Newswatch · Europe

The week in Big Law:
Europe.

103 stories119 firms

Lateral moves28

Confirmed

Dutch firms announce hires, partner appointments and VanLoman Eindhoven office expansion

Pellicaan Advocaten appointed Elif Barioglu and Xander Alders as partners. VanLoman is expanding to Brainport Eindhoven, with Jeroen Geers joining as partner to lead the new office. Arjan Kleinhout returns to De Brauw as Of Counsel on 15 October 2026.

  • De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
  • Finnius
  • Pellicaan Advocaten
  • VanLoman
  • Simmons & Simmons
  • VBK
  • Stek
  • Brandeis
  • Hart advocaten
  • TRIP Advocaten Notarissen
  • Polestar Capital
  • Joris Viellevoije
  • Noa Claver
  • Chloé Kiveron
  • Walter de Jong
  • Elif Barioglu
  • Xander Alders
  • Bertrand ter Woort
  • Jeroen Geers
  • Arjan Kleinhout
  • Gilles Becker
  • Leon Benjamins
  • Amsterdam, Eindhoven
  • Disputes, Regulatory

SourceAdvocatie

Confirmed

Paxlegal adds three partners and a senior associate in Braga

Portuguese firm Paxlegal announced four hires at its Braga office: Nuno da Silva Vieira, Rui Ferreira Antunes and Ana Peixoto as equity partners, and Isa Meireles as senior associate. Da Silva Vieira becomes co-Managing Partner alongside Bárbara Pestana. The firm now has six partners, one Of Counsel, four senior associates, four associates and two consultants.

  • Paxlegal
  • Nuno da Silva Vieira
  • Rui Ferreira Antunes
  • Ana Peixoto
  • Isa Meireles
  • Bárbara Pestana
  • António Patrício
  • Braga
  • Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Disputes, Regulatory

SourceLawyerpress

Confirmed

AMC Lawyers adds three counsel and launches criminal law practice in Peru

Peruvian firm AMC Lawyers announced three new counsel: Milko Ortega Polar (Public Law and Infrastructure), James Raphael Morales Campos (Public Law and Regulatory) and Jack Melchor Rojas Alcarraz, who will lead a new Criminal Law practice. Jhon Malca Saavedra, senior partner, commented on the hires.

  • AMC Lawyers
  • Milko Ortega Polar
  • James Raphael Morales Campos
  • Jack Melchor Rojas Alcarraz
  • Jhon Malca Saavedra
  • Regulatory, Project Finance/Energy & Infra

SourceLawyerpress

Confirmed

HSF Kramer hires six-lawyer K&L Gates real estate team for Milan build-out

HSF Kramer hired a six-lawyer real estate team from K&L Gates. The firm is accelerating plans to build a full-service Italian office capable of taking on the country's biggest domestic and international firms.

SourcesThe Global Legal PostLaw.com — International EditionLegal Desire

Confirmed

Richelieu Avocats adds Camille Tohier-Desclaux as partner in business litigation

Richelieu Avocats welcomed Camille Tohier-Desclaux as associée in its business litigation department. She handles banking law, civil liability and business criminal law, assisting companies and banks in civil, commercial and criminal disputes. She previously worked at L & associés avocats and TGLD, then founded and led her own firm CTD until 2026.

  • Richelieu Avocats
  • L & associés avocats
  • TGLD
  • CTD
  • Camille Tohier-Desclaux
  • Disputes, Banking & Finance

SourceDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Confirmed

Delsol Avocats adds real estate and construction team led by Raphaël Berger

Delsol Avocats is reinforcing its Real Estate – Construction department with a new team led by Raphaël Berger (partner, co-head of the department) and Stéphanie Berger-Beche (counsel), accompanied by a team of 8 people. The team will be based in Lyon and Paris. The two previously ran Berger Avocats & Associés, which they created in 2020.

