Laetitia Benard
Image of Laëtitia Bénard

Laëtitia Bénard

Partner

Email

laetitia.benard@aoshearman.com

Phone

+33 (0)1 40 06 50 33

Offices

Paris

V-CARD
Laëtitia is Global Head of IP Litigation.

Laëtitia is a litigator specializing in domestic and cross-border patent litigation.

She has a wealth of expertise in all intellectual property areas, more particularly having acted in numerous complex patent disputes involving pharmaceutical and high tech companies. She also advises on patent portfolios, patent validity, and freedom to operate issues. She has specific knowledge of the life sciences field, in which she also advises on various regulatory and contractual matters such as price regulation, advertisement for medicines, transfers of technology and anti-bribery rules.

Laëtitia is a recognised practitioner by « Best Lawyers » since 2013 in Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation and Regulatory Practice.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Pro bono

  • Advising French non-profit organization "Autistes Sans Frontières" ("Autistics Without Borders").

Published Work

  • ‘Brexit’: time is of the essence for life sciences innovators – LSIPR (Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review) – June 2016
  • La juridiction unifiée du brevet (JUB) : un atout indéniable pour l'Europe, La Lettre des juristes d'affaires, July 2014
  • La juridiction unifiée du brevet (JUB) reçoit un soutien croissant des entreprises, Option Droit et Finance, July 2014 co-authored with David Por
  • France’s Biosimilar law may set trend inside the EU, Law 360, February 2014, co-authored with Eveline Van Keymeulen
  • L’Acte II de l’exception culturelle sur la scène du numérique, Les Echos, June 2013
  • "France" chapter, International Copyright Law book, Global Law & Business, May 2013, co-authored with Alexandre Rudoni and Olivia Klimis
  • Overview of Life Sciences law in France, Chambers Life Sciences Guide 2013, co-authored with Olivier Fréget, David Por and Olivia Klimis 
  • Interim injunctions over patents, The French practice, Managing Intellectual Property, co-authored with Olivia Klimis
  • Choisir la stratégie juridique adéquate pour valoriser sa marque - Décryptage avec Laëtitia Bénard, Les Echos, December 2012
  • Comparative Advertising for generics in Germany and France after L’Oréal v Bellure, PTMG Law Lore & Practice, December 2012, co-authored with Oscar Benito, Rainer Kaase and Ralf Möller 
  • Il faut sauver le projet de brevet unitaire européen, Option Droit & Affaires, September 2012, co-authored with Olivia Klimis
  • Preliminary injunctions in Europe: an overview in the field of patents, The Handbook of European IP Management, May 2012
  • Trade secrets protection: a comparative overview, The Handbook of European IP Management, May 2012, co-authored with  Benjamin Bai and Paul B. Keller
  • Why France is a good forum for preliminary injunctions in patent matters, Global Business Magazine, April 2012
  • Supplementatry protection certificates: CJEU provides welcome clarifications, Who's Who Legal, Life Sciences, April 2012, co-authored with Olivia Klimis
  • Trade secrets protection, Commerce International, April 2012
  • L'arrêt DHL/Chronopost de la CJUE du 12 avril 2011 : une injonction communautaire peut être obtenue dans les limites de l'atteinte aux fonctions de la marque, Revue Lamy Droit de l'immatériel, August/September 2011, co-authored with Alexandra Abello
  • Competition, Public Health, Innovation and Drugs, LGDJ, 2010, under the supervision of Marie-Anne Frison-Roche 
  • Generic drugs and IP law, Lamy Droit de la Santé, 2002, 2004 and 2008
  • Question 202 of the AIPPI French group on "The impact of public health issues on exclusive patents rights", September 2008
  • The DADVSI law regarding television: three steps backward for right owners?, Legipresse, May 2007, co-authored with Alexandre Rudoni
  • Rights owners and users fail to agree on reform, Managing Intellectual Property, June 2006, co-authored with Alexandre Rudoni
  • How to prepare the businessmen in the biotechnology sector for the cession of their firm, Bio Futur, October 2005, co-authored with Alexandre Rudoni

