Field Fisher Waterhouse has launched an office in Paris, taking on seven partners from historic alliance partner Dubarry after it secured permission to practise from the French Bar last week.
The new office, which will be the firm’s third international outpost, opened for business last week. The top 40 City firm has taken on Dubarry partners Mario Celaya, Philippe Netto, Louis-Bernard Buchman, Valerie Dubaile, Bruno Ducoulombier, Stephane Benezant and Remi Kleiman. They have been joined by 13 further fee earners.
Celaya will manage the office and will join Field Fisher’s 10-strong European board, which is led by London partner Mark Abell. Celaya, who is qualified in both France and Spain, joined Dubarry as a partner in 2002.
The defections leave Dubarry with five remaining partners, although it is currently unclear whether they intend to continue to practise together.
Field Fisher managing partner Moira Gilmour told Legal Week: “Establishing a presence in Paris is the next phase of our strategy to deliver a fully-integrated European service to our clients. We are being joined by an excellent team of French lawyers who understand our firm’s culture, have a good client base and a strong capability in areas key to our strategy.”
The news comes after Field Fisher in March announced it was parting company with its existing continental allies with a view to opening its own offices in France, Germany and Belgium.
The firm dissolved its alliances with firms in smaller jurisdictions including Ireland, Scotland, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, which it had operated since 2002, and opened for business in Germany and Belgium the following month. Its entry into the Paris market was delayed pending permission from the regulatory authorities.
The firm also entered into an exclusive relationship with Spanish alliance member Jimenez de Parga and in Italy with La Scala.
The latest move means Field Fisher has hired partners from three of its former allies in recent times. The firm opened in Brussels with the hire of three partners from alliance member Verhaegen Walravens, while four partners joined in Hamburg from German ally Buse Heberer Fromm.