The Legal 500

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s ‘service is outstanding’. The team was counsel to Eni in a successful appeal before the Council of State in an alleged exclusionary abuse of dominance in the management of a gas pipeline connecting Tunisia to Italy; the appeal resulted in a 93% reduction of what was originally the largest antitrust fine ever issued in Italy. Mario Siragusa and Marco D’Ostuni head the team, with Siragusa regarded as ‘influential, composed and perfectly prepared’. Giuseppe Scassellati-Sforzolini, and counsels Matteo Beretta, Pietro Merlino and the ‘punctual and precise’ Cesare Rizza are also recommended.

Bonelli Erede Pappalardo recently advised on restraint of competition and abuse of dominant position allegations, assisted with EC merger control notifications, and advised in state aid regulation cases. Practice head Claudio Tesauro and Brussels-based Massimo Merola are recommended.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s ‘lawyers are reliable and client-oriented’. The team successfully advised Ardagh Group on the complex antitrust aspects of its acquisition of the Fi.Par Group, and acted for an international bank in a cartel investigation commenced by the Italian Antitrust Authority (IAA). Department head Tommaso Salonico picks up an impressive volume of energy-related work, and Gian Luca Zampa focuses on complex merger control and cartel investigations. Fabrizio Arossa is ‘a very good communicator’.

Gianni, Origoni, Grippo, Cappelli & Partners’ practice spans the firm’s Milan, Rome and Brussels offices. Highlights included assisting Edenred Italia with a merger filing in the meal tickets sector, and advising Agility Logistics on an IAA investigation into an alleged Article 81 violation (now Article 101 TFEU) in the freight forwarding market. Senior partner Alberto Pera ‘always informs the client before taking an official position’, and operations head Piero Fattori is ‘service-oriented’.

Allen & Overy – Studio Legale Associato’s Rome-based team leader Silvia D’Alberti is ‘a s easoned lawyer in antitrust matters, and well connected with the relevant stakeholders in her field’. The team represented Borealis Italia before the Court of Appeal of Milan in a case brought by a distributor for alleged abuse of economic dependency and unfair competition.

Clifford Chance assisted Buzzi Unicem in competition proceedings brought by the EC against several cement manufacturers for suspected illegal restrictive business practices. Cristoforo Osti heads the group.

Chiomenti Studio Legale acted for Istituto Centrale delle Banche Popolari Italiane in proceedings against the IAA’s decision concerning certain anticompetitive agreements, and represented LAN Airlines on the IAA notification of its acquisition of control over TAM. Stefania Bariatti is the key contact.

EJC- Roberti & Associati’s Gian Michele Roberti is a widely respected competition law specialist. Roberti has acted in cartel and abuse of dominance cases.

Legance Studio Legale Associato has ‘a good feel for how competition law is applied in Italy’. The practice advised Italgas in an abuse of dominance case, and assisted Visa in IAA proceedings against Mastercard and the major Italian banks for an alleged infringement of Article 101 of the TFUE with regard to domestic interchange fees. In Rome, team head Denis Fosselard ‘provides commercially focused and pragmatic advice’. Gilberto Nava is also praised, and senior counsel Vito Auricchio is ‘a capable, responsive lawyer’.

McDermott Will & Emery Studio Legale Associato achieved a positive result for Opodo Italia in a proceeding before the IAA for alleged breach of Italian unfair commercial practice rules. Veronica Pinotti ‘works with precision, and provides smart and punctual legal opinions’.

NCTM Studio Legale Associato provides ‘excellent expertise’. It advised De Agostini Group on merger filings for two highly complex transactions, and represented L’Oréal in an appeal concerning exchange of information in the cosmetics sector, which was only the second case decided in Italy as a result of the leniency application. Luca Toffoletti and of counsel Francesco Denozza are recommended. Domenico Gullo joined Ashurst LLP’s new Rome office.

Pavia e Ansaldo’s practice head Stefano Grassani, who has ‘great international experience’, represented Manetti & Roberts in IAA proceedings concerning an alleged cartel among a group of cosmetics manufacturers.

Pedersoli e Associati has ‘a lateral-thinking approach’. The team advises major Italian banks and international financial institutions on cartel, merger control and consumer protection issues. It successfully represented Intesa Sanpaolo in an IAA proceeding for failure to comply with certain conditions attached to the 2006 decision authorising the Banca Intesa and San Paolo IMI merger. Practice head Davide Cacchioli ‘demonstrates good knowledge of antitrust matters’. Lisa Noja was made junior partner.

Studio Legale Associato in affiliation with Simmons & Simmons LLP assisted Refresco in relation to the notification to the IAA of a concentration by way of the acquisition of beverages manufacturer Spumador. Rome-based team head Filippo Fioretti and senior associate Flora Santaniello are the principal contacts.

Studio Professionale Associato a Baker & McKenzie represented Trade Stomil in a headline private antitrust enforcement action before the Milan Courts, based on an EC decision that ascertained the existence of a cartel. Andrea Cicala is recommended.

DLA Piper’s recent instructions include cartel, abuse of dominant position and unfair commercial practices cases before the IAA, in addition to private enforcement cases before the civil courts. The practice assisted FIEG (Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers) in a claim against Google for abuse of dominant position in the search engine and online advertising markets. Francesca Sutti is ‘quick to act and follows up diligently’. Alessandro Boso Caretta is also a key adviser.

In addition to its Milan and Rome offices, De Berti Jacchia Franchini Forlani has a fully operational Brussels office. The firm also recently expanded the antitrust practice to its Moscow branch. Recent matters include advising a leading European gaming and betting operator on a referral to the ECJ on issues of freedom of establishment and abuse of dominance. Roberto Jacchia heads the group.

Dewey & LeBoeuf Studio Legale defended Bain Capital during proceedings brought by CRIF, challenging the antitrust authorisation of a merger transaction. The practice also advised Finmeccanica on the preparation and submission of a merger filing before the EC. Rome-based Rino Caiazzo ‘understands clients’ needs’.

‘Top-quality firm’ Hogan Lovells Studio Legale specialises in competition law within the IT, pharmaceuticals, energy and transport sectors, as well as in the distribution of goods and vertical issues. Highlights included acting on the notification of the acquisition of 95% of Banca Caripe’s share capital. Gianluca Belotti heads the team.

Latham & Watkins LLP secured unconditional clearance for fertiliser company Agrium’s acquisition of Cerealtoscana. The team also advises on cartel investigations, abuse of dominance matters, state aids, sector inquiries, and damages actions. Milan and Brussels partner Matteo Bay is the key contact.

Libertini Mario Studio Legale’s Mario Libertini is a widely respected EU and competition law expert, especially within the telecoms sector.

Macchi di Cellere Gangemi’s ‘well organised and competent’ team represented Alliance Medical in proceedings before the IAA and administrative courts concerning an alleged restrictive practice in the medical systems and services sector. It advises McDonald’s Italia on antitrust issues on an ongoing basis. The team also acts on merger clearances and state aids. Salvatore Lamarca ‘provides optimal solutions’.