The new office’s 10-strong team of lawyers is already operational and includes M&A counsels Vladimir Comte and Maria Yadykina. It is led by David Lasfargue, who joins Jeantet after a 20-year career at Gide that saw him made responsible for the firm’s Moscow office in 2001 and promoted to partner in 2006. He was a member of Gide’s Executive Committee from 2012 to 2015 and is currently president of the Russian section of the French Foreign Trade Advisors.

Migrating from Gide

The team rejoins former colleagues led by partners Karl Hepp de Sevelinges and François d’Ornano, who moved to Jeantet from Gide last year to launch the Jeantet’s offices in Ukraine and Hungary.

Mr Lasfargue has been replaced as Moscow managing partner by New York attorney and finance law specialist Tim Theroux, who leads a team of around 20 lawyers in the Russian capital.

‘Confidence’ in Russian Market

Jeantet’s move into Central and Eastern Europe follows a strong 2015 that saw turnover grow 12.2 per cent to €43.9m. Management board member Loraine Donnedieu de Vabres-Tranié said the firm has confidence in the Russian market, despite the ongoing tensions between the country and Ukraine following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014.