Allen & Overy (A&O) has hired a three-partner dispute resolution team from Herbert Smith in Paris, including the firm's newly-appointed head of disputes for Continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA), Denis Chemla.

Chemla is set to join A&O's Paris office alongside arbitration partner Michael Young and litigation partner Erwan Poisson to launch a full service disputes practice for the magic circle firm.

Chemla, who was appointed as CEMEA disputes head at Herbert Smith earlier this month, will become head of dispute resolution at A&O in Paris. A&O already has dispute resolution partners in France, but Young marks the first arbitration partner in the practice, completing the full-service offering.

A&O global head of dispute resolution, Tim House, said: "The establishment of such a strong practice in Paris gives us a presence in all of the major centres for dispute resolution across Europe and adds immeasurably to the service we can offer clients at both a local and international level.

"The most complex disputes are those which span numerous countries and these cases can only be handled effectively by a properly integrated, international team."

In a statement, Herbert Smith said: "We are disappointed – particularly given the strong year our Paris and global disputes practices have otherwise had. Both practices have real strength in depth and [we have] every confidence that they will bounce back from this."

The news comes after A&O hired a trio of M&A lawyers from US firm Debevoise & Plimpton in Paris office in March this year, led by partner Marc Castagnede.