  • Delsol Avocats
  • Berger Avocats & Associés
  • Raphaël Berger
  • Stéphanie Berger-Beche
  • Paris, Lyon

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Nominations

Confirmed

Squair adds Romain Ferrando as partner in Paris corporate M&A team

Squair is strengthening its corporate M&A team in Paris with the arrival of Romain Ferrando as partner. He was previously a partner at boutique firm Altiore Avocats, and earlier worked at firms including Ayache Salama and Lerins. His work covers company sales, fundraisings, management packages and intra-group reorganisations.

  • Squair
  • Altiore Avocats
  • Ayache Salama
  • Lerins
  • Lerins & BCW
  • Dolfi Missika Minchella Sicsic
  • Romain Ferrando
  • Paris
  • M&A

SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Promotions9

Confirmed

Joffe & Associés promotes Amanda Dubarry to counsel in tech-digital-data team

Joffe & Associés promotes Amanda Dubarry to counsel in its tech-digital-data team, led by Emilie de Vaucresson. She advises on GDPR compliance, IT contracts, outsourced DPO work, data breaches, AI projects and EU digital regulation. Paris bar member since 2017, she joined the firm in 2022.

SourceDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Confirmed

Pentecoste & Associés promotes Clara Heullant-Donat to partner

Pentecoste & Associés announced the appointment of Clara Heullant-Donat as partner. She advises on complex public contracts, concessions, public-private partnerships, renewable energy projects, project financing and public-law matters, and has a litigation practice before administrative and judicial courts. The partners said the appointment reflects a wish to favour internal growth.

  • Pentecoste & Associés
  • Clara Heullant-Donat
  • Project Finance/Energy & Infra, Regulatory, Disputes

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Nominations

Confirmed

Kirkland & Ellis names François Capoul and Benjamin Bignier partners in Paris

Kirkland & Ellis announced the appointment of François Capoul and Benjamin Bignier as partners in its Paris office. Capoul joins the corporate practice and works in M&A and private equity. Bignier advises fund sponsors on fund structuring and formation, GP-led restructurings and liquidity transactions.

SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Confirmed

Signature Litigation promotes Amany Chamieh to partner in Paris

Signature Litigation's Paris office announced the promotion of Amany Chamieh to partner. She joined in January 2025 as counsel from Darrois and specialises in international arbitration, including disputes involving the Middle East and North Africa. The firm now has nine partners in Paris and 30 in total.

SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Confirmed

Goodwin Paris promotes Aurélien Diday to partner in M&A/Private Equity

Goodwin in Paris named Aurélien Diday associé in its M&A/Private Equity team. He advises investment funds, management teams and companies on LBOs, management packages and cross-border transactions. He joined Goodwin in 2016 as an associate after King & Wood Mallesons, and is described as becoming counsel in 2024.

SourceDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Confirmed

Racine Avocats in Nantes promotes Pierre Barboteau to partner in real estate

Racine Avocats in Nantes promoted Pierre Barboteau to associé in its real estate department. He specialises in public law, planning law, public construction, land law and environmental law. He joined Racine in 2021 as counsel and previously worked at Seban Avocats and Cornet Vincent Segurel.

  • Racine Avocats
  • Seban Avocats
  • Cornet Vincent Segurel
  • Pierre Barboteau
  • Nantes

SourceDécideurs Juridiques — Nominations

Offices3

Confirmed

BonelliErede opens new Milan headquarters at Via Fatebenefratelli 1

BonelliErede relocated its Milan operations to a new 15,000 sqm headquarters at Via Fatebenefratelli 1. All Milan-based lawyers and business services staff are now in one building, replacing sites on Via Barozzi, Via Andegari and Via Marostica. The office will also be the hub for the firm's EMEA offices.

  • BonelliErede
  • Massimiliano Danusso
  • Eliana Catalano
  • Angela Cossellu
  • Milan

SourceThe Oath (Middle East)

Mergers & combinations1

Pay & bonuses3

Leadership5

Confirmed

Leigh Day senior partner Martyn Day to step down in late 2027

Martyn Day, 70, senior partner and co-founder of Leigh Day, announced he will step back from day-to-day running of the firm in late 2027, 40 years after founding it. He will remain involved in certain claims. Five equity partners will lead, with Nigel Mackay as senior partner, Jamie Beagent as managing partner and Clare Campbell as deputy managing partner.

