Norton Rose Fulbright continues to expand Paris real estate practice with new partner

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has announced that Diane Le Chevallier has joined as a partner, based in its Paris office.

Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2013, Diane Le Chevallier joins the firm after nine years at De Pardieu Brocas Maffei, where she had been Counsel since 2021.

Diane has extensive experience in structured real estate financing. She advises real estate investors as well as institutional and alternative lenders, both French and international, on the structuring, negotiation, and restructuring of complex financing transactions. Diane has been involved in numerous landmark deals, advising both borrowers and lenders across all types of financings, including acquisition and development financings, refinancings, restructurings, and secured and unsecured financings. Her experience spans all asset classes, including office, retail, logistics, hospitality, senior and student housing.

Diane Le Chevallier's appointment bolsters the real estate finance practice which includes partner Kamel Ben Salah, Counsel Valentin Tschaen and senior associate Marie L'hélias.

Diane's arrival follows that of real estate partners David Lacaze and Isabelle Augais in 2025, and this year's promotion of three counsels as well as the arrival of two additional associates.

The firm's Paris real estate team is now amongst the largest and multi-disciplinary teams dedicated to the sector in the market. It further strengthens the team's ability to support clients on complex transactions, particularly pan-European ones.

Kamel Ben Salah, partner and head of the real estate finance practice at Norton Rose Fulbright Paris commented:

"Diane's arrival is fully aligned with the continued growth of our real estate finance practice in France and across Europe. Her recognized expertise further accentuates our existing strong team and enhances our ability to support our clients on increasingly complex transactions."

Diane Le Chevallier added:

"Joining the firm was a natural choice. I am particularly impressed by the quality of the teams, the firm's global platform, and the entrepreneurial spirit driving its development in Paris, especially within the real estate practice. I am delighted to contribute to this momentum by further developing the real estate finance practice and to offer my clients, together with an integrated multidisciplinary team, a comprehensive and tailored service covering all their real estate needs, in France and internationally."

George Paterson, the head of Norton Rose Fulbright's Paris office and global head of banking and finance, said:

"We are actively continuing to expand our offering with the recruitment of six partners since 2025. We are delighted to welcome Diane Le Chevallier to our real estate practice at a time of strong growth across our business."

Norton Rose Fulbright's real estate lawyers act for clients across the full range of real estate matters, including urban regeneration projects, direct and indirect investment transactions, real estate financing, equity investment structuring, portfolio deals, corporate occupier matters, dispute resolution and development projects.