The Autorité de la concurrence has initiated a public consultation as part of its efforts to prepare a new opinion regarding the freedom of establishment for lawyers at the French Administrative Supreme Court (Conseil d’État) and the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation). This consultation is aimed at revising the recommendations on the creation of new offices for lawyers at these courts.

This marks the first time the Autorité is issuing recommendations for a five-year period, from 2027 to 2032, following a change in the regulatory framework. The consultation is open to all stakeholders, including lawyers, their associates, and students from the IFRAC training institute, encouraging them to share their views through an online questionnaire.

The Autorité has identified key issues for discussion, including the requirements for obtaining the CAPAC qualification, changes in the work of lawyers at the Courts, the impact of generative artificial intelligence, and the criteria for taking over a lawyer's office. The consultation will remain open until 5 November 2026, and individual responses will be kept confidential.