Winston & Strawn Adds 11 Attorneys in Paris

Paris – May 15, 2023 – Winston & Strawn announced today the addition of 11 attorneys to its Paris office. These additions will strengthen the office’s and the firm’s transactional practice.

Led by Grine Lahreche, who specializes in private equity and M&A, the cross-disciplinary team consists of four partners: Grine Lahreche, Sophie Dechaumet, Edith Boucaya, and Ariane Berthoud; two counsel: Jérôme Mas and Christophe Marie; and five associates: Audrey Szultz, Marie Terlain, Vincent Bourrelly, Emile Nicolas, and Diane Tarantini. All of these attorneys were previously at Hoche Avocats.

Grine Lahreche and Edith Boucaya strengthen the existing M&A and private equity teams of the Paris office, Sophie Dechaumet broadens the current offering in labor law, and Arianne Berthoud lends her talents to the finance practice.

“The arrival of this transactional team shows our firm’s ambition to grow,” notes Jérôme Herbet, managing partner of Winston & Strawn Paris. He adds, “It is also a strong signal given by Winston & Strawn about its interest in the French market and, generally, the European market (including the United Kingdom) when other firms on the other side of the Atlantic decided to close their Paris representation.”

This arrival is not a mere coincidence. For Grine Lahreche, “It is, first, the result of past and more recent meetings. Many of us have had the chance to work together and to forge strong professional bonds of trust in various French and international firms. The cross-disciplinary nature of our practices and the necessity to provide multidisciplinary services, both in France and abroad, were decisive for the team’s decision to join Winston.”

Gilles Bigot, who was the Paris office’s longtime managing partner and who leads the health law practice with Julie Vern, said, “I am delighted to welcome high-quality attorneys who share our values.” According to him, “Their skills complement perfectly those already present at the firm and create synergies in key business sectors for Winston & Strawn, such as health and new technologies, both in France and abroad.” That international scope was also decisive for the team’s decision to join Winston & Strawn.

According to Mounir Letayf, who leads the finance practice at Winston & Strawn Paris and who initiated the recruitment of these attorneys, “Our goal is to establish a basis for the firm’s long-term growth and to give ourselves the means to gain greater market shares. To this end, we must reach a critical size.”

Grine Lahreche assists investment funds, directors, and large groups in connection with their LBO transactions, capital restructuring transactions, and disposals-acquisitions. He developed skills specific to highly regulated sectors—especially in new technologies.

Sophie Dechaumet assists French and foreign companies on all labor law and social security issues (in both transactional and litigation matters) arising out of individual and collective relations. She handles the labor law aspects of M&A and private equity transactions, restructuring transactions, and business transfers, as well as compensation systems, mass layoffs, and management packages. Sophie also works on complex litigation matters and negotiated departures.

Edith Boucaya assists French and foreign groups in connection with acquisitions or disposals of interests or assets, in implementing strategic partnerships and restructuring projects, both in France and abroad. She also developed skills in LBO and growth capital transactions, and she assists investment funds and directors.

Ariane Berthoud specializes in finance and works on the financing of acquisitions, LBOs, syndicated loans, and project financing. She also assists clients in connection with debt restructuring.