Ropes & Gray Looks to Launch Paris Office, Eying New Recruits

Ropes & Gray is plotting a new office in Paris as US law firms continue to expand across Europe.

Ropes is planning to open a base in the French capital with hires from rival law firms for the office, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The firm did not respond to requests for comment.

It would be the firm’s first office in continental Europe. The Boston-headquartered outfit currently has bases in London and Dublin, as well as five offices in Asia, according to its website. The bulk of its offices are in the US, across seven cities.

White & Case, Latham & Watkins, and Winston & Strawn are among leading US law firms with long-established outposts in the French capital. Although new entrants have been fairly rare, Houston-based Bracewell in July opened a Paris office with an 11-lawyer team from Norton Rose Fulbright.

London’s hiring market has exploded this year, with a number of heavyweight partners moving between firms.

Wall Street’s Paul Weiss has driven much of the hiring movement, ramping up its London base with lawyers from rivals like Kirkland & Ellis throughout the past year. It most recently hired investment funds partner duo Jeremy Leggate and David Pritchett from the firm.

In-demand partners can now command salaries of $20 million or more per year in the hottest hiring areas.

Ropes & Gray is the eight largest US-based law firm, reporting nearly $3 billion in gross revenue last year.