Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is ramping up its Paris offering, having hired Linklaters tax partner Thomas Perrot to head its French tax practice.
The tax specialist will join Skadden in early November in the newly created role of tax head in Paris. The addition takes partner headcount at the Paris office to four. While the current three partners – which includes Paris head Armand Grumberg – focus on M&A, Perrot will lead the firm’s French tax practice that also includes counsel Philippe Derouin.
Perrot focuses on domestic and international M&A-related tax matters for listed and non-listed companies, as well as tax issues in connection with finance and financial instruments. Some of his recent deals at Linklaters included representing LBO France and Médi-Partenaires on its €385m high yield bonds and €60m revolving credit facility; and advising CVC Capital Partners on the acquisition of the Delachaux followed by a takeover bid for the shares held by the public.
He was made a partner at Linklaters in 2012 after joining the Magic Circle firm in 2007 as counsel.
Grumberg said: ‘We are delighted that Thomas is joining us. His in-depth knowledge and experience in complex tax matters is a perfect fit for our office and our different practices, and he will add great value for our clients.’
London-based James Anderson, who heads Skadden’s European tax practice, added: ‘Thomas is very highly regarded within the French and international markets, and is a superb addition to our European tax team at a time of great change in cross-border tax law.’
The hire follows Skadden’s appointment of French M&A and private equity lawyer Olivier Diaz in Paris earlier this year, from local firm Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier where he was co-managing partner.
While Skadden ramps up in Paris, Linklaters, on the other hand, is suffering a series of partner exits from a mix of jurisdictions. Kirkland & Ellis recently hired corporate partner Roger Johnson in what is its fourth partner hire this year from rival Linklaters.
Linklaters’ Asian offering also suffered a blow after Kirkland hired Hong Kong debt finance partner David Irvine earlier this month to boost its Asia business. This followed Linklaters losing finance and energy partner Thomas Ng in April and capital markets partner David Ludwick in March, who both joined rival firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Hong Kong, while Davis Polk & Wardwell also hired capital markets partner Jon Gray from the Hong Kong office.
jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk