Freshfields Strengthens Paris Presence with New Hire of Restructuring Partner and Team from Paul Hastings

Freshfields Strengthens Paris Presence with New Hire of Restructuring Partner and Team from Paul Hastings

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, a renowned Magic Circle firm, has made a significant addition to its restructuring and insolvency team in Paris by welcoming Guilhem Bremond as a new bankruptcy partner.

With this strategic hire, Freshfields aims to strengthen its capabilities in handling complex restructuring and insolvency matters, further solidifying its position as a leading legal advisor in this domain.

Guilhem Bremond joins Freshfields alongside a talented team of four individuals, namely Paul Cesbron Lavau, Magali Bertrand, Philippe Huntziger, and Laura Coz. Together, they will be part of the firm's global transactions practice.

With nearly three decades of experience, Bremond brings a wealth of knowledge in both in-court and out-of-court restructuring deals. His expertise also extends to providing valuable advice and handling litigation matters related to distressed investments.

Notably, Bremond's addition will enhance the Paris team's capabilities by introducing comprehensive debtor-side expertise, complementing the firm's well-established creditor-side business.

Guy Benda, Head of Transactions at Freshfields in Paris, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the arrival of Bremond, stating that he is a valuable addition to the firm's established global Restructuring and Insolvency (R&I) practice as well as the global transaction team.

“Paris is a significant European financial centre, and our full-service debtor and creditor practice is central to our growth strategy in the region. Guilhem will strengthen our capabilities in this area and further our reputation in the market,” Benda said.

After serving as the head of Paul Hastings' Paris restructuring practice for a little over three years, Bremond makes his transition to Freshfields. His arrival at Paul Hastings coincided with the initial months of the Covid-19 pandemic, where he played a key role in leading the firm's restructuring practice in Paris.

Prior to his tenure at Paul Hastings, Bremond established and led his own firm, Bremond & Associes, for nearly 14 years. Before that, he gained valuable experience working at Veil Jourde and Sonier & Associes.

“With his strong external reputation in the restructuring and insolvency market, Guilhem will deepen the firm’s bench of talent in an active practice area. The local Paris market has generated large restructuring transactions in recent years, with the firm leading on many of these mandates, and, with the implementation of the EU directive, contentious restructuring and litigation is developing,” Julian Pritchard, head of global transactions at Freshfields, said.

Pritchard further exuded confidence that Bremond will increase the firm’s expertise in important growth areas, particularly across the judicial space and debtor capabilities.