Philippe Thomas focuses his practice on employment matters. He has extensive experience in the transfer of personnel and other employment law aspects of national and international mergers and acquisitions. He regularly advises on restructuring issues with or without reductions in headcount. He assists clients with collective agreements, harmonization of employee status as well as with consultations of employee representatives. He litigates regularly on collective matters (bonuses, profitsharing, employee representatives issues, etc.) and on employment termination issues (including following reductions in force).
Mr. Thomas and his team have a particular expertise in handling sensitive and crisis cases (including plant closures, executive departures, investigations, health and safety issues at work, and strikes).
Through its work with other Dechert teams, the team approaches crisis issues not solely from an employment law perspective but from a business point of view as well.
Mr. Thomas is recognized for providing expert advice on strategic projects and for his experience managing projects requiring implementation in multiple countries. His expertise and knowledge of foreign legal systems and requirements of cross-border projects allows him to provide innovative advice focused on the most relevant issues.
In addition, Mr. Thomas advises on recent legislation such as the new rules applicable to collective bargaining agreements, health and safety, discrimination, directors' liabilities and compensation plans. He regularly teams up with the client’s teams to improve the management of day-to-day employment law issues.
Mr. Thomas is recognized as a leading lawyer in France by Chambers Europe 2025, and The Legal 500 EMEA 2025, as well as by Best Lawyers 2025.
He is also the author of the “French Q&As regarding restrictive covenants clauses” for Thomson Reuters Practical Law, along with Dechert associate Maëlle Chausse.
-
- Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, M.A., 1986
- Georgetown University, LL.M., 1990
-
- Paris
-
- French
- English
-
- European Employment Lawyer’s Association
- The International Bar Association
- Avosial
- C.N.A.T (National Centre of Arbitration at Work) Board of Directors