"The activity of being legal counsel can be authorised. You are not authorised to intervene in any affair or dossier for which the Legal Service had connection during the time that you were exercising your functions of Director-General. You will also abstain from having any professional contact with former colleagues. The period is fixed for one year".
Michel Petite is also a former legal adviser to three Commission Presidents: Jacques Delors, Romano Prodi (as head of cabinet), and José Manuel Barroso
In 2008, the Worst EU Lobby Awards (run by Friends of the Earth Europe, Lobbycontrol, Spinwatch and CEO) to highlight excessive corporate influence in Brussels) nominated Michel Petite for the conflicts of interest provoked by his move through the revolving door to Clifford Chance.
More information is available in the ALTER-EU report: Block the revolving door - why we need to stop EU officials becoming lobbyists: http://www.alter-eu.org/revolving-doors
"A two year cooling off period or ban on Mr Petite joining Clifford Chance would have been far more effective in reducing the risk of conflicts of interest. This is especially considering that at Clifford Chance, Mr Petite works on antitrust, competition, trade, litigation and dispute resolution issues."