October 15, 2026
New York, NY (October 15, 2026) — Willkie today announced the addition of Charles del Valle as a partner in the Firm’s Paris office. Charles joins as a member of the firm’s Tax Department where he focuses on the tax structuring of private equity, leveraged buyout, M&A and restructuring transactions.
Lionel Spizzichino, Managing Partner of Willkie's Paris office, commented: “Charles is an outstanding tax lawyer whose sophisticated understanding of the private equity and M&A landscape makes him a tremendous addition to our Paris office, where he joins Philippe Grudé and his team. His significant experience guiding investment funds, financial sponsors and corporates through the tax dimensions of complex cross-border transactions will be invaluable to our clients and will strengthen our integrated offering across Europe.”
Charles represents investment funds and portfolio company management teams in both domestic and international matters, providing strategic tax advice across all aspects of their transactions. He has advised on a wide array of high-profile leveraged buyout and M&A transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and reorganizations for leading financial sponsors, involving both listed and non-listed companies. Charles also brings extensive experience in the tax structuring of infrastructure projects, particularly in the energy sector, advising infrastructure funds and institutional investors on the tax aspects of complex transactions. His tax practice also encompasses the formation and structuring of investment funds across multiple jurisdictions and the structuring of secondary transactions, including the sale of portfolio interests, GP-led secondary transactions and GP stake sales. He joins from A&O Shearman.
Willkie’s Tax team in Paris includes Special European Counsel Philippe Grudé, who also focuses on the tax aspects of LBOs and M&A transactions, as well as other reorganisations of businesses.
Charles commented: “Willkie’s tax practice and its broader transactional teams have built an impressive and rapidly expanding presence that is widely respected in the French, European, and global markets. I am excited to join the Firm’s collaborative environment and to work alongside such a talented group of lawyers to deliver comprehensive tax solutions for clients pursuing sophisticated private equity and M&A transactions.”
Charles is the second partner to join Willkie’s Paris office in the past month, following Pauline Portos’ appointment to the Project Finance & Investment Practice Group, where she focuses on energy and infrastructure transactions.
Willkie’s Tax Department works seamlessly with the Firm’s other premier practices, including the Corporate & Financial Services, Asset Management, Real Estate, and Restructuring groups, to provide comprehensive counsel that includes appropriate tax structure and risk allocation advice for clients’ business transactions, both domestic and international.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides leading-edge legal solutions on complex, business critical issues spanning markets and industries. Our approximately 1,300 attorneys across 16 offices worldwide deliver innovative, pragmatic and sophisticated legal services across approximately 45 practice areas. Learn more at www.willkie.com.
