Lagesse, who heads the employment department at the local office of Freshfields, is set to join Bredin Prat in October this year. The hire represents the first foray into employment law for the corporate boutique, which operates a 'best friends' relationship with Slaughter and May in the
Lagesse joined the magic circle firm in 2000 from employment boutique Flichy Lagesse Montanier Ayache, which she helped to set up. Prior to this she spent ten years at French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel.
Freshfields has lost a number of partners from its French practice in recent years, with veteran Michel Quere, international arbitration partner Eric Schwartz and Yves Huyghe de Mahenge all joining the local office of Dewey & LeBoeuf. Meanwhile,
Earlier this year Bredin Prat promoted two associates to its partnership. Olivier Rogivue, formerly an associate in the
Emmanuel Benard will now take responsibility for Freshfields’
Freshfields Paris managing partner Antoine Colonna d'Istria said: "We would like to thank Pascale for her contribution to the creation of the employment team at the heart of the firm and, particularly, the energy which she dedicated to the realisation of the merger with Belier & Associes. This alliance has allowed Freshfields to position itself at the top of all the rankings in this practice. We wish her good luck in her professional life to come."
