Peter Alfandary, Head of the French Group at transatlantic firm Reed Smith, was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French Government for services to Anglo-French commercial and legal relations. The ceremony took place at the Ambassador's residence in Kensington on 16th October 2003.

The Legion of Honour, originally created by Napoleon I, is the highest civilian award that can be bestowed on an individual by the French State and is equivalent to an English knighthood.

Peter Alfandary, Head of the Reed Smith, French Group commented:

"This is a huge honour, especially to get as a foreigner. I was extremely touched, surprised and I must say very proud indeed when I received the letter from the French Ambassador telling me that I would receive the award. Throughout my career, and because of my French education, I have been fascinated by the cultural differences between the business and the legal environments in France and England. When assisting French clients in the UK, whether it has been the Embassy, other State bodies, quoted or private companies, I suppose I have always tried hard to bridge this gap. I know that this honour has been awarded in recognition of those efforts over the past 22 or so years."

Tim Foster, Managing Partner Reed Smith UK commented:

"This award is richly deserved. From a Reed Smith perspective, it was Peter's vision when he founded the French Group, over 20 years ago, to build a practice that concentrated on French work, the French market and French clients. There are now 15 lawyers who make up the Group in the UK and the US, acting on behalf of multinational and medium-sized French companies including those already established in the UK as well as those coming to the UK to set up subsidiaries here. We offer our clients more than the law, we are able to offer them cultural understanding. Peter's view is that it is not enough to be bilingual, you must also be bicultural."

Alfandary's clients include the French Embassy, The French Institute, The Ministry of Tourism and a variety of French companies with presences in the UK.

The work done by the firm's French Group recently in advising Eurostar on complex contractual negotiations for the £35 million refurbishment of their rolling stock was a classic example of its ability to provide the type of a cross cultural legal and management understanding and experience which clients increasingly require.

Alfandary is the Vice President and Board member of the French Chamber of Commerce in the UK. The French Chamber of Commerce represents some 600 major UK and French organisations. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Maison de la France. He has also lectured to the English and French business communities, appeared on French and English TV and radio, and written papers on the Anglo-French relationship. In 1991, Alfandary received the Order of Merit from the French Republic.