David Chijner is a partner in the Restructuring Department of DLA Piper France LLP, resident in the Paris office. David is a recognized expert in the fields of distressed M&A and restructuring. He has also participated in most of the major restructuring and distressed M&A transactions in France and acts as counsel to several US and French investment funds and banks. Mr. Chijner specializes in complex cases involving an international element, often in a pre-insolvency context.
He also has experience with the issuance of tailored securities by public companies that are being reorganized,including one of the first PIPEs in France. He regularly advises potential acquirers with respect to acquisitions,including potential targets that have emerged from bankruptcy.
David is admitted to the bars of England and Paris. Graduated in 1991 from the University of Kent in
Canterbury, David holds additional degrees in law from the University of Paris XI and the European University
Institute. Prior to joining DLA Piper France LLP, David worked at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
since 2005, and previously he worked at Weil, Gotshal & Manges both in New York and Paris where he was a partner.
David is recognized by Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business and Chambers Europe as a leading individual in Restructuring/Insolvency (France). Clients praise him as an "intelligent lawyer who is very internationally-minded." He is also recognized by French finance and law magazine Décideurs in its
ranking of Fried Frank as the top firm in the category of "Advisers to Turnaround Funds in Distressed LBOs,"
and among the top six firms in the "Advisers to Distressed Companies and Their Shareholders" category.
Recent significant transactions include:

•  Sale of SNYDER COMMUNICATIONS to HAVAS INTERNATIONAL.
• Acquisition by EURAZEO of FRANCE TELECOM’s stake in EUTELSAT.
•  Restructuring of GLOBALSTAR interests in its Joint Ventures with operations in France, Turkey andLatin America.
•  GENERAL ELECTRIC: Takeovers of SOFIA S.A. and BAIL IMMOBILIER FONCIER S.A.
•  HICKS, MUSE, TATE & FURST LIMITED: Acquisition of MATERNE S.A.
• Representation of LAROCHE CHEMICALS in its disposal of a troubled French subsidiary.
•  Sale of EARTH DECISION SCIENCES to PARADIGM INC.
•  Acquisition of the ROYAL MONCEAU GROUP by HOCHE FINANCEMENT, from bankruptcy.
•  Acquisition by MATLIN PATTERSON of MATUSSIÈRE FOREST S.A.
•  Representation of LUFTHANSA in its liquidation of its loss-making French catering business.
• Counsel to ATMEL ROUSSET and ATMEL CORP., former owner and current client of LFoundry Rousset (LFR), a semiconductor fabrication facility, with 800 employees. In 2010, Atmel Rousset sold LFR to German group LFoundry. LFR filed for receivership in 2013.
• Counsel to GOLDMAN SACHS PIA, mezzanine lender and equity holder, in the €6bn+ LBO debt restructuring of Mediannuaire Holding, holding company of listed company PagesJaunes Group. and Counsel to Goldman Sachs PIA, in the subsequent restructuring of Mediannuaire Holding as part of the subsequent restructuring of PagesJaunes Group (now known as Solocal that recently lead to one of the few accelerated financial safeguard).
•  Counsel to DAVIDSON KEMPNER AND WARWICK CAPITAL, equity and bond debt investors, in the distressed acquisition of insolvent French speciality steelmaker Ascometal.
•  Counsel to ALOE PRIVATE EQUITY in connection with the acquisition of Eco Delta's solar business. Ardian, Debiorpharm Investment and Nixdorf Foundation acquired, in equal shares, a 92.4% stake in Eco Delta subsidiaries Delta Solar and Eco Delta Operation and Maintenance through Aloe, their renewable energies investment vehicle. Bernis Energy acquired the other 7.6%.
• Counsel to WARWICK CAPITAL in connection with the acquisition of Porcher Industries, within the framework of the liquidation for ireconcilable differences amongst thus shareholders of the two holdings company (Société saumuroise de participation and Société civile des terres froides) of Porcher Industries. The Porcher Group is an international group that develops and produces materials combining textiles and chemistry for industrial applications.
•  Counsel to CAPUNITED in connection with the structuring of its investment in the company Tactualities Interactive Solutions France SAS.