Paul Hastings has hired the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) director of legal affairs as a partner in its Paris office.

Nicola Bonucci joins the firm from the OECD, where he was director of legal affairs for the 36-country coalition for 14 years.

Bonucci first joined the OECD in 1993 as a legal adviser, before serving as a deputy director from 2000 and being promoted to director of legal affairs in 2005, according to a statement.

He has experience in international tax issues, anti-corruption and anti-bribery matters and joins Paul Hastings' investigations and white-collar defense practice in Paris.

Bonucci said in a statement: "I look forward to sharing my international experience with compliance programmes, investigations and anti-corruption issues across various legal systems, with [the firm's] clients and partners globally. I also look forward to bringing my knowledge of intergovernmental and multilateral processes to the firm."

The firm's Paris office has recently hired tax partner Bruno Leroy, as well as private equity partner Charles Cardon from Dechert.

Meanwhile, its investigations and white-collar defense practice has also seen substantial growth in the U.S. with the hires of partner Jonathan Drimmer from goldmining giant Barrick Gold Corporation, as well as partners Matthew Herrington and Tom Best from Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C.