Overview
Benoît Thirion is a partner in the Corporate Department, in charge of the Public Law practice, and is based in the firm’s Paris office.
He advises and litigates public law/projects matters on behalf of public entities and private companies, investment funds and financial institutions.
Benoît has developed significant experience with, and a keen understanding of, the strategic and legal issues of Energy and Infrastructure sectors (including transportation, telcos, data centers, water and waste, etc.) and has established close relationships with many key players in these sectors.
Benoît assists his clients in the structuring, negotiating, drafting and executing their public contracts (concessions, complex public contractual arrangements, occupancy contracts) as well as project contracts (EPC, O&M, PPA contracts, etc.).
He is involved in all matters relating to the granting of authorizations or regulations applicable to economic activities in a variety of contexts (capital transactions, structuring and implementation of greenfield projects, regulatory issues, and litigation). He specializes in regulatory, environmental law and state aid law.
He works closely with the firm's M&A, Private Equity and Financing teams.
Benoit is ranked “Up & Coming” in Chambers France 2026, with clients noted that “Benoît Thirion is an excellent professional. He provides very good level of service."
Benoît teaches public law at Sciences Po Paris Law School. He regularly publishes articles on topics related to his practice.
Accolades
- Up & Coming, Public Law, Chambers France 2026
- “Benoît Thirion is an excellent professional - He provides very good level of service.” (Chambers France 2026)
- "Benoît Thirion is very responsive, a great connoisseur of the law, and above all a true ally in the negotiation of our contracts. His skill in negotiation allows us to gain in efficiency and he contributes effectively to our successes” (Legal 500)
- “Benoît Thirion stands out for his listening skills, pragmatism, advice, and responsiveness” (Legal 500)
- “Benoît Thirion has extensive experience; his background and his time providing strategic advice on projects give him a much-appreciated perspective and openness to the issues. In addition, he is experienced in cases with high financial, environmental and political stakes, which makes him a very valuable advisor for private operators, particularly in the preparation and management of projects” (Legal 500)
Education
- International Certificate in Corporate Finance, HEC Paris, 2018
- University of Paris I Panthéon – Sorbonne, Master 2 in Public Business Law, 2008, Master 1 in Public Law, 2007
- Sciences Po Paris, 2006
Representations
- Advising an institutional stakeholder on the reorganization and divestment of stakes in renewable energy production companies.
- Advising a pipeline operator in structuring a CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) project.
- Advising an energy producer in a dispute related to the execution of an energy purchase agreement.
- Advising a pipeline operator in managing access to its essential infrastructure.
- Advising a motorway concession company on regulatory and contractual issues.
- Advising railway operators in the context of using Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to carry out investments in favour of rail freight.
- Advising a rail freight operator in the context of contractualizing its purchases.
- Advising a subcontractor in connection with the performance of an industrial public procurement contract for the Grand Paris Express.
- Advising an urban transport operator in the context of consultations for the award of public service delegations for buses in Île-de-France.
- Advising an urban transport operator in the context of the performance of public service delegations for buses in Île-de-France.
- Advising a major retail group on the structuring of its investment and commercial offering in the field of electric mobility.
- Advising an airport in the preparation and negotiation of its economic regulation contract with the French State.
- Advising the sponsor in connection with the drafting and negotiation of an EPC contract for a substation as part of a major data center project in France.
- Advising a water and waste operator in the context of developments of its legal and regulatory framework
Engagement & Publications
Publications
- Qui doit payer pour nos infrastructures ? (Les Echos, 25 novembre 2024)
- Paris InfraWeek 2024, Conference on “Integrating biodiversity into the financing and sustainable management of infrastructure: issues and solutions” (2024 Paris Infraweek, nov. 4 – 8)
- Le financement de la transition dans les transports : enjeux économiques et juridiques (Revue d’économie financière – N° 155 – Financer la transition énergétique – octobre 2024)
- Après le pic : les réponses à l'inflation dans les marchés publics (Contrats et marchés publics - n° 11, novembre 2023, éd. Lexis Nexis)
- Dépasser les incohérences juridiques de l’investissement vert (Le Monde, 17 novembre 2023)