Baker & McKenzie has elected a new managing partner for its Paris office, with Regis Fabre stepping into the role from 1 July for a two-year term.

The competition partner takes over from previous co-managing partners Denise Broussal and Laurent Epstein.

The two had previously chosen to split the role, with Broussal handling the office's relations with the firm as a whole and Epstein managing operations at the office itself. The two have led the international giant's Paris branch for the past four years.

However, the firm decided to hand responsibility for the office to a single managing partner, with Fabre elected by partners at a meeting last week ahead of Broussal.

Fabre joined the firm in September 2003 from Ernst & Young Law, where he had been a partner since 1995. At his former firm Fabre headed up the distribution, competition, intellectual property and IT group.

Fabre will present a plan for developing Bakers' Paris office to partners on 25 June.

He commented: "The idea is to develop the business. I will be trying to unify the firm and make partners cooperate more. I think I can help develop the office."

Broussal is also the local head of the labour practice group, while Epstein manages the pharmaceuticals group.

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