New York, NY, March 5, 2008 -Baker & McKenzie LLP has further strengthened its Corporate &Securities practice in New York with the addition of Valérie Demont asPartner.  She joined the Firm from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &Garrison LLP.

Ms. Demont focuses primarily on corporate finance and securitiestransactions. She represents U.S. and non-U.S. issuers and underwritersin a wide range of primary/secondary capital markets transactionsinvolving equity, debt, convertible and hybrid securities. She hassignificant experience in initial public offerings and privateplacements, including Rule 144A offerings. Ms. Demont also handlescomplex securities and financing transactions, including debtrestructurings, exchange offers, debt tender offers and consentsolicitations. In addition, she regularly advises public companies ontheir reporting obligations under the securities laws, as well ascorporate governance and other compliance obligations under theSarbanes-Oxley Act and stock exchange regulations.

Ms. Demont chairs the subcommittee on Best Practices for WomenAttorneys of the Committee on Women in the Profession of the New YorkCity Bar.

Ms. Demont received her LL.M., from Columbia Law School in 1995where she was a Harlan-Fiske Stone scholar and her LL.M. fromUniversité de Paris II – Panthéon Assas in 1994.  She received herLL.B. from the University of Rennes Law School in 1991.

“We are very pleased to welcome Valérie aboard for the benefit ofboth our domestic and global clientele,” said Charles F. Niemeth,Managing Partner of the New York office. “Her experience in advisingboth domestic and international companies on capital markets andcross-border transactions will add considerable depth to our existingpractice in New York.”