Latham & Watkins has hired a four-strong private equity team in Paris from Clifford Chance to bolster its energy and infrastructure coverage.
The incoming quartet are partners Benjamin de Blegiers, Daniel Zerbib and Gauthier Martin alongside counsel Alexandre Namoun. The team is led by de Blegiers, who brings expertise across private equity and M&A, Zerbib specialises in financing, Martin adds public law and regulatory capabilities, while Namoun adds further private equity and M&A expertise.
The team regularly advises on transactional and regulatory matters in the energy and infrastructure sector, as well as in defence, telecoms and transportation. Clients include corporates, private equity funds, pension funds, asset managers and other private capital investors.
Rich Trobman, chair and managing partner of Latham & Watkins, said: “We are constantly looking to add exceptional talent to enhance our capabilities, and the arrival of this group adds formidable experience to our platform. They will be of tremendous service to our clients and a perfect fit for our strategic growth plans in Europe and globally.”
De Blegiers arrives after four-and-a-half years at Clifford Chance, his second spell at the firm having previously practised there for 15 years between 2004 and 2019. He returned to Clifford Chance in 2021 after roughly two-and-a-half years at Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Zerbib exits Clifford Chance after three decades, having joined in 1996 before becoming a counsel in 2003 and then a partner in 2006.
Martin leaves Clifford Chance after almost two decades, having joined in 2007, becoming a counsel in 2014 and then a partner in 2019.
Namoun, meanwhile, joins Latham after just over four years at Clifford Chance, having followed de Blegiers over from Weil, which he also joined in 2019.
Pierre-Louis Cléro, deputy Paris office managing partner at Latham, said: “The addition of this team enhances our strong momentum in private equity and M&A. The stellar reputations and extensive networks of Benjamin, Daniel, Gauthier and Alexandre complement our transactional practices, strengthening our ability to deliver innovative advice on our clients’ most strategic private capital transactions.”
The group’s hire is the latest addition to Latham’s private equity footprint in Europe following the arrival of a four-partner team from Freshfields in Germany back in December.
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