• Focus Areas
• Services

Our clients, ranging from multinational companies to government agencies, operate in an international and converging environment and we are committed to helping them both shape their markets and adapt to these changes.

Ichay & Mullenex Avocats assists telecom companies across Europe, Asia and Africa with differing activities (fixed network operators, mobile operators, satellite operators, and service providers). Our in depth knowledge of the communications industry combined with our strong corporate and commercial capability are the keys to our ability to deliver proactive and highly effective legal advice to such a varied group of worldwide businesses.

Since the first privatisations of incumbent telecom operators, we have remained at the cutting-edge of the industry. This allows us to assist our clients in optimizing commercial opportunities and mitigating risk. Ichay & Mullenex Avocats is devoted to continually improving their work, consistently providing innovative and creative solutions to even the most complex of our customers' requests.

Ichay & Mullenex Avocats brings to its clients its expertise and experience in both French and foreign Intellectual Property laws to provide a full range of legal services in such fascinating, dynamic and fast paced industries as: motion pictures, television, music, theatre, the Arts, sports, fashion, press, advertising and the Internet.

Ichay & Mullenex Avocats represents a wide range of public and private companies in various fields of activities as both vendors and buyers. Our lawyers have worked with most of the major players in the computer (hardware and software), emerging technologies, luxury & fashion, pharmaceutical and advertising industries.

Our unique transversal approach to the TMT practice area allows us to anticipate all legal constraints (including issues related to privacy and data protection), to address operational needs, and to offer tailor made, personalized service to our clients, the real landmark of our firm.

We have advised on all relevant areas of law and a wide variety of projects, including, but not limited to:

E-commerce and technologies

• Contracts related to the creation and management of websites,
• Legal issues related to e-commerce, including, without limitation, advertising and payments,
• Privacy and data protection regulations,
• Relocation of technology companies, in particular to India,
• Contracts related to computer services and systems implementation.

Telecommunications

• National and international regulatory issues, including, the granting of new licences,
• Interconnection and roaming agreements,
• Implementation of agreements with the Clearing Houses,
• Commercial contracts for infrastructure projects, capacity purchases, co-location, outsourcing (more specifically network build out, network access, equipment procurement arrangements, communications infrastructure projects) and MVNO agreements,
• International joint-ventures for mobile telecom operators throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East,
• Submarine cable systems and related agreements,
• Network build agreements (fibre, fibre swaps, ducts and capacity),
• Settlement of disputes between telecom operators and/or destination countries through ITU and various arbitration procedures,
• Management of frequencies at the borders and implementation of "good conduct policies".

Media

• Legal issues related to advertising,
• Legal issues related to publishing, including publishing agreements,
• Content purchase agreements and distribution agreements mainly in relation with mobile telephony (convergence),
• Legal issues related to music and film production.

Intellectual Property

• Design of protection strategies for IP assets,
• IP portfolio reviews,
• IP audits,
• Knowledge transfer and licensing agreements,
• Infringement and copyright violations.

Highlights from our track record:

(Our professional ethics rules forbid us to disclose our clients' names. However, references may be obtained upon request).

1. Advised a telecom company on its purchase of a national carrier, specifically providing assistance on the negotiations pertaining to the telecommunications regulatory representations and warranties and the interconnection and roaming agreements,

2. Advised an European telecom operator on the launch and management of a mobile network in Kosovo,

3. Advised an Internet company on the creation of a new employment website that utilizes breakthrough technologies, and continue to serve as the company's legal advisor on all day to day issues,

4. Designed a legal and judicial strategy to protect an international leading software company from Intellectual Property infringements in France and in Europe,

5. Advised a global satellite operator on the regulatory framework for satellite operations in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia,

6. Advised an international telecom operator, on both the renegotiation of its financing with the Asian Development Bank and mobile coverage in Afghanistan,

7. Advised an international telecom operator, on its 3G auctions and associated transactions in France,

8. Advised a telecommunications carrier in its bid, documentation preparation and management strategy for a telecommunications start-up company in South Africa,

9. Advised a venture capital firm in its acquisition of a Moroccan telecom company,

10. Advised a mobile operator on its partnership with a technology company to offer TV on mobile to its subscribers (DVB-H Technology),

11. Advised a collective rights management organization on its online distribution rights policies,

12. Advised an European telecom operator's bid for a licence in Equatorial Guinea,

13. Advised a telecom operator, that spanned several African countries, in its purchase of content in Europe and India,

14. Advising a film production company on all legal issues related to the production of various documentary films,

15. Advised a magazine publisher, specializing in magazines about new technologies, on the management of its assets and the launching of new products in France,

16. Advised a start up company on the creation of a new Internet information and services portal, and continue to serve as the company's legal advisor on all day to day issues,

17. Advised an event planning firm on all of its legal issues related to the organization of corporate patronage events that use contemporary art in an unique manner, including relationship with the artists, with its corporate clients, etc.,

18. Advised a film production company for the sale of its entire film library, and all rights attached, to the first television Group in France,

19. Assisted a leading brand in fashion industry to launch its cosmetic and perfume brands and to set up its distribution network in France and in Europe,

20. Advised a French luxury goods manufacturer on its anti-counterfeiting strategy in South-East Asia,

21. Drafted and negotiated a French fashion company's distribution agreements in the Middle East,

22. Assisted a French state agency to set up a joint venture with a Singaporean university to develop a "to be patented" process related to hybrid palm seeds,

23. Advised a sovereign-wealth fund for the privatization of a telecom incumbent in Africa (in partnership with the Corporate Department).