Benoit Le Bars a partner at Hammonds Hausmann in Paris, has become the first senior lawyer to usher in 2010 with a new boutique.

Le Bars Associes specialises in domestic and international arbitration and has allied itself with US practice Girard & Gibbs. Mr. Le Bars stated ‘This partnership agreement with Girard Gibbs LLP allows us to handle a myriad of issues that arise in international business specifically those involving questions of common law or requiring intervention from the United States’.

Prior to working at Hammonds Le Bars practised at Landwell & Associes and Skadden Arps Meagher & Flom. The move is the first new independent firm for the French market going into 2010. Last year the Paris saw a number of spin-offs from firms such as Salans, Proskauer Rose, Stasi & Associes, Jeantet Associes and Bignon Lebray.