  • Leigh Day
  • Martyn Day
  • Nigel Mackay
  • Jamie Beagent
  • Clare Campbell
  • London
  • Disputes

SourceLaw Society Gazette

Confirmed

Gateley appoints Nigel Tranter, formerly of Orrick, as chief technology officer

UK listed law firm Gateley appointed Nigel Tranter as chief technology officer. He was previously chief digital officer at Orrick and earlier chief technology officer at Pinsent Masons. He will lead technology strategy, architecture, data, engineering, infrastructure, security and operations.

SourceLegal IT Insider

Financials2

Rankings7

Confirmed

Gibson Dunn London achieves record Chambers UK 2027 results

Gibson Dunn's London office achieved its strongest-ever Chambers UK performance, with 18 practice rankings and 44 individual rankings, including 13 Band 1 individuals. Partners Patrick Doris, Sean Tierney, Wim De Vlieger, Graham Haselgrove and James Chandler were ranked for the first time.

  • Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
  • Patrick Doris
  • Sean Tierney
  • Wim De Vlieger
  • Graham Haselgrove
  • James Chandler
  • Doug Watson
  • Rob Carr
  • Christopher Harris KC
  • London
  • Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Disputes, Fund Formation, M&A, Project Finance/Energy & Infra, Regulatory

SourceGibson Dunn — feed

Confirmed

Morgan Lewis earns 10 practice and 21 individual rankings in Chambers UK 2027

Morgan Lewis earned 10 practice rankings in Chambers UK 2027, including a return to the rankings for Investment Funds: Private Equity and an improved Intellectual Property ranking. It also earned 21 individual rankings, including five new recognitions for partners Carter Brod, Philip Cheveley, Paul Feldberg, Theresa Kradjian and Oliver Rochman.

  • Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
  • Carter Brod
  • Philip Cheveley
  • Paul Feldberg
  • Theresa Kradjian
  • Oliver Rochman
  • London
  • Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, M&A, Fund Formation

SourceMorgan Lewis — news sitemap

Confirmed

Cooley recognized in Chambers UK 2027 for seven practices and 29 lawyers

Chambers UK recognized Cooley with rankings of seven practices and 29 individual lawyers. Cooley gained a new Band 1 in Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment and maintained Band 1 in Life Sciences: Transactional and Product Liability: Mainly Defendant. Corporate/M&A: £100-800 million and Data Protection & Information Law moved up.

  • Cooley
  • London
  • M&A, Regulatory, EC/VC, Disputes

SourceCooley — media feed

Also notable45

Confirmed

Latham & Watkins advises Fraikin shareholders and sellers on sale to Asterion Industrial Partners

Latham & Watkins advises Fraikin's reference shareholders Benefit Street Partners, Värde Partners and Canyon Partners, and other sellers, on the planned sale of the company to Asterion Industrial Partners. Closing is expected in Q1 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. The team is led by corporate partner Simon Lange.

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

Norton Rose Fulbright advises Aegis Logistics on USD809 million Tristar Holdings acquisition

Norton Rose Fulbright is advising Aegis Logistics on its proposed acquisition of an 89.8 per cent stake in Dubai-headquartered Tristar Holdings, with equity consideration of USD809 million and an enterprise value of USD1.5 billion. Dubai-based partner Anna Tipping led the team. Veritas Legal acted as Indian counsel to Aegis.

SourceThe Oath (Middle East)

Confirmed

Schönherr and Müller Partner advise on Symfonia's acquisition of dvo

Schönherr advised Symfonia sp. z o.o., a portfolio company of Accel-KKR, on acquiring dvo Beteiligungs-GmbH and its subsidiary. Müller Partner Rechtsanwälte advised seller Rainer Haude. The transaction closed in October 2026.

