Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson Paris managing partner Eric Cafritz led his office through a year of change and expansion and is now setting his sights on challenging the French elite.

In January Cafritz brought in two partners from French independent Veil Jourde, along with a team of six lawyers, in a major boost for Fried Frank. The hires were the precursor to November’s announcement that the firm was to form an association with bankruptcy litigation specialist Lantourne with a view to a merger in a year’s time. Simultaneously, Cafritz hired Weil Gotshal & Manges restructuring star David Chijner, bringing the number of partners at Fried Frank in Paris to four.

Cafritz’s stated intention is to compete with firms such as Bredin Prat - a lofty aim for a US firm in the traditional Paris market. It will be a real coup if he pulls it off.