Linklaters adds leveraged finance duo in Paris as expansion continues

Linklaters has continued its run of hires in Paris, bringing in two top-rated partners from McDermott to bolster its leveraged finance capabilities.

Pierre-Arnoux Mayoly and Shirin Deyhim join the firm’s Paris leveraged finance team, where they will focus on sponsor-side and lender-side mandates across the funds finance, private credit and leveraged finance markets. Mayoly previously led the finance practice at McDermott.

The hires come just days after Linklaters poached an eight-lawyer restructuring team from elite French firm Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, including star partner François Kopf.

The recent additions suggest a push to deepen its footprint in one of Europe’s most competitive legal markets. With more than 200 lawyers and around 40 partners, Linklaters already runs one of the largest operations of any UK firm in Paris, spanning M&A, banking and finance, litigation and regulatory work.

What they said

"France is one of the largest financing markets in Europe", said Andy Vickery, Linklaters’ global head of finance. "Their leveraged finance and complex financings expertise will further strengthen our offering for funds, financial sponsors, banks and corporates on their most significant global mandates."

Françoise Maigrot, Linklaters’ national managing partner in Paris, added: "We are gathering momentum in France as we continue to build out our market-leading teams.

"France remains a pivotal market for private equity players and financial sponsors and adding Pierre-Arnoux and Shirin to our established corporate and banking capabilities, we’re ideally positioned to support clients with our unparalleled cross-practice, cross-border teams."