PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE) – Kramer Levin is expanding its private equity, banking and finance practice in Paris to include five lawyers: partners Sébastien Pontillo and Sophie Perus, advisor Blandine Geny and employees Lancelot Montmeterme and Brenda Ambele. Two more employees will join in the coming weeks.
Sébastien Pontillo and Sophie Perus have been working closely together for several years and look after clients such as Idinvest, Bpifrance, Perwyn and Zencap Asset Management.
The new team is part of Kramer Levin’s strategic plan to expand its private equity, banking and finance practices and deepen its Parisian bank. This also includes partners Dana Anagnostou, Alexandre Omaggio, Hubert de Vauplane and Gilles Saint Marc, who have extensive experience in private equity and financial transactions.
Kramer Levin’s Paris office now has 55 attorneys, including 21 partners.
Sébastien Pontillo focuses on leveraged buyouts, growth capital and venture capital transactions. He advises private equity funds and management teams on international and national transactions. He also advises companies on complex international mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and joint venture agreements. Mr Pontillo has been a member of the Paris Bar Association since 2003 and is a graduate of ESCP Europe (Grande Ecole), the Magistère de Droit des Activités Economiques and the DESS Droit des Affaires et Fiscalité of the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. His team was recognized as an up-and-coming team at the Trophées du Droit in the M & A (Mid-Cap) category in 2020. Mr. Pontillo recently worked for Silverfleet Capital on the acquisition of OneStock, for Bpifrance on the leveraged buyout of BTP Consultants, for Renaissance Learning LLC (a portfolio company of Francisco Partners) on the acquisition of Lalilo for EQT Capital Partners in its investment in Luko and for Voodoo in the acquisition of Fabrika Games.
Sophie Perus focuses on banking and finance. She advises credit institutions and funds as well as companies on their national and international financing transactions. Her practice focuses primarily on bank, bond (unitranche, senior, second-lien, mezzanine) and structured finance, but also includes asset and real estate finance. She also has extensive experience in debt rescheduling and lease financing. Ms. Perus is recommended by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe and Legal 500 (Paris and EMEA). Her team was awarded the bronze trophy in banking and finance in the 2020 edition of the Palmarès du Droit. Ms. Perus has been a member of the Paris Bar Association since 2001 and has a degree in Business Law and Taxes from the University of Paris XI. She is a graduate of EM Lyon. Ms. Perus recently advised Viséo on a Unitranche financing transaction and represented Bpifrance and CIC Private Debt on the provision of finance for Laboratoires Delbert’s owner buy-out. She also advised Idinvest on the acquisition of a stake in the Olmix Group by Motion Equity Partners.
Blandine Geny specializes in corporate, bank and bond finance, asset finance, and real estate finance. She was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2013 and has a master’s degree in business law from Paris II Panthéon-Assas University and a master’s degree in international risk management from HEC Paris.
Lancelot Montmeterme, Senior Associate, advises on leveraged buyouts, growth capital and venture capital transactions as well as domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and restructuring transactions. Mr. Montmeterme was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2014 and holds degrees in Business and Tax Law and Banking and Finance Law from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas.
Brenda Ambele’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and corporate governance matters. She holds a Masters Degree in International Corporate Transactions and Taxes from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. She also holds degrees in Law, Management, Economics and Corporate Finance from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.
The team previously practiced at Eversheds Sutherland.
“Private equity and banking and finance are core practices at Kramer Levin that we have driven for growth,” said Howard T. Spilko, Co-Managing Partner of Kramer Levin and Paul H. Schoeman. “The addition of this impressive group in Paris complements our New York practices in these areas and gives us additional strength in European and cross-border transactions.”
Dana Anagnostou and Renaud Dubois, Co-Managing Partners of Kramer Levin’s Paris office, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sophie and Sébastien and their colleagues, all highly respected lawyers who have joined our bank in the strategically important areas of private equity and finances and who share our commitment to excellence in the service of our customers. ”
Ms. Perus said: “Kramer Levin’s Paris office offers an agile and collaborative structure in synergy with the company’s US offices, which is particularly attractive.”
Mr. Pontillo added, “There are clear synergies between our practices that are enhanced by Kramer Levin’s proactive, pragmatic and creative culture that benefit our customers.”
The announcement that Kramer Levin is expanding its private equity practice in Paris comes just over a year after the company announced a similar expansion in New York. The company hired private equity partners Colin Bumby and Adi Herman in January 2020 and March 2020, respectively.
About Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Kramer Levin offers clients proactive, creative and pragmatic solutions to the most complex legal problems. Headquartered in New York, with offices in Silicon Valley and Paris, the company fosters a strong culture of engagement in public and community service. More information is available at www.kramerlevin.com.