Paul Hastings launches 'enhanced' Brussels platform with competition hire

Paul Hastings has added to its Brussels office with the hire of EU competition partner Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte from King & Spalding, as the US firm continues to expand its European antitrust offering.

Ugarte will also take on the role of chair of the firm’s Brussels office. At King & Spalding she led the firm’s EU antitrust and competition practice.

The hire is being positioned by Paul Hastings as the launch of an “enhanced Brussels platform”, reflecting the growing importance of EU competition enforcement for dealmaking.

Building out European antitrust

Ugarte advises on all aspects of EU competition law and has experience in cross-border mergers and joint ventures, antitrust investigations and vertical agreements.

Her arrival follows the firm’s hire of senior competition partner Sally Evans from Kirkland & Ellis in London last September.

Firm chair Frank Lopez said Brussels was a key market for the firm as it continues expanding its competition practice alongside its broader M&A and private equity platform.

“As the centre of European antitrust law and policy, Brussels is a critical market in which to add premier talent such as Salomé as we continue building our destination European and global antitrust practice and supporting our growing M&A and PE platform,” he said.

Hiring push continues

The Brussels appointment is the latest addition to Paul Hastings’ European bench as the firm continues a run of lateral hires.

The firm has been actively recruiting talent following a period of partner departures in London over the past year. Recent additions include three tax partners - Jenny Doak from Weil, Catherine Richardson, formerly at Cadwalader, and Alicia Osei from Macfarlanes.

In February, the firm also hired corporate partner Mark Zerdin from Slaughter and May, in a rare lateral departure from the City heavyweight.