Gide loses partner to Winston & Strawn

French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel has lost its second partner in a week as employment specialist Philippe Desprès moves to Winston & Strawn.

The departure follows last week’s news that capital markets partner Patrice Doat, along with three associates, had left Gide for Linklaters (30 August 2011).

Desprès joins Winston & Strawn with Gide associate Déborah Attali, who becomes a partner at the US firm.

The duo double the size of the US firm’s partner team in employment law in Paris, joining existing partners Sébastien Ducamp and Barbara Hart.

Desprès’ practice concentrates on advising international groups on restructuring operations in France, including collective redundancy plans and collective negotiations. Attali is especially experienced in advising French and international groups on their day-to-day social relations issues.

As well as Doat and Desprès, Gide has also lost corporate partner Hugues Mathez to White & Case in Paris this year. Internationally, the firm recently suffered the departure of its Morocco office head Hicham Naciri along with partner Yassir Ghorbal and local Casablanca partner Philippe de Richoufftz to Allen & Overy (20 July 2011).