Linklaters has hired an eight-lawyer restructuring and insolvency team in Paris led by partner François Kopf, who has joined as global chair of restructuring and insolvency.
Kopf has joined from leading French boutique Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier alongside newly-minted partner Mathieu Della Vittoria, two counsel and four associates.
Kopf is a top restructuring lawyer in France and brings extensive experience in special situations that combine restructuring, transactional and litigation elements. He has spent the past decade at Darrois Villey, where he was co-managing partner and led the insolvency team.
For his part, Della Vittoria, whose practice has a strong emphasis on distressed litigation practice, is noted by the legal rankings as a rising star.
Linklaters’ senior partner and chair, Aedamar Comiskey, commented: “We are focused on having the best talent in all our markets. François is a leader in the French restructuring and insolvency market and, working alongside our global practice, will deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients on their cross-border mandates.”
Linklaters also boosted its restructuring team in New York last summer when it hired Michael Torkin as head of US restructuring and capital solutions from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. It also hired partner Riaz Junjuah in Hamburg from White & Case last September.
“Restructuring and insolvency is a key investment area for us,” said Andy Vickery, Linklaters’ global head of finance. “Restructurings and insolvencies are now more complex and global than they’ve ever been, and we’re well-positioned to advise clients on the wave of restructurings we are currently seeing and anticipating for the near future.”
He added that the hire of Kopf and his team “strengthens our offering in the French market and globally”.
Linklaters’ Paris office is one of the largest among international law firms, with more than 200 lawyers, including around 40 partners.
The office was strengthened last summer with the hire of legacy Herbert Smith Freehills partner Hubert Segain, who was made head of the Paris corporate/M&A team in May.
In October, Marc Perrone rejoined the office from Freshfields as part of a double financial regulation partner hire that also saw Mariken van Loopik come aboard in Amsterdam from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.
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