US giant Jones Day has further bolstered its fast-expanding European network with the hire of the Paris litigation team of Deloitte & Touche's French legal arm.

The five-lawyer team, led by veteran partner Laurent Martinet, secures the top five US firm French-law litigation capability alongside its existing arbitration team – but leaves the accountancy-tied law firm without a mainstream commercial disputes practice.

Martinet, who joins as a partner, and his team started at Jones Day's 80-lawyer Paris branch on 13 January.

Martinet told Legal Director his move was in response to concerns about practising with a law firm linked to one of the big four accountants.

"It was difficult to practice litigation at Deloittes in regards to audit clients and Jones Day has a huge arbitration capability," Martinet commented. "In Paris it is an important firm in the market."

"We will start to working on building up contentious work from Jones Day's existing clients while continuing to work with our present client base," he added.

The appointments come after a number of senior hires at the US firm's Paris practice.

Last month Jones Day hired a senior tax and real estate partner, Emmanuel Chauve from HSD Ernst & Young.

In October last year the firm appointed EU competition head Eric Morgan de Rivery, who became the first partner to leave Lovells' Paris arm since the top 10 London firm merged with Simeon & Associes in 2001.

Jones Day has also been investing in its wider European practice, with the firm this month formally launching a Munich branch. The firm is also this month expected to tie up a merger with respected London practice Gouldens.

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