Orrick Adds Energy & Infrastructure Duo in Paris

Version Française : Le bureau parisien d’Orrick se renforce en énergie et infrastructure

• Christophe Lefort and Paul Loisel are joining Orrick as partners in the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure group in Paris. Paul joined on June 12^th while Christophe will join on July 3^rd. The Paris team will now comprise 5 partners, including Yves Lepage, Foucaud Jaulin and Geoffroy Berthon, the latter heading the Public Law practice.
• The duo will focus on advising investors, developers, sponsors and financiers on complex energy and infrastructure projects and transactions, especially in France, Europe and Francophone Africa.
• Well-recognized in the market, Christophe will lead Orrick’s Paris E&I and Africa practices. He joins from Herbert Smith Freehills, where he formerly led the Paris E&I team, after serving 11 years as General Counsel of French construction giant Bouygues Travaux Publics.
• Paul is a rising star who rejoins Orrick from White & Case. He began his career practicing with Christophe at Herbert Smith Freehills. He has gained experience over the past few years working on high profile project finance matters, six of which were awarded “Deal of the Year” (IJ Global/PFI Awards).
• Orrick ranked No. 3 globally for both renewables and infrastructure in 2022 (Inspiratia) and was a Project Finance Practice Group of the Year (Law360).

"Having collaborated in the market with Christophe for more than two decades, I am delighted to hand over leadership to him as I turn my focus to clients and mentoring our team,” said Yves Lepage. “The combination of Christophe, who brings invaluable leadership and market experience, and a rising star like Paul, will help ensure that Orrick’s Paris practice is a vibrant part of our global Energy & Infrastructure offering for many years to come.”

“These hires continue to advance our strategy around offering holistic solutions to companies and investors in Energy & Infrastructure and Tech and at the intersections between these two sectors. We are delighted to add these top quality practitioners to our platform as we help our clients seize opportunities presented by energy transition, energytech and infrastructure modernization,” said Patrick Tardivy, Paris-based M&A and Private Equity Partner and Co-Head of Orrick Europe.

Christophe has 30 years of experience advising on the construction and financing of large-scale energy and other infrastructure projects in France, Europe and Africa. His experience spans the entire project lifecycle and includes negotiations between public authorities, builders, operators and financial institutions. He is ranked as a leading lawyer for Projects & Energy: International by Chambers Global for 2023 as well as in Jeune Afrique's Top 100 Legal Powerlist of the most influential lawyers in French-speaking Africa for 2021.

Named a “Rising Star” by IFLR 1000 in Project Development and Project Finance in 2021, Paul advises sponsors and financiers on large greenfield and brownfield project financings in EMEA, both cross-border and domestic, primarily in France and Africa.

He also brings expertise in structuring and financing public-private, transport, telecom, energy transition, IPP and real estate projects, as well as experience in infrastructure M&A/private equity and restructuring transactions that involve strategic assets. He has extensive experience on all types of financings (senior, junior, mezzanine, loans, bonds) and related derivative instruments. He was a senior associate in Orrick’s Paris office from 2017 to 2020.

With these additions, Orrick will have added 12 lateral partners to its global Energy & Infrastructure platform over the past 18 months.