The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s key practitioners include Francisco Cestero, Roberto Bonsignore and Pietro Fioruzzi. The practice was counsel to RBS in connection with the refinancing of a senior and subordinated facility and advised Bank of America in a security package relating to facilities granted to a multinational therapeutical applications group. The team also acted for an Italian company operating in the aerospace, defence and security sector in connection with the financing of its Russian joint venture.

Within Capital markets: Equity, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a first tier firm,

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP ‘is extremely good both at understanding what you need and at getting it for you’. The team stands out for its large team of bilingual US and Italian lawyers resident in Italy, and recently acted as Italian and international counsel to Jefferies International and Banca IMI in a rights offering by MolMed. It also represented Yoox in its IPO. Giuseppe Scassellati-Sforzolini, Francisco Cestero and Pietro Fioruzzi are recommended. Michael Volkovitsch moved to the New York office.

Within Corporate and M&A Milan and Rome, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a second tier firm,

‘Particularly attractive for large, complex transactions involving multiple jurisdictions’, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was counsel to A2A in the sale of electricity transmission assets to the Terna group, and acted for Malacalza Investimenti in its industrial partnership with Gruppo Partecipazioni Industriali and its controlling shareholder Marco Tronchetti Provera. The practice also advised Weather Investments (controlled by Sawiris) in connection with the $21bn Sawiris/VimpelCom merger. Roberto Casati remains ‘a great rainmaker’. Giuseppe Scassellati-Sforzolini is also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a third tier firm,

A ‘class act’, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was counsel to the Republic of Argentina in a claim brought at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes under the Argentina-Italy bilateral investment treaty. ‘Technically strong’ Ferdinando Emanuele is recommended.

Within EU, regulatory and competition law, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a first tier firm,

For many clients, the ‘absolutely outstanding’ Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP ‘is without competitors either on the Italian or European markets’. The practice was counsel to Telecom Italia in the recent investigation into Telecom Italia’s alleged refusal to supply competitors with services allegedly needed to participate in competition procedures. Eni was assisted with the Commission’s investigation into an alleged abuse of dominant position. Mario Siragusa is ‘a truly brilliant practitioner’. Marco D’Ostuni is also recommended.

Within Energy, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a third tier firm,

‘Knowing how to play to an international environment,’ Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP has been involved in large energy transactions and frequently assists energy companies in regulatory law, as well as antitrust and administrative proceedings.

Within Restructuring and insolvency, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a third tier firm,

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP provides ‘deep local understanding but tailored to an international financially minded audience’. The practice advised RBS in connection with the restructuring of senior and subordinated acquisition facilities of approximately €100m granted to a holding company. Giuseppe Scassellati-Sforzolini is a key contact and Roberto Bonsignore is ‘an excellent, well rounded professional’. Pietro Fioruzzi and Francisco Cestero are also recommended.

Within TMT, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a third tier firm,

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is rated for its ‘deep knowledge of the telecommunications business’. The practice is focused on antitrust and transactional work in the TMT sector. Telecom Italia was assisted in an abuse of dominant position proceeding. SKY Italia is a client.

Within Tax, tier 4

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was Italian tax counsel to Accor and Edenred in the spin-off of Accor’s Services business and provided Italian tax advice in connection with BNP Paribas’ €4.3bn rights offering. Rome-based Vania Petrella is ‘technically and commercially good’.