BonelliErede delivers a comprehensive private equity offering, operating at the forefront of high-end fund formation, regulatory advice, acquisition, leveraged finance transaction reorganisation, exit, due diligence and cross-border incentive scheme matters. Eliana Catalano, who is highly revered for both domestic and multi-jurisdictional deals, leads the practice which acts for traditional, infrastructure, special situation, investment and mezzanine funds in addition to portfolio companies and investment banks; she is supported by Giulia Bianchi Frangipane, a retail, energy, insurance, transport and financial services sector specialist, as well as Umberto Nicodano, who has strong ties to the US market and is especially accomplished in the fashion, luxury, automotive and manufacturing industries. Augusto Praloran is a key port of call for private equity players involved in the food and catering, equipment and industrial machinery fields. At associate level, Francesca Ricceri provides valuable input on cross-border deals, leveraging her prior experience of practising in London. The firm has a presence in Brussels, Cairo, London, Dubai and Addis Abada, in addition to Milan and Rome.

Chiomenti's team excels in all-manner of relevant matters, from LBOs, MBOs, leveraged finance and regulatory matters through to antitrust, FDI, exits and fund formation. Practice head Franco Agopyan  and Carlo Croff have overseen countless blockbuster deals throughout their careers, and Massimiliano Nitti, who previously practised in New York and Paris, is a standout name for public and private M&A, joint ventures and strategic investments. Edoardo Canetta Rossi Palermo is a media, technology, construction and fashion sector expert and Luigi Vaccaro  is especially well-versed in the banking and insurance fields. Antonio Sascaro is among the other star partners, leveraging a keen eye for TMT, sports, entertainment, real estate and digital economy-related deals. Beyond partner level, managing counsel Giovanni Colantuono has played a pivotal role in several of the group’s recent headline deals. In February 2023, the highly regarded Elena Busson joined from BonelliErede.

Gattai, Minoli, Partners is geared to handle the corporate, finance and tax components of private equity deals, acting on everything from venture capital transactions through to mid-size and big-ticket mandates. The practice is home to Bruno Gattai, who is considered an authority in the space, and Stefano Catenacci, who hones his focus on small- and mid-cap transactions, domestic and cross-border alike; the duo co-lead the team alongside Gerardo Gabrielli, who is a key port of call for several major international private equity firms. Federico Bal is forging a leading reputation among funds, family-owned businesses and portfolio companies.

Gianni & Origoni leverages a broad national network, complemented by sites in New York, Brussels, Abu Dhabi, London, Shanghai and Hong Kong, to support on domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions alike. The team is particularly accomplished in complex exit or governance affairs and has expertise in the retail, fashion and luxury, insurance, health, fintech, pharma and infrastructure fields. Founding partner Francesco Gianni is dual-qualified as a member of the New York Bar and is regarded for his public M&A and public-to-private M&A prowess; he co-leads the team alongside Raimondo Premonte, Stefano Bucci, who is often instructed by funds and companies targeting insurance and banking entities, and Gianluca Ghersini whose workload frequently includes deals with a cross-border component. They are supported by Gabriele Ramponi, a food and beverage and energy-infrastructure specialist, and Aldo Turella, an associate who is developing a reputation for acquisitions, minority and majority investments, buy-outs and restructurings.

Global firm Latham & Watkins LLP is active in a wealth of international and domestic transactions, acting for global private equity houses, Italian corporates and multinational companies. Stefano Sciolla, managing partner of the Milan office, is widely considered as one of the pioneering lawyers of Italy’s private equity market; he jointly fronts the practice with Giorgia Lugli, who supports at every stage of the investment lifecycle and has strength closing deals in highly regulated industries. Cataldo Piccarreta is especially well-regarded among UK private equity firms, having previously practised in London, and Giovanni Sandicchi provides the group with both transactional and regulatory/contract law capabilities. The other key partner is Giancarlo D’Ambrosio, who is noted for his in-depth knowledge of the sports, entertainment, media and fashion sectors.

Clifford Chance's team operates throughout the entire investment lifecycle, acting for private equity houses, asset managers and direct lenders in addition to specialised debt, hedge, real estate, pension and sovereign wealth funds. Practice head Claudio Cerabolini leverages over 20 years’ experience in overseeing buy-out, public-to-private, growth capital, merger and joint venture transactions. Filippo Isacco is also a key name on the transactional front and is distinctly dual-qualified as both a lawyer and chartered accountant.

Active in both the large- and middle-market, Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici handles a number of LBO, MBO and buy-in deals, among other transactions, directing particular emphasis towards the healthcare, technology, financial, business services, manufacturing and consumer fields. Gianni Martoglia, who leads the practice, serves a broad range of players including corporates, financial institutions and funds, operating alongside Carlo Pavesi, who is an M&A, demerger and debt restructuring expert. Gianpaolo Scandone has knowledge of investments within the real estate sector.

Legance - Avvocati Associati fields a team of lawyers well-equipped to support private equity and sovereign wealth funds, corporations and financial conglomerates involved in a wealth of big-ticket transactions. The practice, which is also noted for its fund formation work, is distinctly well-versed in the sports and digital payments sectors, among others, and is home to Filippo Troisi, one of the market’s leading names for M&A, divestitures, equity offerings and joint ventures. Alberto Giampieri is likewise reputed as a stellar dealmaker, acting on all-manner of deals, including spin-offs, for multinationals, investment banks and global financial institutions.

