June 8, 2017
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that a five-lawyer team will join the Paris office as partners to launch new litigation and finance practices and reinforce the office’s existing restructuring and corporate capabilities. The team, formerly with Ashurst LLP in Paris, is comprised of Amanda Bevan, Eric Bouffard, Bertrand Delaunay, Jean-Pierre Farges, and Pierre-Emmanuel Fender.
"This year marks our 50th year in Paris. We will celebrate by taking a transformational step in the development of our Paris office by adding strong litigation, arbitration, restructuring and finance capabilities," said Ken Doran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn. "Their practices provide many synergies with our overall global platform – they will establish a new litigation practice in our Paris office that will complement our European disputes practice and at the same time enhance the firm’s restructuring and transactional practices."
This team follows the recent addition in Paris of four technology lawyers, anchored by partner Ahmed Baladi, formerly a partner with Allen & Overy, and the recent establishment of a litigation practice in the firm’s Frankfurt office with the hire of Finn Zeidler, a white collar partner from Latham & Watkins.
"This team has a stellar reputation in the Paris market," said Bernard Grinspan, Chairman of the International Management Committee and Partner in Charge of the Paris office. "They have a core foundation in complex litigation with extensive experience in product liability and industrial disputes as well as infrastructure, financial and restructuring disputes – and also developed a restructuring practice that uniquely offers an integrated approach to clients, bringing together litigation, corporate and debt capability to implement complex restructurings."
"We are excited to join Gibson Dunn’s platform and help continue its growth globally, especially with building a disputes practice in Paris," said Farges. "Gibson Dunn’s collegial culture fits well with our close knit team, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues."
About Amanda Bevan
Bevan focuses her domestic and cross-border finance practice on debt restructuring and distressed lending for borrowers; distressed investors; senior, second lien, unitranche or mezzanine lenders; or other stakeholders as well as domestic and cross-border structured finance, including LBO financing for private equity sponsors or lenders.
She has practiced with Ashurst since 2003 and with Simmons & Simmons LLP from 1998 to 2003.
She graduated from University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne), DEA in private international law and international commercial law, and received a Magistère (postgraduate degree) in private and public economic law in 1997.
About Eric Bouffard
Bouffard’s dispute resolution practice covers cross-border litigation, commercial arbitration and international trade disputes. He is actively involved in restructuring and insolvency disputes. He is also experienced in disputes relating to M&A, industrial risk, product liability, insurance and commercial law, before both courts and arbitral tribunals.
Bouffard practiced since 2005 with Ashurst. Prior, he practiced in the Paris offices of Holman Fenwick & Willan, Clyde & Co., and RBM2L. He is a member of the Association Française d’Arbitrage (AFA), International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), and Association Française de Droit Maritime (AFDM).
Bouffard graduated in 1995 from University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas), and in 1993, he received a DESS (postgraduate degree) in litigation and arbitration.
About Bertrand Delaunay
Delaunay focuses his practice on private M&A and private equity transactions, including leveraged buyouts and joint ventures. He also advises strategic clients, private equity firms and banks on other corporate matters, including the corporate aspects of real estate, energy, infrastructure and restructuring transactions.
He practiced with Ashurst since 1998, where he served as Managing Partner of the Paris office from 2010 to 2012. Prior, he practiced with McLoughlin & Associés in 1997 and Linklaters from 1994 to 1997.
He graduated in 1993 from University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne), with a DEA (postgraduate degree) in business law; in 1992 from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, with a LLM; and in 1991 from University of Paris II (Panthéon-Assas), with a Maîtrise in business law.
About Jean-Pierre Farges
Farges practices dispute resolution, including litigation and arbitration in commercial and equity capital, banking, finance, industrial risk, construction, international trade, insurance, insolvency, and public and administrative law disputes. In addition to his dispute resolution practice, he also regularly advises companies on prevention proceedings and advises lenders of all types, including credit institutions and CLOs. He has particular experience in the restructuring of companies in leveraged buyout (LBO) deals.
He joined Ashurst at the end of 2001 to create a disputes resolutions practice in Paris. He became partner at Ashurst in 2004, when he also founded the restructuring practice in Paris. Prior, he trained as avocat à la Cour de Cassation et au Conseil d’Etat (lawyer in front of the Supreme Court) and worked for various avocats aux Conseils.
He graduated in 1994 from University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne), with a Doctorate in private international law and arbitration; with a Magistère (postgraduate degree) in private and public economic law; and with a DESS (postgraduate degree) in business and tax law. He was a winner of the Mooting Competition for Lawyers of the French Supreme Administrative Court and Supreme Appeals Court – Secrétaire de la conférence des avocats à la Cour de Cassation et au Conseil d’Etat.
About Pierre-Emmanuel Fender
Fender focuses on disputes resolutions, including litigation and commercial arbitration. He also has significant experience in complex cross-border restructurings and French pre-insolvency and insolvency matters. He regularly advises investors on the acquisition of defaulting companies, funds and distressed companies undergoing insolvency proceedings and creditors for the recovery of their receivables and protection of their securities.
Fender has practiced with Ashurst since 2002. Prior, he practiced with Landwell & Associés, Arthur Andersen International, and HSD Ernst & Young.
He graduated in 2002 from University of Strasbourg III Robert Schumann, with a DESS (postgraduate degree) in business law; and in 2000 with a DJCE Magistère (postgraduate degree) in Franco-German business law; and with a Maîtrise (LLM) in business law.