In this episode of French Insider, former Sheppard associate and previous host Sarah Ben-Moussa returns to the podcast to speak with host Inès Briand about her move from practicing law in the U.S. to building a legal career in France. They discuss what drew Sarah to make the leap, the practical realities of navigating the French visa process, the key differences between the U.S. and French legal systems, and how she's adapted both professionally and personally to life in Paris.

What we discuss in this episode:

• Sarah's path from M&A associate to an energy-focused corporate lawyer at Sheppard

• What led her to leave New York and pursue a legal career in France

• Navigating the French visa process, including the Passeport Talent route and why applying from abroad can be faster

• The difference between a juriste and an avocat, and how that distinction shapes career choices in France

• Key contrasts between U.S. and French corporate legal practice, from deal pace to work-life balance

• The hardest parts of relocating, including apartment hunting, adjusting to daily life and rebuilding a support system from scratch

• How U.S. legal training and the English language give American lawyers an edge on cross-border work

• Advice for other American lawyers considering a move to France or another civil law jurisdiction

About Sarah Ben-Moussa

Sarah Ben-Moussa is legal counsel at one of the world's leading renewable energy companies, based in Paris. Her work centers on the development, financing and operation of wind, solar and battery storage projects across multiple jurisdictions—from structuring acquisitions and negotiating project contracts (SPAs, PPAs, EPCs, grid connection agreements) to advising on regulatory compliance, corporate structuring and lender negotiations that keep large-scale energy infrastructure deals moving toward the finish line.

Before moving to France, Sarah was an associate in Sheppard's Corporate practice group and a member of the firm's Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team in the New York office. She was also a member of the firm's French Desk, and previously hosted the French Insider podcast herself. Before Sheppard, she spent a year and a half living and working in France, focusing on corporate transactions and commercial contracts in Europe and internationally. Sarah is also committed to pro bono work, focusing on cases involving children seeking asylum or other immigration-related relief.

About Inès Briand

Inès Briand is an associate in Sheppard's Corporate practice group and French Desk team in the firm's Brussels office, where her practice primarily focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisition transactions (with special emphasis on operations involving French companies). She also has significant experience in general corporate matters and compliance for foreign companies settled in the United States.

As a member of the firm's French Desk, Inès has advised companies and private equity funds in both the United States and Europe on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts and general corporate matters, including the expansion of French companies in the United States.

Contact Information

Sarah Ben-Moussa

Inès Briand

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In the second of this two-part episode of French Insider, host Karl Buhler continues his conversation with Nicolas Nemeth, founder and CEO of Bonne et Filou, the French-inspired luxury "lifestyle" brand for dogs, and co-founder of Dumbo Health, a health tech startup focused on sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. They discuss the mission behind Dumbo Health, the outdated state of sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment in the U.S., how the company is using AI to optimize a process that traditionally takes months into a matter of minutes, and what it means to build an "AI-native" company today.

What we discuss in this episode:

• The mission behind Dumbo Health and the scale of the sleep apnea problem in the U.S.

• Why the current sleep apnea patient journey is slow, fragmented and difficult to navigate

• How Dumbo Health is digitizing diagnosis and treatment, from telehealth to at-home testing and device delivery

• Using AI and patient data to proactively coach patients and improve treatment adherence

• What it means to build an "AI-native" company versus simply integrating AI into existing workflows

• The shift from traditional software development to AI-driven, agent-based building processes

• How AI is reshaping investor priorities

• The cybersecurity risks that come with building fast in an AI-driven world

• The challenges of fundraising as a healthcare company in a market fixated on AI-agentic valuations

About Karl Buhler

As an associate with the Corporate and Securities practice group and French Desk in Sheppard's New York office, Karl Buhler focuses on domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and complex commercial agreements in industries such as technology, communications, life sciences, energy, defense and aerospace. In particular, he advises foreign companies with the installation and development of their operations in the United States.

About Nicolas Nemeth

Nicolas Nemeth is the co-founder of Dumbo Health, a digital sleep clinic that allows patients to skip the sleep lab and bring the entire obstructive sleep apnea journey home, and the Founder & CEO of Bonne et Filou, the first French-inspired luxury "lifestyle" brand for pets in the United States focused on delivering high-quality, luxury and innovative products in the pet industry.

Nico began his career as an investment banker in LBO and M&A with 7 years of previous experience in New York City. He closed dozens of transactions worth a total of $5.0+ billion in secured financing, with a focus on Healthcare and Consumer deals. He is fluent in English and French with international experience gained in NYC, Boston, Paris and Melbourne. He has been living in New York City since 2011.

Contact Information

Nicolas Nemeth

Karl Buhler

Additional Resources

Dumbo Health

Bonne et Filou

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

In the first of this two-part episode of French Insider, host Karl Buhler is joined by Nicolas Nemeth, founder and CEO of Bonne et Filou, the French-inspired luxury "lifestyle" brand for dogs, and co-founder of Dumbo Health, a health tech startup focused on sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. They discuss Nicolas' journey to building a distinctive consumer brand from the ground up, the realities of bootstrapping and scaling a niche luxury business, the lessons learned from banking, and what it takes to pivot a company toward sustainability and growth.

What we discuss in this episode:

• The mindset shift required to leave a stable career and take on entrepreneurial risk

• Early go-to-market challenges and how press, trade shows and TV appearances can help build brand visibility

• The business model behind luxury, gift-driven consumer products and the difficulty of scaling profitably in that category

• Lessons learned from raising capital, bootstrapping with personal funds and pivoting toward profitability

• Bonne et Filou's evolution into private-label partnerships with luxury brands and hospitality groups

• How skills from investment banking, such as corporate finance and deal structuring, translate into running a company

• The personal toll of entrepreneurship, including the impact on work-life balance and relationships

About Karl Buhler

As an associate with the Corporate and Securities Practice Group and French Desk in Sheppard Mullin's New York Office, Karl Buhler focuses on domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and complex commercial agreements in industries such as technology, communications, life sciences, energy, defense and aerospace. In particular, he advises foreign companies with the installation and development of their operations in the United States.

About Nicolas Nemeth

Nicolas Nemeth is the co-founder of Dumbo Health, a digital sleep clinic that allows patients to skip the sleep lab and bring the entire obstructive sleep apnea journey home, and the Founder & CEO of Bonne et Filou, the first French-inspired luxury "lifestyle" brand for pets in the United States focused on delivering high-quality, luxury and innovative products in the pet industry.

Nico began his career as an investment banker in LBO and M&A with 7 years of previous experience in New York City. He closed dozens of transactions worth a total of $5.0+ billion in secured financing, with a focus on Healthcare and Consumer deals. He is fluent in English and French with international experience gained in NYC, Boston, Paris and Melbourne. He has been living in New York City since 2011.

Contact Information

Nicolas Nemeth

Karl Buhler

Additional Resources

Dumbo Health

Bonne et Filou

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every week.

If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and review this show in Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Amazon Music, or Spotify. It helps other listeners find this show.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.