Pedersoli Studio Legale excels in all facets of the private equity area including big-ticket and multi-jurisdictional deals, fund work, financial services regulation, acquisition finance and tax structuring. Alessandro Marena leads the practice and, in addition to his prolific oversight of M&A deals, is also noted for his prowess in the establishment of investment funds and companies; he is supported by Ascanio Cibrario, who acts across M&A, financing and minority investment deals and has strength handling transactions related to aviation and aerospace, and Carlo Re, who hones his attention on the automotive, publishing and financial services industries. Andrea Faoro and Luca Saraceni are other key names.

Leveraging its far-reaching international network, White & Case (Europe) LLP supports private equity funds and financial sponsors on a wealth of deals, including inbound investments, and is also adept in add-on acquisition and growth strategy support. The practice is distinctly geared to provide on-site Italian, English and New York law capabilities and is home to Leonardo Graffi, a lawyer especially well-regarded for his public, private and cross-border M&A capabilities. A further name of prominence is Alessandro Seganfreddo, who has expertise handling deals in the financial services, retail, consumer products, transport, TMT and pharmaceutical sectors.

ADVANT Nctm handles M&A, corporate finance, divestment, investments and financing operations, in addition to the establishment of investment funds. Matteo Trapani oversees the practice which is especially active in the ICT, telecoms, pharmaceutical, healthcare, manufacturing and energy sectors. Paolo Montironi is sought out for LBOs, and Pietro Zanoni is a key port of call for deals in the food, fashion and healthcare industries. Lucia Corradi made partner in May 2022 and counts a number of domestic and foreign investment funds as clients. 

CMS is home to a global private equity practice, which includes a dedicated funds group, geared to support open, closed-end, institutional, retail and private funds, among others, on the full array of formation, restructuring, regulatory and operational affairs. The practice is likewise extremely active on the transactional front and is headed by Paolo Scarduelli, an M&A and corporate finance expert with a keen eye for deals within the insurance, banking, TMC and automotive industries.

Dentons is home to one of the globe’s largest corporate transaction teams, consisting of over 200 lawyers, and is adept in both fund- and seller-side representation. The team in Italy is led by Alessandro Dubini, a go-to for private equity funds, financial institutions and major industry groups involved in M&A, reorganisations and corporate finance transactions; he is supported by Pier Francesco Faggiano, a key port of call for several pan-European investment funds, and Luca Pocobelli, who has experience of deals in the healthcare and life sciences industries.

Giovannelli e Associati Studio Legale's Alessandro Giovannelli, who has previously practised in Hong Kong in London, has expertise in both inbound and outbound investments. He is supported by Fabrizio Scaparro, whose track record spans acquisitions, LBOs, joint ventures and minority investments, involving both public and private companies.

LCA Studio Legale acts for private equity and venture capital firms and funds alike, acting on buyout and investment, fundraising rounds and acceleration fund creation mandates, among other matters. Practice head Roberto de Bonis is noted for his support on private and public M&A, business transfer and restructuring transactions. Leah Dunlop joined from Hogan Lovells International LLP in September 2022.

Pavia e Ansaldo has recently supported private equity clients in deals in a range of sectors including luxury, food, industrial and agriculture. The practice acts for domestic and international players alike, leveraging overseas offices in Tokyo and Barcelona, and is led by managing partner Stefano Bianchi, a go-to for acquisitions, financing and restructuring.

Deloitte Legal Italy -Società tra Avvocati a r.l. leverages a far-reaching international network, which combines legal, tax, financial advisory and accounting services, to support on transactions throughout the food, automotive, real estate, fashion and luxury, renewables and healthcare industries. Practice head Giorgio Mariani has considerable experience of advising on major deals.

Gitti and Partners is a key port of call for Italian and international investors alike, acting for a client base of family offices, holding companies and private equity houses. Gregorio Gitti specialises in transactions in the utilities and financial services sectors, and is well-placed to advise on a wealth of deal types, including MBOs, LBOs and secondary buy-outs.

Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s team draws on the wider firm’s banking, employment, regulatory, corporate M&A and capital markets expertise to provide a comprehensive range of services to private equity funds, from formation through to exits. Luca Picone oversees domestic and cross-border transactions alike and is famed for his know-how of the energy, telecoms, luxury, medical device and food industries. The wider team, which works in close tandem with the firm’s 40+ global offices, is also adept in the media, retail, financial services, transport and distribution fields. Leah Dunlop departed in September 2022.

McDermott Will & Emery Studio Legale Associato manages a busy workload which includes acquisitions, disposals, investments, tax and fund formation affairs. The practice is adept in cross-border and domestic transactions alike, demonstrating particular activity in the wider European market, and counts the automotive, financial services, life sciences, healthcare, retail, TMT and real estate sectors among its core focuses. Emidio Cacciapuoti and Ettore Scandale are the practice heads.

Molinari Agostinelli supports private equity funds on the full array of transaction types and also assists with governance, reorganisation and international expansion plans. Ugo Molinari counts M&A, LBOs, real estate and debt restructuring transactions among his strengths; he heads the team with Margherita Santoiemma, who is an expert in joint ventures and acquisition finance, among other deals.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe adopts a specialist approach, predominantly focusing on deals involving the technology, life sciences, financial services sectors as well as those in highly regulated areas. The team is adept in everything from buyouts and M&A through to venture capital investments and is co-led by Guido Testa, who has a track record representing private equity and venture capital funds, merchant banks, family offices and corporates, and Attilio Mazzilli, who routinely supports venture capital firms and high growth technology companies on fundraising matters.