Slaughters advises dating service Meetic on Euronext placement

Slaughter and May's Paris office has introduced online dating service Meetic to Euronext in an IPO worth more than €300m (£206.1m) - one of the first French organisations to float under new European Pros-pectus Directive rules.

The directive was implemented into French law in July 2005 and into the rules of French regulators in September.

Slaughters partner Eric Grangeon was recommended by the banks, Société Générale, Cazenove and Ixis/Lazard because regular local adviser Meyrier Fayout Lacoste does not have experience of international IPOs.

Meetic is one of the largest online dating websites in Europe, with more than two million active users and with over half of the audience share of France. The IPO has been split into a French retail offering and an international private placement to institutional investors.

Grangeon said the IPO followed the recent trend for flotations in the technology sector in Europe. Online gaming sites have been particularly active.

Slaughters' French office has eight partners, seven of whom have been admitted to the Paris bar.