Laurent Geelhand, a partner with Hausfeld.

Continuing its expansion efforts across the Atlantic, Hausfeld has opened an office in Paris led by partner Laurent Geelhand, who joined the plaintiffs firm in 2014 in order to open another international outpost in Brussels, Belgium.

Hausfeld announced the office opening in a statement on Monday, saying the firm's operations in Europe and the U.K. have seen steady growth in recent years as it positioned itself to take advantage of policy reforms that have opened up more avenues for private enforcement of antitrust cases. Geelhand, a former longtime general counsel at Michelin Group Europe, will lead Hausfeld's efforts in Paris and will be joined by of counsel Geneviève Labbe, along with several French lawyers, the firm said.

Geelhand said the expansion to France makes sense for Hausfeld given a growing demand in the country for the type of work the firm specializes in.

“Our French client base has grown exponentially in the last few years. As such, an office in Paris was a natural next step, to meet the demand,” Geelhand said in a statement. “More and more we see European corporate clients proactively pursuing private enforcement against cartels.

“As a former in-house lawyer, I saw first-hand how this adds real value to corporates, with minimum risk,” he continued. “Often regarded as a 'cost' to businesses, private enforcement allows in-house legal teams to redress and retrieve damages, at no or minimal cost to a business.”

The Paris office marks the firm's fourth European location, after earlier openings in Brussels and two German offices—in Berlin and Dusseldorf. Hausfeld has also had a London office since the firm's founding in 2008, but the other international outposts are more recent, with the oldest opening in 2014. Hausfeld opened the Dusseldorf office just last year.

The firm's managing partner in London, Anthony Maton, said the Paris office comes to Hausfeld after “great success” at the firm's Brussels and German offices, also noting that the London office is poised to work closely with the new French outpost.

“Since we opened the Brussels and German offices, we've enjoyed great success in Europe. Our London office has always attracted international lawyers and we already have numerous French-speaking fee-earners who work between Paris and London assisting Laurent,” said Maton. “We look forward to growing our French and continental presence and exploring our unlimited opportunities post-Brexit; and following the EU Damages Directive implementation last year, which makes it easier for individuals and businesses that have suffered harm because of anti-competitive conduct, to secure damages.”

Hausfeld is not the only plaintiffs firm that has had its eye on Europe in recent years amid reforms easing the way for more private antitrust damages. Scott + Scott, for instance, opened its first international office in London in 2015. That firm and Hausfeld have spearheaded litigation in the U.S. that alleges widespread manipulation in the foreign exchange market, and after Scott + Scott's London opening, managing partner David Scott told The American Lawyer that his firm would look to pursue similar cases internationally.