The Legal 500

The following firms, not necessarily situated in Milan or Rome, are recommended either as specialist boutiques or smaller, full-service commercial practices.

Four-partner firm Astolfo Di Amato & Associati has offices in Rome, Milan and Naples. The practice has expertise in defending business and tax crimes, having represented high-level corporate executives and government officials and advised in relation to around 3000 claims brought against a company in Turin for asbestos-related deaths and illnesses. Agency, franchising and product liability are also strong suits. Professor Astolfo Di Amato is a corporate law specialist and professor at the University of Naples.

CBM & Partners is a full-service law firm in Milan advising on M&A, project financings and private equity. Tax head Alessandro Mainardi left for Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Michele Bignami remains a recommended practitioner.

The law firm Carnelutti (not to be confused with Carnelutti Studio Legale Associato) has offices in Rome, Milan, Naples and Paris. Clients include major US and European corporations in the banking, energy, construction and transport sectors. The key lawyers are antitrust partner Alessandro Carnelutti, construction law and arbitration expert Franco L Incutti and M&A specialist Giuseppe Barreca. The ‘effective and continuingly consistent approach certainly matches our needs’, say clients.

At three-partner Rome firm Coccia DeAngelis & Associati Studio Legale E Tributario, Massimo Coccia (who in 2006/2007 was Vice Commissioner of the Italian Football Association) is strongly recommended for his sports law expertise, with the practice advising the Anti-Doping Office of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on matters relating to anti-doping and privacy issues. Riccardo La Cognata looks after the energy side, assisting several Italian trade associations on cases before regional administrative bodies. The firm advised the consortium Gas Intensive against ENI on competition issues and represented ExxonMobil in Italian energy operations and transactions.

Mid-size law firm Studio Legale de Meo & Associati has offices in Rome, Milan and Naples. Michele de Meo is recommended for shipping law and high-profile litigation.

Studio Legale Associato – in alliance with Deloitte has offices in Milan, Rome and Padua. The firm’s recent experience takes in corporate governance matters, life sciences-related M&A and labour law. Antonella Alfonsi is recommended. The practice ‘impresses with speedy responses, competence, and the ability to understand client needs’.

At full-service Milan firm Jenny & Partners, the multi-lingual partners advise on corporate/M&A matters, real estate law, banking and finance, litigation and tax law.

Eleven-partner firm Nunziante Magrone has offices in Rome, Milan and Bologna. The firm offers legal advice in corporate and M&A work, finance, litigation, regulatory matters and tax. Gianmatteo Nunziante is the key contact for corporate and finance matters. Highlights of the year included advising Fonadiaria’s shareholders on a takeover bid, assisting Dravo with administration matters concerning a public tender bid and representing lender Unicredit on a real estate financing.

Internationally focused Studio Legale Padovan has offices in Milan, Treviso and Rome and is recommended for its international finance and construction law expertise. The firm enjoys a close relationship with New Delhi firm Bhasin & Co and has an Italian desk in Istanbul. The team assisted a major Italian contractor in connection with a hydroelectric project in Central Africa and advised an Italian borrower bank on a €275m syndicated loan. Name partner Marco Padovan, with ‘top-quality work delivered on time, availability, and the dedicated enthusiastic multilingual team he coordinates’, are appreciated.

Multi-disciplinary practice TLS – Associazione Professionale di Avvocati e Commercialisti was formed in 2006 by PricewaterhouseCoopers with professionals from the pre-merged Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati. The firm is Milan-based, but with offices all over Italy and boasts a combined workforce of 265 professionals.

Traverso & Associati Studio Legale e Tributario is a full-service firm in Milan recommended for litigation, IP matters, banking and finance, M&A and tax law. Maurizio Traverso and Gian Paolo Coppola are key practitioners.

Three-partner Rome firm Barenghi & Paton is a ‘responsibly assertive’ practice advising on corporate and litigious matters, often within the energy, IT and pharma sectors. It assisted the Australian multinational ERG Group with the Italian aspects of its global restructuring and has advised Adriatic LNG (a joint venture comprising Exxon Mobil, Qatar Petroleum and Edison) on regulatory and contractual issues. Guiseppe Manzo recently joined the partnership, and the ‘capable, patient and multilingual’ Andrea Barenghi is recommended.

