Clifford Chance
Dessislava Savova leads our global Consumer Goods & Retail Sector Group as well as our Tech Group in Europe.
Dessislava specializes in all areas of commercial law, including technology and commercial contracts and cooperations, joint ventures, economic regulations, consumer law, and data protection, AI and cybersecurity. She is a member of our global Data Risk team.
Further, she is a lecturer at Sciences Po (Ecole de Droit) and the University of Versailles Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines on Tech & Data Law.
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Paris
- +33144055483
- Email me
- Speaks English, Russian, Czech, Bulgarian and French
- Practice area TechDigital, Commercial Transactions & Outsourcing
- Sector Consumer goods & retail, Telecommunications, Aerospace & defence, Private equity
Career and qualifications
- University Kliment Ohridsky Sofia (DEUG de droit) 1993
- University Robert Schuman of Strasbourg (Maîtrise de droit des affaires et Certificat de droit européen) 1998
- University of Strasbourg (Master's Degree in Business Law - Post-Master's qualification in Business Law DESS - DJCE) 1998
- Centre de Formation Professionnelle des Avocats d'Alsace à Strasbourg 1999
- Admitted as an avocat in Paris 2000
- Joined Clifford Chance Paris 2000
- Secondment to Clifford Chance London 2000
- Seconded to the legal department of EADS 2001
- Partner since 2011
Awards and citations
- Dessislava Savova is ranked as "Notable Practitioner".
IFLR 2024, M&A - France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as one of the 'Leading Individuals' for the practice.
"Dessislava Savova has expertise in new technologies and in advising large technological groups – she perfectly masters the needs of her clients in relation to both advice and litigation."
Legal 500 EMEA 2024, Data Privacy and Data Protection - France - Dessislava Savova (Band 4) enters the rankings due to noted expertise in IT and data protection matters, including cloud services agreements and regulatory frameworks. Her advice is sought by an international client base.
"I would highlight that Dessislava has an international vision as well as good expertise and a good operational approach in the new tech and IT sector."
"Dessislava is a very good lawyer with attention to detail and a good understanding of our commercial needs."
"She has good experience and exposure to different cases with the regulators and so can share good insights."
Chambers Europe 2024, TMT: Information Technology - France
- Dessislava Savova is ranked as "Notable Practitioner".
IFLR 2023, M&A - France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as one of the 'Leading Individuals' for the practice.
Legal 500 EMEA 2023, Data Privacy and Data Protection - France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as "Notable Practicioner".
IFLR 2022 - France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as one of the 'Leading Individuals' for the practice.
Legal 500 2022, Data Privacy and Data Proctection - France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as "Notable practitioner".
IFLR EMEA 2021, M&A - France - “I commend the dedication and determination of Dessislava Savova to deliver such high quality work under extreme time pressure."
"Clifford Chance offers solid expertise in diverse jurisdictions, across many countries, always offering clients a coordinated experience."
Legal500 EMEA 2021 – France - Dessislava Savova is ranked as "Notable Practicioner".
IFLR 2020 - France - “Clifford Chance assists with data protection and cybersecurity matters alike. The practice (…) is able to take on high-stakes matters and provides a one-stop-shop for transactions, major compliance projects, complex commercial contracts and day-to-day data protection and cybersecurity advice (…). Dessislava Savova is the head of the practice.”
Legal500 2020 – France: Data Privacy and Data Protection: Tier 2 - "Clifford Chance has a broad aviation practice, with a team whose 'members complement each other'. The practice has a strong corporate and commercial focus, with Dessislava Savova and Fabrice Cohen forming the heart of the group, as well as a strong litigation and arbitration component alongside regulatory expertise. In a recent corporate highlight, Cohen advised Airbus on its $750m disposal of Vector Aerospace to StandardAero Aviation Holdings, while Savova acted for Airbus on the implementation of a new industrial and commercial strategy for the insourcing of key aircraft components. Thibaud d’Alès represented the Cessna Citation European Service Center in litigation against owners and managers of airplanes arising from the non-payment of repairing works. Other key contacts include Jason Fry, Simon Greenberg and Thomas Baudesson. Charles-Henri Boeringer was promoted to partner in May 2018."
Legal 500 EMEA, France, Aviation, 2019 - "Clifford Chance regularly handles a wide range of high-value corporate instructions for Airbus, often with a strong international component. Fabrice Cohen and Dessislava Savova, who has expertise in commercial contracts, are the key names. The promotion of Sandrine Colletier to counsel in May 2017 has further increased the group’s strength in arbitration. Recent work includes advising Airbus on the disposal of Vector Aerospace and its subsidiaries to StandardAero Aviation and assisting Airbus with the global reorganisation of the Airbus Group."
Legal 500 EMEA, France, Aviation, 2018
- "Clifford Chance’s ‘high-level lawyers’ are ‘very expert, responsive and easy to work with’; the 40-lawyer team provides an ‘outstanding service’. It is especially recommended for handling ‘complex M&A transactions in France and abroad’ and has particular expertise in the defence, healthcare, banking and energy areas. Recent work includes handling many strategic public and private M&A transactions, such as advising Airbus on its joint venture with Safran and assisting Jacobs Douwe Egberts with the sale of Carte Noire. Clients include Société Générale, Rexel and Numericable. Mathieu Remy ‘combines perfect technical legal skills and business acumen with added value advice on complex situations’. Fabrice Cohen, Gilles Lebreton, Thierry Schoen and Laurent Schoenstein are also particularly recommended, and Catherine Astor-Veyres, Aline Cardin, Dessislava Savova and Yves Wehrli are other key figures".
Legal 500 EMEA, France, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2016 - "Clifford Chance was recently involved in high-profile distressed M&A transactions, notably in the banking sector where it assisted the French government with Crédit Immobilier de France’s bail-out. The firm also represented major French groups such as Carrefour in strategic deals in emerging countries. Mathieu Remy, who ‘can be trusted blindly’, has an outstanding transactional record. Other key names in the 36-lawyer team include Thierry Schoen, Yves Wehrli, Gilles Lebreton, Laurent Schoenstein, Catherine Astor-Veyres, Aline Cardin and Dessislava Savova, who advises on commercial and contractual aspects of M&A transactions."
Legal 500, Section Mergers and Acquisitions, 2014 - "Dessislava Savova leads an eight-lawyer team that provides commercial and contractual support during M&A".
Legal 500, Section M&A, 2013