Proskauer Rose's Paris office has brought in an eight-lawyer funds formation and secondaries team from Simmons & Simmons, led by partners Agnès Rossi and Marcela Moraru.

Rossi and Moraru have worked together for two decades advising international clients on complex and large fundraisings and fund transactions, including related regulatory matters, with a focus on private investment funds in France, the U.K. and Luxembourg, Proskauer said in a statement.

"France is an important destination for fund managers and has a predominant private equity market in continental Europe, said Paris managing partner Xavier Norlain. "As we grow with the market, Agnès’ and Marcela’s expertise will be highly beneficial to our firm and clients.”

The team, which includes six associates, advises on structuring and establishment of mid-market and large private equity funds, infrastructure funds, private credit funds, real estate funds, carried interest/co-investment arrangements and secondary transactions, including general-partner-led transactions, Proskauer said.

Their arrival “strengthens our private capital offering in Europe alongside our M&A, private credit and funds finance teams,” said Nigel van Zyl, co-head of the firm’s private funds group.

Rossi and Moraru previously worked together at SJ Berwin, which later merged with King & Wood Mallesons and at AXA Investment Managers Real Assets, where Rossi was seconded and Moraru was an attorney, according to the duo's LinkedIn profiles.

Moraru also interned at Proskauer.

Proskauer also has been bulking up in London. In July, it hired A&O Shearman's private capital co-head Philip Bowden and leveraged finance partner Megan Lawrence. It also brought on capital markets partner Jake Keaveny and leveraged finance partner Warren Newton from Cahill Gordon & Reindel in London.

In an emailed statement, Simmons & Simmons thanked Rossi and Moraru for their contribution to the firm and wished them well for the future.

Simmons also said it remains committed to its investment funds practice in Paris, which is its second-biggest office with more than 150 people. Simmons said it plans to significantly expand the funds team, which still has three members.