Subsection 1: Conditions for registration in national directories

Articles in this section · 11

Article R6113-14

French Labour CodeIn force

Updated 1 Nov 2023

No person may hold, de jure or de facto, a management or administrative position in a certifier body within the meaning of article L. 6113-2 if he has been convicted of a crime or offence contrary to good character and morality.

This condition of good repute is assessed at the time of application for registration of a proposed professional qualification or certification or authorisation in the national registers and at any time during the registration period.

Bulletin No. 3 of the criminal record less than three months old of the persons mentioned in the first paragraph is attached to the application for registration sent to the Director General of France Compétences. Failure to send this report within one month of the notification of a formal notice by the Director General of France Compétences will result in the application for registration being inadmissible.

In the event of a change in management staff during the registration period, bulletin no. 3 of the criminal record of the persons concerned, less than three months old, is sent to the Director General of France Compétences. Failure to send this report within two months of the notification of a formal notice by the Director General of France Compétences will result in the withdrawal of the professional certification from the national professional certification register or of the certification or authorisation from the specific register.

In the event of a report identifying an imminent and serious risk of physical or moral harm to candidates for the acquisition of a professional qualification or a qualification or accreditation registered in the national directories, the Director General of France Compétences may, as a precautionary measure, suspend the registration of the professional qualification or qualification or accreditation.

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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