Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker has begun merger talks with Paris' Moquet Borde & Associes as the West Coast giant begins a search for a heavyweight launch in the French legal market.

The 750-lawyer firm has been engaged in talks with 60-lawyer Moquet Borde for two months. A deal would be a major step for the US firm's European practice, which is currently restricted to a 12-lawyer London arm.

Paul Hastings chairman Seth Zachary told Legal Week Global: "We are in initial discussions with several French firms, of which Moquet Borde is one."

Zachary added that the US firm was also hoping to launch client-driven practices in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Paul Hastings is the third US firm Moquet Borde is known to have held merger talks with following discussions with Dorsey & Whitney and Morrison & Foerster.

The Paris firm has been considering an international merger since the collapse of its pan-European alliance BBLP
in 2001.