Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired bankruptcy partner Guilhem Bremond from Paul Hastings to grow its restructuring and insolvency team in Paris.

Bremond joins alongside a team of four, including Paul Cesbron Lavau, Magali Bertrand, Philippe Huntziger and Laura Coz, who will sit in the firm’s global transactions practice. Bremond brings almost three decades of experience across in and out-of-court restructuring deals, as well as related litigation and advice around distressed investments. He will also bring full-service debtor-side expertise to the Paris team, complementing its well-established creditor-side business.

Guy Benda, Freshfields’ Paris transactions head, said: “Guilhem is a welcome addition to our existing global R&I practice and 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.”

Bremond arrives after just over three years at Paul Hastings, having joined in the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic to lead the firm’s Paris restructuring practice. He previously spent almost 14 years heading his own firm Bremond & Associes, prior to which he had spells at Veil Jourde and Sonier & Associes.

Julian Pritchard, head of global transactions at Freshfields, said: “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.

“Guilhem will increase our expertise in this important growth area, particularly across the judicial space and debtor capabilities.”

Bremond is the latest lateral recruit to join the firm’s restructuring and insolvency practice, following the arrival of Daniel Anderson in Hong Kong from Ropes & Gray last month and Lisa Stevens in London from Kirkland & Ellis last September.

Other firms have been strengthening their European restructuring teams this year as rising interest rates and tougher economic conditions increases the risk of companies running into financial difficulties. In April, Greenberg Traurig hired Bruno Cova from Willkie Farr & Gallagher to co-chair its European restructuring practice in Milan. And in February Kirkland hired Cristina Weidner from Clifford Chance to lead its German restructuring and insolvency practice.