Moquet hunts for US merger

French firm Moquet Borde & Associés is widening its search for an international merger partner.

The firm has entered pre-merger discussions with US firms Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, Pillsbury Winthrop and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe.

The Lawyer understands that name partner Dominique Borde made attempts to woo a Wall Street firm before looking at the bigger picture and accepting approaches from across the US. Borde declined to comment.

The French firm recorded a turnover of E17.8m (£12.3m) in 2002.