Latham & Watkins has hired a four-lawyer Clifford Chance PE team with energy and infrastructure expertise to enhance its Paris office, led by private equity and M&A partner Benjamin de Blegiers. De Blegiers is the former global co-head of Clifford Chance’s infrastructure sector. The other team members include finance partner Daniel Zerbib and public law and regulatory partner Gauthier Martin, who are also joining Latham as partners. Alexandre Namoun, a Clifford Chance counsel whose practice focuses on private equity and M&A, is the fourth member of the team and his position has yet to be determined. “Our Paris office lacked energy and infrastructure expertise, and that’s what this team now gives us,” a person close to the hires said. De Blegiers, who leaves Clifford Chance after four and a half years, spent close to three years at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, after an earlier 15-year stint at Clifford Chance Paris, including as partner, according to his LinkedIn profile. Martin spent 19 years at Clifford Chance, including nearly seven as a partner. Clifford Chance confirmed that de Blegiers, Zerbib and Martin are leaving but did not mention Namoun and did not immediately have any further comment. Latham said Blegiers advises corporates, private equity funds, pension funds, asset managers and other private capital investors, while Zerbib specializes in banking and finance transactions with a focus on infrastructure finance. Martin counsels clients on complex public contracts, regulated sectors and related strategic disputes. Latham’s approximately $7 billion in 2024 global revenues put it at No. 2 on the Global 200. Clifford Chance ranked No. 12, with just over $3 billion in gross revenues.