  • Schoenherr
  • Müller Partner Rechtsanwälte
  • Daniel Wadl
  • Clemens Rainer
  • Teresa Waidmann
  • Volker Weiss
  • Nina Zafoschnig
  • Carl Walderdorff
  • Gernot Wilfling
  • Vienna, Warsaw
  • M&A

SourceExtrajournal (Austria)

Confirmed

White & Case advises lenders on approximately €328 million CityFast debt refinancing

White & Case advised BBVA, three Caisse d'Epargne entities and CACIB on the refinancing of CityFast's debt, about €328 million. CityFast is a network operator jointly owned by Vauban Infra Fibre and Quimper Co-Invest. The Paris team was led by partner Amaury de Feydeau, with partner Alexandre Ippolito on tax.

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

A&O Shearman advises Quaero Capital on roughly €240 million water platform refinancing

A&O Shearman advised Quaero Capital on the refinancing, of approximately 240 million euros, of its water-sector investment platform, based mainly in Spain and France. Driss Bererhi, partner in Paris, coordinated the team. Partners and associates from the Madrid and Luxembourg offices also took part.

  • A&O Shearman
  • Driss Bererhi
  • Dorian Le
  • Anas Benmalek
  • Mathieu Vignon
  • Virginie Chatté
  • Vanessa Cuellas
  • Nuria Ferre
  • Natalia Ojeda
  • Pierre Schleimer
  • Philippe Storck
  • Paris, Madrid, Luxembourg
  • Banking & Finance

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

Freshfields advises All for One Group on planned delisting and VINCI delisting offer

Freshfields is advising All for One Group SE on its planned delisting and VINCI group's public delisting offer. The offer price is €67.50 in cash per share. The delisting offer volume is approx. €65m, and total volume including the preceding takeover offer is approx. €336m.

  • Freshfields
  • Christoph H. Seibt
  • Sean Tries
  • Jan-Willem Koldehofe
  • Moritz Meyer
  • Hamburg
  • M&A, Capital Markets

SourceFreshfields — news

Confirmed

Hengeler Mueller advises Freenet on full takeover of Exaring (Waipu.tv); Heuking advises sellers

Freenet, majority owner of Exaring since 2015, agreed to buy the remaining ~25% from minority shareholders for an initial €76 million, with up to €50 million more tied to performance. Valuation is €300 million. Hengeler Mueller advises Freenet (leads Kai-Steffen Scholz, Dirk Busch).

  • Hengeler Mueller
  • Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
  • Poellath
  • Dr. Kai-Steffen Scholz
  • Dr. Dirk Busch
  • Dr. Mathäus Mogendorf
  • Markus Lennartz
  • Dr. Till Naruisch
  • Dr. Thorsten Kuthe
  • Berlin, Dusseldorf, Köln, Frankfurt
  • M&A, Capital Markets

SourceLTO — Kanzleien & Unternehmen

Confirmed

Freshfields advises Euricom on acquisition of Müller's Mühle from GoodMills Deutschland

Freshfields advised Euricom S.p.A. on acquiring all shares in Müller's Mühle GmbH from GoodMills Deutschland GmbH, per a press release. Closing is subject to customary regulatory approvals and expected by end of 2026. The team was led by partner Nicholas Günther and principal associate Henri Conze (Düsseldorf).

  • Freshfields
  • Nicholas Günther
  • Henri Conze
  • Anna Eichner
  • Philipp Redeker
  • Armin Wulfinghoff
  • Dominic Divivier
  • Geronimo Benedict
  • Nico Kiekebusch
  • Theresa Ehlen
  • Benjamin Blum
  • Michael Ramb
  • Dusseldorf, Berlin, Frankfurt
  • M&A, Regulatory

SourceExtrajournal (Austria)

Confirmed

Joffe & Associés advises GENEO Capital Entrepreneur on entry into Lodigroup's capital

Joffe & Associés advised GENEO Capital Entrepreneur on its entry into the capital of Lodigroup, a French biosecurity and building protection manufacturer. The transaction is led by Geneo Capital Entrepreneur and BNP Paribas Développement. The Joffe team comprised partners Aymeric Dégremont and Romain Soiron.

