Houston-headquartered Bracewell has announced plans to launch in France with the arrival of an 11-lawyer energy and infrastructure team from Norton Rose Fulbright.

The new office will be located in Paris La Defense and will focus on project development, M&A and finance transactions for the energy and infrastructure sectors. The incoming team will be led by partners Anne Lapierre, Arnaud Belisaire and Simon Cudennec, alongside a group of eight associates and counsel. Lapierre has been named managing partner of the Paris office, its 10th office worldwide.

The team has an emphasis on renewable and conventional power, energy transition, oil and gas, and infrastructure deals and projects in France and Francophone Africa.

Gregory Bopp, Bracewell managing partner, said: “The addition of this energy and infrastructure team, one of the largest and most highly regarded in Paris, builds on the strengths of our global energy platform and broadens our capabilities in France, Africa and the broader EMEA region.”

Lapierre arrives after almost 25 years at Norton Rose Fulbright where she worked across its Paris and Casablanca offices, most recently as global head of energy. Her practice focuses on project development, M&A, construction and energy asset financing.

Belisaire had also spent more than two decades at Norton Rose Fulbright, where he has been a partner for more than 13 years. He was previously co-head of the firm’s energy practice in Paris, with experience advising project developers, utility companies and investment funds on energy and infrastructure projects, notably wind power, solar and biomass.

Cudennec, meantime, specialises in energy, infrastructure and natural resources deals, particularly with oil and gas companies, upstream service providers and sponsors working on hydropower, fuel, LNG, solar and wind projects.

Lapierre said: “Bracewell’s focus on sector excellence has made it one of the leading energy law firms in the world. Arnaud, Simon and I are thrilled to join a dedicated global team that has broad capabilities and a sterling reputation across the entire energy spectrum.”

The rest of the team includes Veronique Bruel, Marie Zelazko, Adnen Ben Naser, Sandra Hahn Duraffourg, Pierrick Ferrero, Diane Dusserre, Noemie Portut-Castel and Carl Kalaani.

Other US firms expanding their Paris footprints recently include Paul Hastings, which last month absorbed a 12-lawyer litigation team from local firm Antonin Lévy & Associés. And in April, McDermott Will & Emery hired two senior Paris-based tax specialists from Shearman & Sterling.