DLA Piper Paris hire three from Jeantet, Morgan Lewis

The lateral hiring spree in Paris continued today with the announcement by DLA Piper of the arrival of three partners from Jeantet Associés and Morgan Lewis.

Phillipe Blaquier-Cirelli and Pascal Martin were both previously partners at French independent Jeantet. Blaquier-Cirelli will lead a DLA Piper team focusing on banking and commercial litigation, while Martin is a public law specialist.

Patrice Lefèvre-Péaron, previously at Morgan Lewis, is handed a mandate to develop DLA’s French tax team.

The hires continue the growth of DLA Piper’s Paris office. Last year the firm hired Bird & Bird IT partner Stéphane Lemarchand and four associates and also Debevoise & Plimpton international counsel Michael Ostrove. Ostrove became a partner at DLA Piper in the litigation team.

Paris has been the scene of significant lateral hiring activity in the first months of 2011, with over 40 partner moves since January (see analysis).