SourcesLe Monde du Droit — DealsLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

HSBC survey: clients' in-house work and AI tools disrupt UK law firm billing

HSBC's yearly UK Law Firm Strategy and Investment Survey of 100 law firms found almost three-quarters say greater use of technology is driving disruption, and 60 per cent cite clients bringing more work in-house. 73 per cent call AI integration a major organisational challenge. Almost every firm surveyed has a generative AI strategy.

  • Pennington Manches Cooper
  • Knights
  • Roythornes
  • Helen Drayton
  • David Beech
  • Victoria Ritchie
  • Sam Elkin

SourceCity A.M.

Confirmed

Lawsuit alleges DLA Piper committed malpractice in soccer deals

Sports investor John Textor has brought a nine-figure lawsuit against DLA Piper. He alleges the firm was representing him when it made changes to documents that cost him tens of millions. The allegations are Textor's claims.

SourcesLaw.com — The American LawyerLaw360 — Legal EthicsLaw360 — Legal IndustryABA JournalLaw.com — International Edition

Confirmed

Bredin Prat advises Cemex on exclusive talks with Vicat over French assets

Bredin Prat advised Cemex on entering exclusive negotiations with Vicat for the proposed sale of its ready-mix concrete and aggregates activities in south-east France, including some joint-venture interests. Closing is expected before 31 December 2026. It is subject to works council consultation and merger control clearance.

  • Bredin Prat
  • José Maria Perez
  • Adrien Bée
  • Alyssa Simonou
  • Pierre-Henri Durand
  • Kevin Guillou
  • Eva Canzerini
  • Olivier Billard
  • Fanny Thibault
  • M&A

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

Clifford Chance advises BII and FMO on $52 million Kafue solar financing in Zambia

Clifford Chance advised British International Investment (BII) and FMO on the US$52 million financing of the Kafue solar project in Zambia, developed by Globeleq Kafue Solar Limited. The Paris team was led by partner Delphine Siino Courtin. In London, partner Edward Bretherton and senior associate Jonathan Forrest advised on construction aspects.

  • Clifford Chance
  • Delphine Siino Courtin
  • Thomas Chneiweiss
  • Charlotte Hopkinson
  • Alexis Germain
  • Edward Bretherton
  • Jonathan Forrest
  • Milica Zatezalo-Falatar
  • Violaine Lecoq-Burgelin
  • Maxence de Rouville
  • Henry Newton-Savage
  • Jake Lowry
  • Sandy Hall
  • Tom Pemberton
  • Philip Walsh
  • Johanneke Butijn
  • Marie Badr
  • Nour Fakhoury
  • Scott Dickson
  • Fabien Jacquemard
  • Santiago Ramirez
  • Ed Bretherton
  • Harriet O’Hare
  • Bruce Kahl
  • Struan Murray
  • Paris, London, Štip, Ras Ghareb
  • Project Finance/Energy & Infra, Banking & Finance

SourcesLe Monde du Droit — DealsLe Monde du Droit — DealsLe Monde du Droit — DealsLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

McDermott Will & Schulte advises Elevation Capital Partners on minority investment in SOFEMA

McDermott Will & Schulte advised Elevation Capital Partners, via its FPCI Elevation Patria fund, on a minority investment in SOFEMA, a French defense equipment distribution and MCO company. Partners named: Fabrice Piollet and Maxime Fradet (corporate), Sabine Nauges (regulatory), Côme de Saint-Vincent (tax).

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

UK law firm leaders assess Burnham's devolution drive and Number 10 North

Senior UK law firm figures assess whether Number 10 North can turn buzz around Andy Burnham's devolution agenda into opportunities for the legal sector. Sarah Walton, managing partner at Weightmans, is one of many law firm leaders cautiously optimistic about the new Downing Street operation. She says the buzz in Manchester will drift away.

  • Weightmans
  • Sarah Walton
  • Manchester

SourceLegal Business

Confirmed

Antas da Cunha Ecija advises QUADRANTE on Geometric Talks engineering unit acquisition

Antas da Cunha Ecija advised QUADRANTE – Engenharia e Consultoria, as buyer, on acquiring the engineering business unit of Geometric Talks. The acquisition includes a project portfolio valued at about 750,000 euros, with activity in Portugal, the Middle East and Africa. The team was Carolina Meireles (counsel), Tânia Nogueira and Tomás Moita (associates).

