Norton Rose has strengthened its Paris office with the hire of Hogan Lovells corporate partner Jon Harry.

Harry, who had worked at Hogan Lovells and legacy Lovells since 1988, is set to join Norton Rose on 6 June.

The appointment makes him Norton Rose's third partner hire in Paris in less than six months, following the hire of Willkie Farr & Gallagher corporate partner Stephane Sabatier who joined in February, and DLA Piper IP/IT partner Marc d'Haultfoeuille who joined the firm in December.

Norton Rose Paris head George Paterson commented: "Following the appointments of Marc d'Haultfoeuille and Stephane Sabatier, the addition of Jon Harry confirms our commitment to build a first rate Paris corporate team to service major French as well as international group clients."

Harry specialises in cross-border mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures for large French and international blue chip companies. He also regularly advises funds on their investment and LBO activities.

He began his career at Lovells as a trainee before qualifying as a solicitor in 1990, becoming a partner in 2000. He has practised in Paris since 1998 and led the office's corporate group from 2006 to 2009.

Harry said: "I have followed Norton Rose Group's recent strategic developments in Australia and then South Africa and Canada. As a cross-border M&A specialist, it was very important for me to join a practice which combines the same quality of service across the world with a collegiate culture which allows clients instant access to all the expertise they need in different centres."

Harry's departure comes after Hogan Lovells Paris corporate head Pascal de Moidrey and corporate partner Alexis Terray left the firm to join Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker in March.