King & Spalding adds restructuring partner Laurent Assaya to Paris office

International law firm King & Spalding has announced the arrival of a new restructuring partner for its Paris team, in the shape of Laurent Assaya, in addition to counsel Laure Géniteau, and a pair of associates, Jean Ginestet and Hélène Desquilbet. Assaya’s practice focuses on pre-insolvency proceedings (mandat ad hoc and conciliation) and formal insolvency proceedings. His global corporate practice also includes distressed M&A, complex restructuring operations and special situations matters.

“King & Spalding has strong global finance, corporate and regulatory practices that will enable me to broaden how I can serve my restructuring clients and provide new opportunities to them,” said Assaya. “I’ve enjoyed working alongside several of my new King & Spalding partners before, and now I am excited to collaborate with them directly to help grow the firm’s offering in Paris and throughout Europe.”

An expert at in French insolvency law and out-of-court restructuring operations, Laurent Assaya acted on behalf of distressed investors in the restructuring of the €9 billion Eurotunnel debt, helping achieve a successful reduction and refinancing of the debt, to the satisfaction of the various stakeholders, in what was one of the biggest such cases of recent decades in Europe.    

“Laurent has a rich background handling sophisticated restructuring matters and brings a great combination of technical expertise, negotiation skills and creativity that will be instrumental as we continue to grow our transactional practices in France and across Europe,” said K&S Paris office managing partner Laurent Bensaid, adding “he gives us new opportunities to expand the work we are already doing for private equity, private credit, corporate and financial services clients here.”

Assaya joins King & Spalding from Vivien & Associés, where he was a partner and leader in its restructuring and insolvency proceedings department. He has a law degree and master’s degree in business law and taxation from Pantheon-Assas University and a master’s HEC School of Management.