As part of a global expansion strategy, Gowling WLG is delighted to welcome partner Erwan Heurtel into its Corporate team in Paris. Erwan is a Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and Private Equity (PE) specialist and joins from Mayer Brown where he was a partner and head of Paris hospitality and leisure.

With more than 25 years of experience, Erwan is recognised for his expertise in mergers and acquisitions and private equity, in particular for real estate transactions. He advises French and international investment fund clients, as well as operators, investors and developers on acquisitions or disposals in the real estate and hotel sectors. His expertise also extends to the life sciences and technology sectors.

Erwan will participate in the development of the transactional activity with the partners of the Paris office, in particular with Corporate Partner Patrick Mousset and Real Estate Partner Sylvain Canard-Volland to increase Gowling WLG's presence with industry players.

Gowling WLG's 200-strong Corporate/M&A team provides excellent legal advice through a partner-led service of corporate lawyers, with clients ranging from the world's leading financial institutions and public companies to private businesses and entrepreneurs.

Erwan said: "Joining Gowling WLG in Paris is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the development of a Corporate division covering all aspects, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity, management packages and restructurings. The firm's reputation for excellence in strategic sectors of the economy and its vision of expansion in Europe, and now particularly in Paris, but also in the Middle East, were decisive in my decision."

Stuart Young, Head of Corporate, Finance and Tax at Gowling WLG, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Erwan to our corporate team in Paris. Erwan is highly regarded in the market and has a wealth of experience advising on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions transactions. He is an excellent addition to our practice, not just in Paris but globally."

Céline Bey, Co-Managing Partner of Gowling WLG's Paris office added: "We are delighted to welcome Erwan to the firm. His arrival is part of the firm's European growth strategy, successfully initiated in Germany with the opening of a new office in Frankfurt with 40 lawyers. We are continuing this momentum in Paris with other strategic recruitments planned - our ambition being to redeploy a solid and complete service offering to meet the constantly evolving needs of our clients."

The expansion follows the firm growing its European team in the autumn with the recruitment of a real estate team from Ashurst in Frankfurt, including partner Nicholas Deuerling.

Dr. Daniel Perlzweig, Member of the International Board of Gowling WLG and Director of International Development, commented: "We continue to develop our team in Paris across sectors and practice areas as part of our European and international strategic growth initiative. We're excited for Erwan to join us, so closely after welcoming Nicolas Deuerling in January in Frankfurt. We are on time and on target with our international growth ambitions delivering our vision of a leading sector-focused international law firm and building market leading and high-end services across jurisdictions, sectors and practice areas securing long-term success of our growing client base."

Gowling WLG is an international sector focused law firm with more than 1,500 legal professionals worldwide in cities across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.