International law firm Addleshaw Goddard is doubling the size of its operations in continental Europe with the opening of an office in France, with a focus on real estate.
Four real estate lawyers from K&L Gates will join the new team, led by head of Real Estate partner Edouard Vitry, advising both local and international business, particularly outbound and inbound work for clients with interests in the USA, the UK, Germany, Asia and the Middle East.
The team will specialise in real estate issues across commercial property, with a focus on retail, office, logistics and data centres as well as investment, financing, construction and litigation.
Addleshaw Goddard is well established in the real estate sector, working with some of the foremost institutional investors, banks, developers and retailers, including Aviva Investors, Kamco Invest, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Legal & General and British Land. The firm has a track record of advising on major transactions, including the £1.583 bn transfer of the commercial elements within the world-famous Battersea Power Station to Malaysian investors.
Edouard Vitry, head of Real Estate, has more than 25 years of experience in the real estate sector, including due diligence, sale and purchase process, securitisation, drafting and negotiating contracts and leases, property disputes and ADR. Prior to joining Addleshaw Goddard, he had been a partner with K&L Gates (nine years), Simmons & Simmons (five years) and an associate at Richards Butler (now Reed Smith) (4 years) where he headed their real estate group after spending eight years with major French law firms.
The Paris office will be led by Rémy Blain, a corporate lawyer, and include five other partners across its corporate, real estate and litigation divisions.
The news follows the opening by Addleshaw Goddard of a first Continental European office in Hamburg in 2019.
John Joyce, Addleshaw Goddard managing partner, said: ‘Clients are increasingly telling us that their preference is for an integrated cross-border capability. Opening an office in the two largest Eurozone economies in quick succession is an important milestone in our plan to build over the coming years a meaningful presence in the major European markets to better service global and UK corporates. Our German office has quickly exceeded expectations and Paris is a unique opportunity to bring a second profitable, market-leading practice to the firm in another key European centre identified by clients.’
