Section 3: Shareholders' meetings.

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Article R225-79

French Commercial codeIn force

Updated 6 Nov 2023

The proxy given by a shareholder to be represented at a meeting must be signed by the shareholder, where applicable by an electronic signature process, and must state the shareholder's surname, first name and usual place of residence. It may designate by name a proxy, who does not have the option of substituting another person.

For the application of the first paragraph, when the company decides, in accordance with the Articles of Association, to allow shareholders to participate in general meetings by electronic means of communication, the signature of the shareholder or his legal or judicial representative may result from a reliable shareholder identification process, guaranteeing its link with the remote voting form to which it is attached.

The proxy is given for a single meeting. It may, however, be given for two meetings, one ordinary, the other extraordinary, held on the same day or within a period of fifteen days.

A mandate given for one meeting shall be valid for successive meetings convened with the same agenda.

It may be revoked in the same manner as that required for the appointment of the proxy.

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Mariela Petrova

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Common Questions

Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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