Jones Day has recuited a four-lawyer team from Herbert Smith to set up an energy practice in the US firm's Paris office.

Laurent Vandomme will head the practice alongside counsel Denis Bandet and Akshai Fofaria and associate Etienne Dinner.

Vandomme joined Jones Day on the 29 March and was followed by the rest of the team during April.

He has more than 20 years' experience in the oil and gas and power production sectors and has acted on more than 50 energy projects in Europe, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Vandomme said: "Our ambition is to become one of the premier practices for large-scale investments into Europe and Africa. Given the evident synergies between our practice and that of the firm, and Jones Day's reputation for excellence among the principal energy and mining players, I am confident we will achieve our goals.

"We are also thrilled at the prospect of contributing to the global development of Jones Day's energy practice, with our European and African offering here in Paris."

Earlier this month (19 April) Herbert Smith lost its Paris banking head Georges Dirani, who left the firm to become global general counsel at BNP Paribas.

Dirani, the founding partner of the UK top 10 firm's Paris banking practice, won the prestigious position after having acted as the City law firm's BNP relationship partner.