"We join Winston & Strawn with humility, but also lots of determination," remarked French private-equity luminary Grine Lahreche, who brought the curtain down on a remarkable half-decade spell at Hoche Avocats by joining the American firm’s Paris branch in this week.

The 44-year-old will not lack for familiar faces at his new home – 11 ex-Hoche Avocats lawyers have made the move alongside him, including labor law specialist Dechaumet, M&A star Boucaya, financing expert Berthoud and tax maestro Mas. The team is rounded out by counsel Christophe Marie, and associates Audrey Szultz, Marie Terlain, Vincent Bourrelly, Emile Nicolas and Diane Tarantini.

For Lahreche, the switch was “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.”

Commenting on the dynamic move, the managing partner of Winston & Strawn Paris, Jerome Herbet, added, “The arrival of this transactional team shows our firm’s ambition to grow and is also a strong signal given by Winston & Strawn about its interest in the French market and, generally, the European market (including the UK) at a time when other American firms have decided to close their Paris offices.”

For Grine Lahreche, who assists investment funds, directors, and large groups in connection with their LBO transactions, capital restructuring transactions, and disposals-acquisitions, the project was a seductive one. “I was struck during the exchanges with Winston’s diectors of their passion to develop the firm in the European market and not just accumulate practice areas and boost turnover. They want to see the Paris office become a driver of growth for their entire European activity.”