SJ Berwin expands in Europe with new Paris corporate team

`M&A partner Mark Richardson and associates Celine Maironi-Persin, Fabrice Remy and Prudence Thiry join SJ Berwin from Andersen Legal's French arm SG Archibald.`Richardson has a broad corporate focus which includes M&A, private equity investments, joint ventures, initial public offerings and management buyouts.`His clients tend to be in the high-tech sector but he also acts for a number of multinational companies.`SJ Berwin's Paris office opened in February when it hired private equity partner George Pinkham from Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn.`Pinkham's clients include three of France's top private equity houses, Financiere Natexis, BNP arm Benexi and Paribas division PAI.`Pinkham brought with him tax lawyer Sylvie Vansteenkiste and former Salans lawyer Jean Goncalves who came from GE Medical Systems (Europe).`The office focuses on private equity, M&A and tax and plans to expand while concentrating on the high-tech market.`Senior partner David Harrel said: "We're big on the high-tech market in London and we've recently set up an office in Germany's high-tech centre Munich."`In April, SJ Berwin recruited three partners to its Munich office. Corporate partners Thomas Pauls and Axel Pajunk joined from Haarmann Hemmelrath & Partner and EU and competition lawyer Alexander Rinne joined from Düsseldorf firm Bender Zahn Tigges.`In Frankfurt SJ Berwin recruited private equity partner Sebastian Gronstedt from Baker & McKenzie.