Norton Rose scoops Orrick shipping star
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Norton Rose has snared Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's European finance head Alain Gautron to strengthen its French shipping finance practice.
Gautron joins Norton Rose today (12 September) along with an associate. His hire doubles the number of shipping finance partners in the firm's Paris office, where the practice area is headed by Nigel Ward.
As well as shipping finance, Gautron's expertise extends to asset and structured finance, leasing arrangements and maritime and aviation regulatory issues.
Gautron joined Orrick in 2002 with the rest of Watson Farley & Williams' Paris office, where he was also a partner. Prior to Watson Farley he gained experience as an associate in Canadian, US and French firms and is a member of the New York and Paris bars.
Norton Rose's French managing partner George Paterson said: "We're looking to strengthen our banking department and our French law presence. Ultimately, it gives us access to very large corporations which are ship users and have other legal needs."
An Orrick spokesperson said: "He's a fine lawyer and we wish him well. We continue to have a strong asset finance practice in Paris, and work will continue."