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, The Health and Medicines Law Days seminar (11èmes Journées droit de la santé et du médicament), Competition law and regulation: evaluation of conduct in relation to health regulators and health care professionals, Paris, January 2014
  • Chairperson, 6th Pharma and Biotech Patent Litigation Forum, C5 Global Communications, Amsterdam, January 2014
  • Guest speaker in a roundtable on “Intellectual property and the new face of pharmaceutical innovation” organized by Pharmaceutiques magazine, November 2013
  • Speaker, Cross-border Injunctions for Registered IP Rights in Europe : An Overview of Recent Developments, Fordham IP Conference, April 2013
  • Panelist, Supplementary Protection Certificates, Fordham IP Conference, April 2013
  • Speaker, The Health and Medicines Law Days seminar (10èmes Journées droit de la santé et du médicament), 2012 Case Law Update : Intellectual Property and Market Access of Medicines (in French), Paris, January 2013
  • PTMG Conference on Pharmaceutical Trademarks, Use of Trade Dress by Generics: a French Update, Barcelona, October 2012
  • Speaker, Working Group “Innovation” from the Montaigne Institute, How can the law encourage innovation in the field of health care? (in French), Paris, February 2012 
  • Online piracy and intellectual property litigation training at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department conference, Abu Dhabi – 25-26 May 2011 
  • Annual Conferences of the Healthcare Industry ("Journées Droit de la Santé et du Médicament") on intellectual property issues – 2008 (The French law on IP enforcement: what are the new aspects to business industries?), 2009 (Does the policy of generic companies require specificities as regards the enforcement of intellectual property rights ?), 2010 (Use of rights and anti-competitive practices), 2012 (The markets at the expiry of IP rights: issues and risks) and 2013 (Actualité jurisprudentielle 2012 : propriété intellectuelle et accès au marché des médicaments) 
  • Intellectual Property and Drugs : panorama of news : speaking on "Patents rights litigation in Europe" – 23 September 2009 
  • Drug Lifecycle Management conference, London – 14-15 May 2009 
  • C5 Seminar "Communications and Software Patents", speaking on "Practical Considerations and Tactical Strategies for Enforcing your Technology Patent", London – 25 January 2007 

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member of the European Patent Lawyer Association (EPLAW)
  • Member of the Association des Avocats en Propriété Industrielle (AAPI)
  • Member of International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL)
  • Member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) – French group
  • Member of the Association of trademark and design practitioners (APRAM)
  • Member of Association des Praticiens Européens des Brevets (APEB)
  • Member of the International Trademark Association (INTA)
  • Member of the European Communities Trademark Association (ECTA)

Recognition

“Laëtitia Bénard has a very good strategic vision and grasp of the field. She is very creative in her approach.”
Chambers France 2026 (Intellectual Property)
“Laëtitia Bénard is extremely experienced, knows the French community and system very well. She is really smart and adds a lot of value to the case.”
Chambers France 2026 (Intellectual Property)

Awards

  • Recommended by JUVE Patent France, 2026
  • SPC Litigator of the Year, LMG Life Sciences, EMEA Awards, 2025
  • Patent Litigator of the Year: Pharmaceuticals, LMG Life Sciences, EMEA Awards, 2024
  • Hall of Fame, Legal 500 EMEA, France, 2026 (Intellectual property: Patents)
  • Leading Partners, Legal 500 EMEA, France, 2026 (Healthcare and life sciences)
  • Band 1, Chambers, France, 2026 (Pharma/Life Sciences)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted to the Bar, Paris, 2000

Academic

Post Graduate Degree, Industrial Property, University of Paris II Panthéon Assas, 1999

Post Graduate Degree, French Civil Law, University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne, 1998

Languages

English, French
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.