Dentons' Paris office, thanks to Pascal Schmitz, Office Managing Partner, was honored to host the World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) delegation yesterday, the only law firm stop on its first visit to France (September 21–26). By convening San Diego public leaders, university representatives, and companies with French corporates and investors at our Paris office, WTCSD aimed to catalyze partnerships across life sciences, clean energy, aerospace & defense, maritime technologies, and tourism. The session was organized in close coordination with our San Diego office, demonstrating the power of Dentons’ global platform to connect West Coast innovators with European decision-makers.

A longstanding San Diego foundation

For decades, Dentons has been a key legal partner to the City of San Diego and its residents. Our legacy firm, Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, drafted the city charter that established San Diego. As the city grew, so did Dentons. Today, our San Diego lawyers represent local businesses in transactions and disputes worldwide, while also advising national and international companies operating in San Diego.

Within this context, Jae Park, Partner at Dentons' San Diego office, introduced the WTCSD team to Dentons' Paris office and helped launch the event—illustrating our international firm’s ability to mobilize its network and create high-value opportunities for clients and contacts.

Why this matters now

Against a backdrop of supply-chain reconfiguration, the energy transition, and accelerated innovation cycles, San Diego and France are natural partners—an innovation-driven U.S. city engaging with a European leader in aerospace, life sciences, and technology. Our role was to provide a pragmatic, execution-focused forum that moves opportunities toward real-world delivery.

Inside the Dentons program

Hosted by Dentons Paris, the agenda combined targeted meetings and sector briefings on:

• Life Sciences & Biotech
• Clean Energy & Fusion
• Aerospace, Defense & Dual-Use
• Blue Economy & Maritime
• Tourism & Major Events (Olympics)

High-level participants included Congressman Scott Peters, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and Nikia Clarke (WTCSD/EDC), alongside senior leaders from ASML, General Atomics, Cubic Corporation, the Port of San Diego, Biocom, the San Diego Tourism Authority, the San Diego Regional Chamber, SDSU, and UC San Diego.

From project to execution: Dentons’ value

Operating as a mini-hub within a truly global platform, Dentons Paris connects executives, investors, and public stakeholders with end-to-end support across structuring, M&A, regulatory, public law, data/AI, IP, employment, and tax.

Co-led by our Paris and San Diego teams, this mission demonstrated Dentons’ capacity to surface opportunities by facilitating the right encounters.

Thank you to the delegation

We were delighted to welcome leaders from the San Diego Regional EDC/WTCSD mission—spanning public, academic, and private sectors—alongside global and high-growth companies across the targeted industries. Their openness and momentum made the discussions both strategic and promising.