Agnès Cloarec-Mérendon retired from the partnership in June 2017. Agnès was a partner in the Paris office of Latham & Watkins and co-chair of the Litigation & Trial Department. Her practice encompassed French, European and international labor and employment law and she advised national and multinational companies. She counseled and represented clients in litigation matters, before labor, civil and criminal courts.
Agnès developed a strong expertise in HR aspects of mergers and acquisitions, company restructuring, mass redundancy plans and in the setting up of outsourcing operations. She also assisted company management in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with unions and in setting up chains of delegation of power and of liability including preliminary audit of criminal risks and the development of tailored training to company management. On the litigation side, she represented clients in strategic and sensitive litigation matters, collective litigation, litigation related to the termination of collective agreements, harassment, discrimination, psychosocial risks, loan of personnel, illegal subcontracting, as well as work-related accidents.
Agnès' expertise was also focused on diversity, fair working conditions and ethics issues with related negotiation aspects - e.g. implementation of ethics and diversity codes - and the litigation defense aspects, including before criminal courts, particularly in sensitive discrimination and harassment cases. She as well provided ethics and compliance training. Agnès taught at the Master of Law in Business Ethics of the University of Paris-Cergy.
At the time of her retirement, she was active in lobbying as well as in the defense of clients' interests during the preparation of legal texts modifying their legal environment.
Agnès was a frequently featured speaker at professional seminars and she regularly participated in sessions organized by RHM, Dii, Medef, Dalloz, Liaisons Sociales, AFMD.
Agnès is listed among the best practitioners in Décideurs, The Legal 500 Paris, European Legal 500, European Legal Experts and Chambers Europe.