  • Antas da Cunha Ecija
  • Carolina Meireles
  • Tânia Nogueira
  • Tomás Moita
  • M&A

SourceLawyerpress

Confirmed

Hengeler Mueller advises Lone Star on sale of IKB to Crédit Agricole

Lone Star Funds agreed to sell 100% of IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG to Crédit Agricole, S.A., per a press release. Hengeler Mueller advised Lone Star; Latham & Watkins advised IKB. IKB has a balance sheet total of EUR 14.3 billion.

  • Hengeler Mueller
  • Latham & Watkins
  • Johannes Adolff
  • Andreas Hoger
  • Dirk Bliesener
  • Gerrit Tönningsen
  • Jan D. Bonhage
  • Vera Jungkind
  • Nikolaus Vieten
  • Markus Ernst
  • Matthias Rothkopf
  • Christian Hoefs
  • Christoph Wilken
  • Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Munich, Brussels
  • M&A, Banking & Finance, Regulatory

SourceExtrajournal (Austria)

Confirmed

Latham & Watkins advises Partners Group on Delabo unitranche refinancing

Latham & Watkins advised Partners Group's private credit platform as senior lender, on behalf of its clients, on a unitranche refinancing of Delabo.group. The facility is structured as unitranche/super senior, with further acquisition and investment facilities and a working capital facility. Delabo supplies dental technology products in Germany.

  • Latham & Watkins
  • Thomas Weitkamp
  • Jannis Strotmann
  • Thomas Stüber
  • Ulf Kieker
  • Munich
  • Banking & Finance

SourceExtrajournal (Austria)

Confirmed

Freshfields advises Asieris on exclusive licensing agreement with Theramex for CEVIRA

Freshfields advised Asieris Pharmaceuticals on its conditional exclusive license agreement with Theramex for CEVIRA® (APL-1702). Theramex gets commercialisation rights in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. Aggregate deal value exceeds US$250 million.

  • Freshfields
  • Elisabeth Wulf
  • Philipp Dohnke
  • Ya Ma
  • Maximilian Zellerhoff
  • Yichen Xing
  • Ben Cohen
  • Hamburg, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London

SourceFreshfields — news

Confirmed

A&O Shearman advises lenders on refinancing of A28 motorway concession

A&O Shearman advised the lenders and hedging banks on the refinancing of the A28 motorway concession operated by Autoroutes de Liaison Seine-Sarthe (ALiS). ALiS is owned by Vauban Infrastructure Partners, Aberdeen, CVC and PGGM. The multi-tranche financing combines bank and institutional debt, partly guaranteed by Assured Guaranty.

  • A&O Shearman
  • Driss Bererhi
  • Tim Conduit
  • Romaric Lazerges
  • Julien Sébastien
  • Brice Henry
  • Mathieu Vignon
  • Banking & Finance, Project Finance/Energy & Infra

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed

Addleshaw Goddard advises Caisse des Dépôts on 35% stake in Hydro Tanika

Addleshaw Goddard advises Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations on a 35% minority stake, via Banque des Territoires, in Hydro Tanika, an EDF subsidiary developing the 50 MW Tanika marine pumped-storage project in La Réunion. Works are planned for the second half of 2028. The team included partners Mathieu Taupin and Jacques Dabreteau.

  • Addleshaw Goddard
  • Mathieu Taupin
  • Marie-Emilie Codina
  • Jacques Dabreteau
  • Maxime Favre
  • M&A, Project Finance/Energy & Infra

SourceLe Monde du Droit — Deals

Confirmed items are announced by the firm or reported as fact by the cited outlets. Unconfirmed items are reports the firms have not confirmed. Every item links to its sources; we add nothing the sources do not say.

Follow Europe as it happens: RSS feed · all Europe weeks

Newsletter

The week in Big Law,
by region.

Lateral moves, promotions, office openings, mergers and pay, sourced and checked. One short email a week per region you choose.

Regions