Press Releases
Holman Fenwick Willan continues to invest in core capabilities with aviation partner hire
27 January 2012
Leading international law firm, Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) is delighted to announce the recruitment of Pierre Frühling, who joins the firm's Paris and Brussels offices as a Partner in the Aerospace team, effective 1 March 2012.
Pierre has 20 years' experience advising clients in both the Belgian and French markets on the full range of transport law, including air, road and rail.
Pierre handles a range of litigation as well as competition, State aid and regulatory matters in the aviation sector. He acts on high-profile litigation for airlines and their insurers, including air disasters, cargo claims and the like. His regulatory work includes concentrations and self-assessment, noise pollution bans and air traffic rights. Pierre is also involved in aircraft finance and acquisitions in both France and Belgium.
With 20 years at the Brussels Bar, Pierre is listed as a leading individual in key aviation sector directories, including the Legal 500, Who's Who Legal and Expert Guides – Aviation. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences, including the IATA Legal Symposium, is well-published and has co-authored the recent leading treatise on air law in French. He is fluent in French, Dutch and English.
This recruitment follows the firm's October 2011 hire of the market-leading former BLG Aerospace team and demonstrates the firm's commitment to invest in its aviation capabilities in continental Europe, and in particular in Paris as well as in Belgium. Pierre joins HFW's existing competition and regulatory practice led by Partners Konstantinos Adamantopoulos (Brussels) and Anthony Woolich (London), and also extends the reach of the global Aerospace team to France, where there is a strong aviation insurance market.
Giles Kavanagh, head of the firm's Aerospace team said: "I am delighted to welcome Pierre to the global Aerospace team. Pierre combines expertise in aviation liability as well as regulation and will enhance our offering to our insurance clients as well as airlines whose activities are subject to increasing scrutiny and intervention by Brussels. We now have a market-leading team in aviation regulation, competition and antitrust work."
Richard Crump, the firm's Senior Partner commented: "Pierre joins the firm at an exciting time, when we continue to invest in our core capabilities in support of our positioning as the leading law firm for international commerce. We are delighted to welcome a lawyer of his calibre to the firm – his reputation and experience will significantly strengthen the full service we already provide to our clients in the transport sector."
Pierre joins the firm from Field Fisher Waterhouse, where he was a Partner in their Brussels office.
For further information please contact Giles Kavanagh, Head of Aerospace, on +44 (0)20 7264 8778, or giles.kavanagh@hfw.com, or Tania Phayre, Marketing Communications Manager, on +44 (0)20 7264 8546 or tania.phayre@hfw.com
