Reed Smith is investing in its international finance business with the addition of a team in Paris from rivals White & Case. Victoria Westcott, who was head of White & Case’s asset finance practice in Paris, joins the firm, alongside counsel Florent Rigaud and associates Elaine Porter and Abdullahi Mohammed. Ms Westcott focuses on asset finance work covering aircraft, shipping finance, equipment and other large assets, while her finance practice has a particular focus on transportation and social infrastructure, as well as conventional and renewable energy and oil and gas. Her clients include multi-lateral financing institutions and commercial banks, industrial sponsors and financial investors. She will work alongside current finance partner Fernand Arsanios.

Diversifying 

'We are thrilled that Victoria has decided to join us. Her arrival is a testament to the effort we have made in growing our Paris office with an emphasis on diversifying our offerings to our clients in France and globally,' said Tamara Box, managing partner for Europe and the Middle East. 'Furthermore, Victoria brings with her a rare quality that is of tremendous value to the France legal market: experience in delivering legal services under both English and French law and in both the English and French languages. Her stellar reputation among her clients is well-deserved.'

Significant growth

Reed Smith’s Paris office has undergone significant growth over the past year, including the additions of Peter Rosher to the energy practice in July, an eight lawyer team from Winston & Strawn to the tax practice in March and a 19-strong team comprising of seven partners, one counsel, 10 associates, and one jurist from King & Wood Mallesons in January 2017.