On May 18, 2026, ethics training was held for the new group of lawyer-led legaltech projects incubated by the Paris Bar Incubator.
Delivered at the offices of Kanbios, a partner of the Paris Bar in this area, the lawyers leading the various projects under development were able to discuss the legal and ethical compliance of their projects.
IBP – 2026 Incubation Program Second Session
The Paris Bar Incubator offers this training to all lawyers who have completed the IBP incubation program.
This program offers selected colleagues a 3-month intensive support program to help them move from idea to a functional solution, and potentially more. A maximum of 4 new projects will be selected for the next session, which will run from mid-April to mid-July 2026.
Participants will dedicate the equivalent of at least half their time to developing their legal tech startup alongside leading experts in the legal and judicial innovation ecosystem (coaching, workshops, and inspiring presentations, etc.), in accordance with the incubatees’ charter.
Lawyer LegalTech – Related and Ancillary Business Activities
At the request of many entrepreneurial colleagues, the Paris Bar Incubator offers all lawyers who have completed its incubation program training each year on the legal and ethical framework applicable to lawyers developing digital solutions through related and ancillary business activities.
Led by Amaury Sonet (Valmy Avocats), former member of the Bar Council, and Pierre Xavier Chomiac de Sas (PCS Avocat), this new session—enriched and amended—delves deeper into the practical points of vigilance identified in previous sessions, addressing the specific questions raised by lawyers currently structuring their legal tech projects.
As a reminder, the National Bar Council, in its 2023 resolution concerning exceptional commercial activities, reiterated the strict and full application of all ethical rules—particularly the National Internal Regulations (RIN)—to lawyers developing commercial activities related to their profession.
Lawyers’ LegalTech – Points of Vigilance
- Dedicated Company or Firm Service? A crucial choice between activity carried out by the firm and the creation of a separate commercial entity. This choice has significant ethical, tax, and operational implications that are crucial for the long-term viability of the project.
- Exclusion of legal advice and special mandates. Strict delimitation of the scope of the company’s activities. Identification of acts falling under the exclusive purview of lawyers and separation of the two activities. The company may not engage in any activity related to legal advice or court representation.
- Structuring financial flows, invoicing, and agreements. Invoicing, agreements between the firm and the company, prohibition of fee sharing, and compensation for business referrals. Financial flows between the firm and the legaltech company must be structured from the outset to avoid any reclassification or ethical breaches.
- Anticipating fundraising conditions. Specific constraints related to the status of a lawyer who is also a shareholder or director: shareholder agreements, investor rights, approval clauses, and adherence to essential principles. Fundraising requires anticipating the ethical framework applicable to the structure.
Lawyer Legaltech – Operational Structuring
Articles of Association & Corporate Purpose. Drafting the corporate purpose with the necessary wording to avoid any invalidity in the event of activity falling under the lawyer’s monopoly. Critical point in the initial structuring of the company.
Insurance & Liability. Coverage for the lawyer’s and the company’s professional civil liability. Coordination of guarantees and identification of risk areas not covered by existing policies.
Chinese Wall & Data Separation. Implementation of watertight information barriers between the firm’s activities and those of the company. Professional secrecy, GDPR, separation of information systems and access.
Professional formalities. Registration with the Bar Association, verification of the requirements of the bar association, and transparency obligations regarding related activities. Consult with the Bar Council during the structuring phase.
Conflict of interest detection procedures. Mapping of potential conflicts of interest between the activities of the firm, the company, and its clients. Implementation of formalized procedures for screening and managing conflicts of interest.
Networking & clubs. Ethical framework for participation in collective structures (investor clubs, founders’ networks). Applicable rules regarding communication, solicitation, and information sharing.
