Morgan Lewis has orchestrated a power play of significant proportions, swooping in to claim Kramer Levin’s entire 54-lawyer Paris firm.
Let that sink in: 54 lawyers. One office. A single, decisive move that transforms Morgan Lewis into a force majeure in the City of Light.
The timing might be one of strategic brilliance. As Kramer Levin edges toward its marriage with Herbert Smith Freehills – a union set for May’s spotlight – their Paris outpost found itself the odd one out, excluded from the nuptials. Morgan Lewis didn’t just see an opening; they saw gold.
This isn’t just expansion; it’s domination. Post-acquisition, Morgan Lewis’ Paris presence swells to 70 legal minds, with 23 partners at the helm. If this playbook feels familiar, it should. We’ve seen this before – their Munich masterstroke, absorbing 20 Shearman & Sterling heavyweights just as the A&O Shearman merger loomed.
At the helm of this power transfer: Dana Anagnostou and Sébastien Pontillo, (pictured) the dynamic duo who commanded Kramer Levin’s Paris operations. Their expertise in corporate warfare and private equity will now fuel Morgan Lewis’ arsenal, spanning everything from M&A to banking, compliance to litigation, and beyond.
The message is clear: Morgan Lewis isn’t just playing the game – they’re rewriting the rules. And Paris? It’s probably just the beginning.
Press statement from Morgan Lewis below –
Morgan Lewis Significantly Expands in Europe by Adding 50+ Lawyer Cross-Practice Team in Paris
December 20, 2024
PARIS, December 20, 2024: Continuing to expand its full-service offerings in Europe, Morgan Lewis will build on its longstanding presence in Paris with the addition of a 54-strong lawyer team from Kramer Levin. Led by corporate partner Dana Anagnostou and private equity partner Sébastien Pontillo, who served as co-leaders of Kramer Levin’s Paris office, the team will add significant depth in French and cross-border corporate matters, bolstering the firm’s M&A and private equity, contract, banking and finance, compliance, litigation, employment, intellectual property, tax, and investigations capabilities. Upon joining the firm, Dana will serve as co-managing partner of the Paris office alongside current Morgan Lewis partner Sabine Smith-Vidal.
“Europe remains a strategic priority for our firm, and we are thrilled to add this stellar multidisciplinary group, deepening our commitment since we opened our doors in Paris more than 20 years ago. France is poised for dynamic growth driven by an uptick in high-end deal activity, which makes this an exciting time—and exactly the right time—to make this move,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon.
“We’ve already established strong connections between our teams, having natural synergies in our culture, client-first approach, and capabilities. Beyond our shared values of service excellence and collaboration, there are clear alignments with our existing practices, along with opportunities to expand and enhance our offerings to deliver greater value for our clients. We anticipate that our new colleagues, including professional staff, will join us on January 1—enabling our expanded Paris office to be fully operational for clients on day one.”
With the two firms’ combined history of nearly six decades in Paris, Morgan Lewis’s office headcount will total nearly 110, which includes 23 partners, 9 of counsel, and 35 associates and trainees. Working closely with colleagues around the world, this full-service office advises French and global clients—ranging from multinational companies and financial institutions to entrepreneurs and mid-level companies—across the full spectrum of industries, with particular strength in the technology, fintech, commodity, energy, and construction sectors.
The team counsels clients on a range of domestic and cross-border matters, including public and private domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and private equity; banking and finance; intellectual property and privacy; investment management; multijurisdictional employment issues; real estate; corporate compliance and investigations; and international arbitration and litigation, among other areas.
“In the last year, we have more than doubled our number of lawyers in Germany with now offices in Frankfurt and Munich, and have added depth and additional practice breadth in London. This Paris expansion is aligned with that practice growth, and adds the capability to serve clients in corporate, finance, investment management, and regulatory practices in both domestic and emerging markets as well as deepens our employment law, litigation, and compliance offerings,” said Firm Managing Partner Steven Wall. “The team’s arrival enhances our ability to take advantage of the burgeoning French and European equity markets for clients while being nimble to explore opportunities for them in key industry sectors such as alternative finance and cryptocurrency, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.”
