Clark Hill’s French Desk supports cross-border business between French-speaking countries and the United States. Not only does San Diego Member Lionel Bochurberg lead this go-to resource for French-speaking entrepreneurs and businesses, but he also brings his background as a corporate executive to his clients.
Lionel recently discussed how his unique skills benefit his practice as well as some of the key trends he’s seeing in the mergers and acquisitions space.
Let’s start with your background as an executive. What kind of tech companies did you work for and what skills from those experiences most influence how you practice law today?
I was involved at the beginning of the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), a long time ago in the ‘90s. I jumped into this wireless wagon, and at a certain point, became the general counsel of a French company that had subsidiaries in Asia. I was the first in-house person, and then we launched the legal department, so I was exposed to international cross-border transactions, setting up subsidiaries all around the world. It was really such an incredible opportunity to develop my international skills.
Then, my second in-house experience was with a software company listed on the NASDAQ. We sold software to big banks. I was also with a solar company that manufactures CPV solar panels. It was very interesting to get our hands into the procurement, land development, and PPAs (Power Purchasing Agreements)—the whole ecosystem.
How does your executive background shape the way you advise clients today?
It helps having been exposed to how a business works, the things that matter, and how to make a difference. You think strategically about competitors and know how to beat the competition. When you know the key elements and parameters in business, it’s easier to have the discussion with the client. It’s having insight into what’s going on in an organization.
What kind of trends are you seeing in mergers and acquisitions?
I’m also licensed to practice in Quebec. I see a lot of cross-border transactions between Canada and the US. Canada is also trying to be more independent from the U.S., and buyers and sellers are also trying to reposition themselves for Canadian companies to acquire US-based businesses or vice versa. I can see the dynamic here as well as with Europe.
How did you end up in the United States?
I grew up and received my legal education in France. I was, and still am, a member of the Paris Bar. I’m very proud of it. I moved to the US permanently in 2008 when I was hired as the VP of International Legal Operations for a telecommunication company based in San Diego. I fell in love with the city. It’s gorgeous.
With the corporate practice group, how would you summarize your team’s work and its focus for clients?
The focus is not to be too focused—meaning that one day you have a lease to review, the next you’re selling shares to an investor, the day after is solving an issue with a privacy policy.
As a corporate attorney, this is where being at Clark Hill is such an asset. It’s easy to say, “I have this amazing attorney who can help from our Dallas office.” “Oh, you have an issue with employment? This is my colleague in LA who’s fantastic.” You don’t need to do everything by yourself when you have a team. The focus is really to be sensitive to the client and know who you can utilize within our firm to deliver what they need.
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