Bianchi Rubino-Sammartano e Associati is a full service firm with offices in Milan, Rome and Turin. Mauro Rubino-Sammartano is known for arbitration and the practice is a member of Lawfed, a network of independent law and accountancy firms.

Calmetta Avvocati Attorneys LLP is a niche Milan firm offering advice in M&A work, real estate law, shipping issues and energy matters.

Established in 1986, Studi Legali Cannata, Pierallini, Cambareri e Associati is a full-service firm based in Rome with an additional office in Milan. It is especially known for its aviation practice, involving the buying, selling, leasing and financing of aircraft, and also covering the regulatory side.

Rome-based firm Studio Legale Coggiatti was established in 1996. The firm advises on company and commercial matters, telecommunications, labour, banking and sports law. Claudio Coggiatti is the principal contact.

Studio Corno – Avvocati is based in Lissone, 15 kms from Milan. The firm advises, inter alia, on M&A, commercial agreements, e-commerce law and disputes, as well as corporate insolvency. The firm is associated with Studio Corno-Aziendalisti e Commercialisti Internazionali, a group of business consultants and accountants offering varying services to clients.

Dore & Associati is a six-partner Sardinian firm that acts on corporate disputes, banking transactions, IP law, tax, energy and competition matters. Clients include Sardinian Banca CIS, mining company Carbosulcis Saras and wine producers’ cooperative, Cantina Sociale Dolianova.

Four-partner Bari firm Loconte & Partners also has offices in Milan and Rome. The firm is ‘competent, precise and timely’ and acts on complex corporate reorganisations, insolvency proceedings and the establishment of trusts. Name partner Stefano Loconte is recommended.

Mazzoni E Associati – Verusio E Cosmelli Studi Legali Associati has offices in Milan and Rome. It is principally devoted to Italian and crossborder corporate matters, focusing especially on banking, financial, insurance and pharmaceutical law as well as EU law and labour law. The firm also has an extensive litigation practice.

Milan firm Studio Legale Montanari Brescia e Associati specialises on corporate law, commercial litigation, insolvency and competition issues.

Fourteen-strong full-service law practice Studio Legale Olivieri Ciapetti & Partners runs head offices in Florence and Modena, and operates branches in Reggio Emilia and Prato. Modena-based name partner Emilio E D Ciapetti and Francesco P Olivieri in Florence are principal contacts.

Studio Legale Rubini advises an impressive list of media companies and advertising agencies in disputes, competition matters, IP rights, insolvency and white-collar crime.

Studio Legale Sardo is a Milan-based commercial practice enjoying continued alliances with Studio Legale Coggiatti in Rome and Florentine law firm Studio Legale Mastellone.

Tosi & Partners is a Milan law firm whose core businesses are hi-tech legal consulting, IP matters, data protection and IT law.

The two-partner Rome office of Studio Legale Associato a Watson, Farley & Williams has a good name in shipping finance. Eugenio Tranchino is recommended for corporate and power projects work and Elvezio Santarelli for energy transactions. The firm advised Intesa Sanpaolo on an $80m financing to shipowner Pietro Barbaro.

Zambelli Luzzati Meregalli e Associati is a full-service practice that enjoys an alliance with EMTN programme specialists Studio Legale Beltramo in Rome.

Biolato Longo Ridola & Mori is a five-partner law firm in Rome that was founded in 1985. It advises, inter alia, on M&A and banking matters, shipping, pharmaceutical and food law.

Established in 2005, Corrado, Ferrari, Mainieri, Pedeferri & soci is a full-service ten-strong firm and member of International Lawyers Network.

JMU – Law Firm is a Florence-based law firm that acts on real estate transactions, construction and energy law and arbitrations. Giammarco Muzj, Jacopo Monaci Naldini and Roberto Viscomi are key contacts.

Studio Legale Mastellone is an internationally oriented law practice. This Florentine firm remains allied to Studio Legale Coggiatti and Studio Legale Sardo in Milan through Leg-All-Studi Legali Alleati. Carlo H Mastellone is a key contact.

Matera Bonaccorsi & Partner – Avvocati is a full-service Milan practice that was founded in 1988 and acts on international acquisitions, insolvencies and disputes. Susanne Hein and Francesco Bonaccorsi are key contacts.

Pinci & Associates, PLLC is a full-service law firm that also runs offices from Genoa and Bologna.