Two private-equity-focused boutiques in Paris have merged to create a 50-lawyer firm dedicated to midmarket PE and mergers and acquisitions transactions in the French market, a sector that is showing growth despite recent skittishness in some parts of the M&A market in Europe, according to one of the founding partners.

The new firm combines Mermoz Avocats, a 31-lawyer firm launched in January, and HPML, a 19-lawyer firm created in 2000. It will keep the Mermoz name and operate out of offices in Paris, Lyon and Brussels.