Norton Rose Fulbright further grows Paris office with two partner hires

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has appointed two new partners as part of the ongoing expansion of its Paris office.

Kamel Ben Salah and Pierre François join the banking and finance and corporate practices, respectively.

Kamel joins the firm from French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel, where he led the structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance team for almost 30 years. Kamel will focus on further developing Norton Rose Fulbright’s real estate finance practice in France and abroad. He will do this alongside the Paris office’s nine other banking and finance partners, and supported by associates Valentin Tschaen and Marie L'helias.

Kamel specialises predominantly in real estate asset finance, corporate financing – particularly involving real estate listed companies – and project financing. He also has extensive experience advising banks and financial institutions on the structuring, drafting and negotiation of complex transactions in real estate financing, refinancing and restructuring.

Pierre, meanwhile, has over 20 years’ experience as an M&A lawyer and joins from Pinsent Masons, where he spent 10 years as a partner in Paris. Pierre advises foreign and French institutional investors on the structuring, negotiation, documentation and completion of their transactions in France, in the context of growth, strategic and distressed divestments.

His practice focuses exclusively on French domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, for which he acts for investors across Europe and North America. He advises clients in a wide range of sectors, including financial services and healthcare.

Pierre’s appointment follows that of Sébastien Praicheux, who joined the corporate team in Paris earlier this year, and brings the corporate team to eight partners and 30 associates. He joins alongside his team, consisting of counsel Catherine Mandon and associate Laura Darvishi.

On Kamel’s appointment, Christine Ezcutari, head of Norton Rose Fulbright's banking team in Paris, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Kamel to our banking team as he strengthens our real estate finance practice which is a key focus for our office and wider business. Kamel’s experience will also bolster our tax and real estate law knowledge and capabilities in Paris.”

On Pierre’s appointment, Bénédicte Denis, head of the firm’s corporate practice in Paris, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Pierre and his team as we continue to grow our M&A capabilities across a full range of sectors."

George Paterson, head of the Paris office, added: "With the arrival of three new partners and teams in 2022, our Paris office now has 25 partners and confirms its ambition to develop the service offering we provide to our clients.”

Kamel Ben Salah is a member of the Paris and Tunis Bars and is recognised as a leading individual in the latest edition of The Legal 500 Europe, Middle East and Africa directory in the real estate finance category.