Company formation & structuring
- Choosing the legal form suited to your project
- Drafting the articles of association and registration
- Completion of the legal incorporation formalities
Legal advice and assistance to secure your business in France
Compliance, company secretarial services and corporate acts: our legal experts support international companies at every decision in their corporate life.
Verified client reviews- 20+ years of experience
- Member of ODEC & CNCC
From startups to large corporations, they trust us to succeed in France.
Our areas of expertise
Five areas of expertise to secure your company's legal life
Flexible legal support, from your company formation to the follow-up of your annual obligations.
Company secretarial services & annual follow-up
- Organising ordinary and extraordinary general meetings
- Drafting minutes and updating the statutory registers
- Ongoing monitoring of your legal obligations
Drafting of legal acts
- Drafting the acts relating to the company's life
- Shareholder decisions, agreements and corporate documents
- Storage and safekeeping of your legal documents
Amendments to the articles of association
- Change of registered office or corporate purpose
- Appointment or change of directors
- Capital increase or reduction, transfer of shares or company interests
Exceptional operations & restructuring
- Restructuring and transfers of companies
- Asset contributions and strategic legal operations
- Legal safeguarding of your complex operations
Alongside international and French companies since 2003
Our approach
From analysing your needs to ongoing legal follow-up
Structured and transparent support, designed to master your legal obligations day to day and secure every decision.
- 01
Understand your structure
We analyse your legal organisation, your articles of association and your obligations in France.
- 02
Identify your legal needs
We determine the acts, formalities and deadlines to secure as a priority.
- 03
Draft and complete the formalities
We draft your acts and take care of your legal procedures.
- 04
Ensure follow-up over time
Company secretarial services, updating of registers and monitoring of your obligations.
2003
Legal assistance to international and French companies established in France.
+90%
Of international clients, from defence to healthcare.
A reliable legal framework for your growth
We combine legal rigour and knowledge of international groups to secure each of your decisions.
- A single point of contact for your entire legal life
- Acts and formalities compliant with French law
- Ongoing monitoring of your legal obligations
- Our priority is fast, precise and professional support.
Testimonials · 5.0 / 5 on Google
They trust us
Anton and the team have been very helpful in setting up and automating our Shopify transactions with Pennylane. Communication has been clear and responsive throughout, and they provided excellent technical support to ensure everything worked correctly. We have been very pleased with their service.
D
David Riley
Google review
We have had the pleasure of working with this accounting firm for several years, and we could not be more grateful for their continued support and dedication. From the very beginning, they have always been highly committed, incredibly responsive, and truly attentive to our needs. Their patience, professionalism, and willingness to take the time to explain things clearly have made a real difference in our day-to-day work.
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Their exceptional attention to detail and the high quality of their work save us valuable time every year and give us great confidence when preparing for financial audits. Thanks to their expertise and reliability, we are able to approach these important periods with much more peace of mind.
C
Clémentine
Google review
I have the good fortune of working with KeyPoint International from Canada to grow our business in France, and their support has been a real asset for OVA.
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Thanks to their team, we were able to structure our setup in France thoroughly and efficiently, with very complete support ranging from company formation to payroll, including bank accounts, administrative procedures, cards and the various files tied to our local development.
I work in particular with Lisa, who is extremely reliable, rigorous, punctual and always very quick to reply. For a Canadian company growing its business in France, having someone like her on the ground makes a real difference day to day.
More broadly, the whole KeyPoint International team has always been available, professional and a pleasure to work with. They allowed us to focus on our growth while knowing that the administrative, financial and operational side was in good hands.
I recommend them without hesitation to any foreign company looking to set up or grow in France.
H
Harold
Google review
I have been working with VMI, now Keypoint, since July 2019, when I became CFO of my company.
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Throughout these years, Keypoint has demonstrated outstanding responsiveness, flexibility, and reliability. Their team is highly professional, business-oriented, and always a pleasure to work with.
I would highly recommend Keypoint to any organization looking for a reliable and proactive business partner.
B
Benjamin Pommelet
Google review
We're working with KeyPoint (VM before) for a long time now to our complete satisfaction. Our regular contact person responds quickly and is well informed about French legislation, which is very convenient for us as a Dutch company. In addition, our French is not enough, so it is especially nice that they are good at English, allowing us to communicate well with them.
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I would definitely recommend KeyPoint to other companies in the Netherlands that have French branches.
A
Anita Barkel
Google review
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who can be a director of a French SAS, and must they live in France?
The president of a French SAS can be any individual or legal entity, French or foreign, with no requirement to reside in France. If they will personally work from France, though, they need the appropriate visa or residence permit.
What personal liabilities does a director of a French company carry?
You are civilly liable for management faults that cause loss to the company, its shareholders, or third parties, and criminally liable for offences such as misuse of corporate assets or breaches of the rules on capital, accounts, or bankruptcy. If the company is placed in liquidation, you can also be ordered to cover part of its debts personally where mismanagement contributed to the shortfall.
Can a director be held personally liable for unpaid tax or social security debt?
Yes. The tax authorities can hold you personally and jointly liable for the company's unpaid taxes if you used fraudulent manoeuvres or seriously and repeatedly failed to meet its tax obligations. Similar liability can apply for unpaid social security contributions.
What annual corporate formalities must a French subsidiary complete?
You must approve the annual accounts at a shareholders' meeting within six months of the fiscal year-end, then file them with the commercial court registry within one month (two months if filed electronically). You must also keep the beneficial-owner register and the company's registry information up to date whenever they change.
Who must be declared in the beneficial owner register?
Anyone who directly or indirectly holds more than 25% of the company's capital or voting rights, or who otherwise controls its management, must be declared as a beneficial owner. The declaration is filed through the Guichet unique and recorded in the National Business Register.
What happens if the annual accounts are filed late, or not at all?
Late or missing filing is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to €1,500 (€3,000 for a repeat offence within a year). The commercial court president can also order you to file under a daily penalty, appoint someone to file on the company's behalf at its expense, or open an inquiry into its financial situation.
Do we need French-law employment contracts, or can we use the group's templates?
You need contracts governed by French law and consistent with the applicable collective bargaining agreement; a group template drafted under a foreign law is not sufficient on its own. We adapt your group's template or draft compliant French contracts for each hire.
How much does legal support cost (company secretarial services, acts)?
The price depends on the nature of the service: an annual package for company secretarial services, or fees per act for an amendment to the articles of association or an exceptional operation. We provide a clear quote once we have identified your needs.
Our Services
Additional Services to Maximize Your Business Potential
Contact
A question? A project? Let's talk!
Our team supports you at every step of your establishment and growth in France. Let's discuss your needs.
Benjamin Chemoul & David Jian
Partners & Certified Public Accountants