Mr Colonna d'lstria, who spent 16 years at the Magic Circle firm and is a member of the Paris Bar, predominantly advises French and multinational groups as well as investment funds.

Departures for Freshfield

His departure comes in the wake of a four-partner team exit from Freshfields' Paris office to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe last month. Finance partners Emmanuel Ringeval and Herve Touraine, corporate partner Patrick Tardivy and Paris employment head Emmanuel Benard all left the firm.

For Norton Rose Fulbright, the acquisition of Mr Colonna d'lstria follows the April hire of corporate partner Christophe Asselineau in Paris from Shearman & Sterling, where he led the Africa Group.