Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has boosted its Singapore and Paris offices with the appointment of two partners from foreign firms.
In Paris the firm has hired Pascale Lagesse as its first French employment partner and in Singapore it has snapped up David Simpson, a corporate and securities specialist.
Lagesse joins from employment boutique, Flichy Lagesse Montanier Ayache, where she was one of the founding partners. Before launching the boutique in early 1999, Lagesse was a partner at French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel.
Commenting on the speed of Lagesse's departure so soon after setting up the boutique, James Vaudoyer, Freshfields' Paris head, said: "She is young and realised that the market is evolving fast." He added that with her international client base, moving to Freshfields made sense.
Lagesse is expected to bring three associates with her and Freshfields is hiring up to seven more lawyers to build a local employment practice.
In Singapore, the hire of Simpson from Australian firm Allen Allen & Hemsley will leave his former office with a single partner.
Simpson joins Freshfields just as the magic circle firm's joint venture with local firm Drew & Napier formally launches on 1 November.