DLA Piper is launching a funds offering in Paris with the hire of corporate partner Benjamin Aller, who joins from the asset management consultancy, MJ Hudson. Mr Aller has more than 20 years’ experience advising on private investment funds and related transactions. The announcement comes on the back of DLA Piper swiping a trio of tax partners from Reed Smith. The three jumped ship after joining Reed Smith from the collapsed European arm of King & Wood Mallesons.  Sylvie Vansteenkiste, Fanny Combourieu and Raphaël Béra will work closely with Mr Aller. 

Global funds practice

Bob Bishop, partner and global co-chair of DLA Piper's corporate group, said: 'We are delighted to announce these strategic hires. Sylvie, Fanny and Raphaël bring us deep and high quality tax expertise which we can leverage across our existing platform. With their focus on fund structuring, their skills align perfectly with those of Benjamin, and we are now in a position to go to market with a premium funds offering in France. This builds out DLA Piper’s global funds practice and is highly complementary to our existing transactional private equity team in Paris. That team has made great progress over the last few years and our new recruits will help move us to the next level.'