U.S. firm Goodwin has launched a real estate practice in Paris with the hire of rival Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's French real estate head.

Sarah Fleury has joined Goodwin's Paris office as a partner, where she will lead the new group. She advises French and international investors on a range of real estate transactions, including asset and share deals, joint venture and real estate mergers and acquisitions, hospitality investments, office building acquisitions and commercial leases.

Goodwin Paris chair Maxence Bloch said in a statement: "Goodwin's firmwide strategy is to be the go-to firm in our select client industries, including private equity and real estate. The expansion of our international real estate platform into France is a key component of this strategy, and Sarah is the right leader to help us take this important next step in Paris."

Goodwin opened its office in the French capital in 2016 with a raid on the European arm of King & Wood Mallesons' Paris base. It hired Bloch, who led KWM's Paris branch, along with several other private equity heavyweight partners for the launch.