners are named on the matter: one leads, the other reviews. It is our one non-negotiable rule.
- Two partners personally accountable for each matter
- A written summary note after every key milestone
- Fees agreed before any work begins
- A team used to tight transaction timetables
2 partners named on every matter
- 20 yrs alongside decision-makers
- 180+ deals advised on
- €2.4bn in advised deal value
- 48 h to a first answer
Practices
Six areas where we step in
One team follows your matter from the first strategy note through to execution.
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Mergers & acquisitions
Sale, acquisition, LBO: structuring, due diligence, negotiation and documentation all the way to closing.
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Private equity
Equity investments, shareholder agreements, management packages and exits — for funds and founders alike.
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Key commercial contracts
Distribution, subcontracting, licensing, joint ventures: contracts that hold when the relationship gets tense.
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Commercial litigation
Abrupt termination of business relations, warranty claims, unfair competition: commercial courts and arbitration.
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Governance
Allocation of powers, related-party agreements, shareholder disputes and the liability of directors.
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Cross-border deals
French-Swiss above all: coordinating local counsel, deal taxation and execution under two legal systems.
Recent deals
A selection of matters led by the firm
The figure shown is the value of the transaction. The role states which party we advised.
Healthcare · Medical devices
€142m
Cross-border France – Switzerland acquisition, mixed share and cash consideration
Counsel to the buyer
2025
B2B software
€55m
Series C fundraising and rewriting of the founders agreement
Counsel to the company
2024
Food & beverage
€210m
Secondary LBO with management reinvestment
Counsel to the fund
2024
Energy
€68m
Industrial joint venture and 50/50 governance agreement
Counsel to the co-investors
2023
Retail
€24m
Post-acquisition dispute, enforcement of the warranty package
Counsel to the claimant
2023
Illustrative selection — parties, amounts and dates are fictional, shown for this demonstration site.
Offices
Lyon and Geneva
Two addresses, one way of working: few matters at a time, a lot of time on each of them.
They trusted us with a deal
We had six weeks to sign. The firm held the timetable without ever letting us initial something we did not understand.
On a French-Swiss acquisition, having the same team on both sides of the border saved us a month.
Their summary notes are the only ones my supervisory board reads in full.
Frequently asked
Before you write to us
How do you set your fees?
A fee agreement is signed before any work starts: a fixed fee per phase on transactions, an hourly rate for day-to-day advice, a success fee where it fits. Nothing goes beyond it without prior written agreement.
How long does a sale process take?
Four to nine months on most of the matters we handle, from the letter of intent to closing. Due diligence and conditions precedent take up most of the timetable.
Do you run conflict checks?
Always, before any substantive discussion. We come back to you within 48 business hours, including when we have to decline.
Do you work in Geneva as well as Lyon?
Yes. The firm is present at both bars and, on cross-border deals, coordinates local counsel in the other jurisdictions involved.
Are my messages confidential?
Legal privilege covers our exchanges from the very first message. Requests sent through this form are read by partners only.
Contact
Request a meeting
Describe your situation in a few lines. A partner replies within 48 business hours, once conflict checks are cleared.
- Lyon 18 quai Général Sarrail69006 Lyon, France+33 4 72 00 00 00
- Geneva Rue du Rhône 621204 Geneva, Switzerland+41 22 000 00 00
contact@delcourt-steiner.fr Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 7:30pm