Paris has been a hot spot for lateral hires this week, as firms including Squire Patton Boggs, Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) and Mayer Brown make international appointments across the board.
Squire has hired Veronique Collin to join the firm’s financial services practice in Paris. Previously at DLA Piper working in its offices in London, Paris and Tokyo, Collin has over 25 years’ experience advising on real estate finance, structured finance, bond issues, acquisition finance and refinancing, asset finance, transaction rating work and general banking law.
Head of Squire’s global financial services practice group James Barresi said: ‘Veronique’s in-depth knowledge of French banking law and her international background will undoubtedly enrich our financial services practice, which has an increasingly multijurisdictional client base.’
WFW has also made a lateral hire to its Paris office with Arnaud Troizier joining its Paris energy and infrastructure team. With his experience in public business law, Troizier regularly advises industrial groups, banks, investors and public bodies on the development of projects which involve matters regarding transport, energy and building infrastructure, and communication networks.
The head of the firm’s Paris public business law practice Laurent Battoue said: ‘Not only does the firm have a worldwide reputation for excellence in its sector of focus, but our practices also naturally complement each other. It is an incredibly dynamic environment and the variety of ongoing projects opens up some very exciting opportunities in France and Africa in particular.’
As it continues to grow its New York office, Mayer Brown has appointed Douglas Donahue to its global banking and finance practice and derivatives and structured products group. Previously at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Donahue has a focus on transactional and advisory matters related to derivatives.
Co-leader of the firm’s global banking and finance practice Jon Van Gorp said Donahue is well-known in the industry for his extensive experience. He added: ‘His arrival will enhance our ability to advise on the ongoing transformation of the derivatives and financial products industry as part of our full-service banking & finance offerings to clients around the world.’
Osborne Clarke has boosted its IP practice with the lateral hire of Matthias Kloth to its Hamburg office. Joining from White & Case, Kloth has a focus on advising national and international companies on intellectual property law. ‘We now fully cover the whole range of intellectual property on a high level.’ Head of IP Marcus Sacré said: ‘With Matthias Kloth we have found an experienced trademark and competition lawyer with many years of process experience – continuing the expansion of our IP practice. We want to be strongly represented, especially in Hamburg.’
As it continues to expand its presence in Australia after launching its offices in Melbourne and Sydney in 2015, Pinsent Masons has appointed infrastructure specialists Anthony Arrow and Margaret Cole as partners. Cole joins the firm from White & Case where she led the Middle East business. Arrow joins from Allens and has experience advising on major renewable energy, road and rail projects acting for sponsors, contractors and operations and maintenance providers.
Pinsent Masons Australia head David Rennick said: ‘The addition of Anthony and Margaret to the team is an important step in the continued development of our Australian business.’
Fintech company MarketInvoice has hired former Fieldfisher partner Simon Coles as its general counsel. Coles made partner in 2012 and had trained at Allen & Overy. Co-founder and CEO of MarketInvoice Anil Stocker expects Coles to bring important legal experience to the business which he says is vital at this stage of scaling the business. ‘We’re constantly looking to find new ways to get cash flow finance to businesses in the fastest, safest, most efficient way possible. This goal presents new challenges every day and Simon will play a vital role in driving us forward’
madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk
