.avif)
A founding meeting and a shared urge to build something
Hélène Saunois and Axel Bertrand met at the bar school, during their final placement in the same firm. It quickly became obvious: they share the same view of the profession, the same technical standards and above all the same urge to create.
Originally their project was set on a long horizon: give themselves five years to gain experience before setting up their own structure. In the end, the urge to build a business won out sooner than planned, and Asten Avocats came into being.
One key element contributed strongly to the project's success. They were at the same level of experience, which allowed a balanced relationship, smooth and healthy, in building the firm.
Complementary expertise to support clients from A to Z
From the start the founders were clear about what they wanted: to bring two complementary fields of competence together within a single expertise.
- Axel Bertrand works mainly in planning law: planning permissions, development, property projects, local authorities.
- Hélène Saunois specialises in construction law, a wide field covering contracts, the carrying out of works, disputes, the liability of the parties and litigation.
That double competence lets Asten Avocats support its clients from A to Z, from the design of the project through to its delivery. The firm now works with local authorities, developers, architects, construction companies and other property players.
The early days of a young firm: challenges and lessons
Like plenty of young firms, the early days were not simple.
The founders each had a few clients, but the first months went mainly into growing the firm, with little pay at the start.
At launch, Asten Avocats was not yet targeting its market precisely: the aim was to "do everything". The result:
- A great deal of work,
- Cases that were sometimes heavy,
- And therefore cases that are not always profitable.
Over time, the firm sharpened its position, concentrating on the cases where its added value is strongest.
Today, Asten Avocats is a young but structured venture, made up of Hélène and Axel, an associate and an intern, with growth it fully intends.
Youth: from a brake to an asset
At the start, some clients could show a form of reluctance towards a young firm. So the founders first tried to "age themselves" professionally. Then they understood something essential:
" Youth is not a handicap, it is an asset, provided you own it. "
Once they took that stance, the question stopped arising. Their energy, their availability, their command of modern tools and their ability to adapt became genuine differentiators. In the end it is all a question of position and of professional stance.
A legal environment in constant change
In planning law the rules move constantly, with major environmental stakes:
- Restraint in land use,
- Heavier regulatory constraints,
- Projects limited and made more complex, and so on
The projects are now harder to see through, which demands constant legal monitoring and deep technical command.
In construction law the context is tense too:
- Sites abandoned,
- Companies weakened,
- Insolvency proceedings, and so on
In that context, legal support becomes essential to secure projects and to anticipate the risks.
Asten Avocats: a strong identity and a human venture
The name Asten is no accident: it reflects a strong firm identity , owned and visible.
Beyond the legal technique, Asten Avocats is above all a human and professional venture, meant to grow and to evolve.
The founders note that many of their peers now come to them to understand how they built their project, proof that their path inspires.
And next? A view turned towards what comes
Already engaged in content projects, notably with a podcast called:
"Perspectives d'architectes", Hélène and Axel are preparing a new project for 2026, a sign of continuous thinking about their profession, their role and the way they pass things on.
This podcast is a chance to see behind the scenes of a new-generation law firm, committed, specialised and deeply anchored in today's planning and construction issues.
.jpg)
.webp){kind=small}