Why leave a tax lawyer, even if I am a partner of Bredin Prat, to introduce the third edition of the Jean-François Prat Prize when tax law and art are, at best, unknown to each other, for the benefit of both by the way, and, at worst, hate each other as only sciences can when each is a mystery to the other? Yet, If they might not both be art and science?
So, I will briefly put pen to paper:
Fulfilling the wishes of Marie-Aline and the partners of our Firm, the Jean-François Prat Prize is devoted to young artists of this strange world of contemporary art, young men and women who, given their ages and enthusiasm, are the siblings of the young lawyers of our Firm.
… and what young people they are! And for what a world!
Young men and women, who have the courage to devote themselves entirely, obstinately, to a never-ending chanson de geste, written in a tune which has been playing in their minds since they were children, pursuing them, obsessing them and one day delivering the promise of a work of art, their own work of art.
Letʼs welcome them with open arms, they are amazing!
Jean-François had, as was known to all, and to use the lovely words of René Char, “the gift of purifying all questions by the exactness of his answer”.
With their works of art, these young people also give us their answers to our questions. Their answers can be, in a different way, as purifying as were those of Jean-François. They are, like his were, sincere and thus come from the realm of beauty.
Let us therefore give them the floor, the whole floor
Renaud Streichenberger, partner at Bredin Prat, is the Head of the Firmʼs tax practice. He has established a reputation as one of Franceʼs leading tax experts and regularly advises on large-scale transactions and major tax litigation matters. Previously partner at the Law firm CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre. Mr. Streichenberger graduated from the Institut dʼetudes politiques of Lyon and the University of Lyon Law School and was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1967.
