September 16, 2026, will remain an important milestone in the history of the French-American Bar Association (FABA). For the first time since its creation, our association decided to hold its annual back-to-business networking event outside Paris, choosing Marseille as the setting for an evening dedicated to professional connections, community building, and growth.
Since its founding, FABA’s activities have naturally been centered in Paris, where a significant part of the French-American legal community is based. Over the past several years, our leadership team has continued this tradition by organizing numerous events in the French capital, bringing together lawyers, in-house counsel, and legal professionals with an interest in transatlantic legal and business relationships.
However, international legal practice extends far beyond Paris. Within FABA’s own leadership team, two of our four board members are based in Marseille, and we have long recognized the strong presence of lawyers and legal professionals throughout Southern France who share the same interest in international practice and cross-border networking. Organizing an event in Marseille therefore felt like a natural next step.
Our goal was twofold: to connect more directly with the vibrant legal community in Southern France while reinforcing FABA’s commitment to expanding its reach beyond Paris. We firmly believe that the strength of an association lies in the diversity of its members and its ability to bring together professionals from different regions and backgrounds. This inaugural Marseille gathering was designed to encourage legal professionals interested in French-American relations to become more involved in the life of the association, whether through local initiatives or participation in future events in Paris.
For this landmark occasion, we selected one of Marseille’s most iconic venues: the InterContinental Marseille – Hôtel Dieu. Overlooking the historic Old Port, the hotel provided a truly exceptional setting for the evening. Guests gathered beneath the elegant arcades adjoining the terrace and enjoyed breathtaking views of the city’s historic center while networking in a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere.
The timing of the event was also carefully chosen. By hosting our rentrée in mid-September, we hoped to take advantage of Marseille’s beautiful late-summer weather while also creating an opportunity for legal professionals visiting the city during the annual Juris’Cup festivities to join us for an evening of meaningful exchanges.
The result exceeded our expectations. Nearly thirty participants attended this first Marseille edition. Attendance was highly encouraging and confirmed the interest in expanding FABA’s presence in the region.
Even more importantly, the enthusiasm generated throughout the evening was remarkable. Participants came primarily from Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, but also from other French cities, including Bordeaux. Several attendees admitted beforehand that they were hesitant about attending a networking event alone. Yet those concerns quickly disappeared as conversations naturally developed and participants connected in a warm and friendly atmosphere, a distinctive sign of FABA.
Many attendees commented on what they described as a distinctly “American-style networking spirit”: an open, welcoming, and approachable environment where meaningful professional relationships could be built naturally. Hearing this feedback was especially rewarding for the organizers, as it reflects the core values that FABA has sought to promote since its inception.
The quality of the discussions, the diversity of the attendees, and the friendly atmosphere all contributed to making the event a resounding success. Many participants expressed a strong interest in joining FABA as members and in taking part in future events organized by the association.
This first experience outside Paris reinforces our belief that FABA’s network has significant potential to grow throughout France. Looking ahead, we hope to attract an even broader audience from across the country, helping to strengthen connections among legal professionals engaged in international and French-American matters.
Given the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received, we are already considering making the Marseille rentrée an annual tradition. This inaugural event demonstrated that there is a strong appetite for high-quality French-American legal networking opportunities in Southern France.
We would like to warmly thank everyone who contributed to the success of the evening and look forward to building on this momentum through future FABA events.
See you soon in Marseille, Paris, and beyond.
