Gianluca De Cristofaro > LCA Studio Legale > Genoa, Italy > Lawyer Profile
LCA Studio Legale Offices
GENOVA – Via XX
Settembre 31/6
Italy
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Gianluca De Cristofaro
Work Department
Intellectual Property, Data Protection and TMT
Position
Gianluca is a Partner and Head of LCA’s IP, Media, Tech & Data Department
Career
For over 20 years, Gianluca has been assisting Italian and foreign clients in defining the best strategies to enhance, protect and manage their intellectual property assets.
Gianluca’s practice focuses on IP litigation (trademarks, domain names, designs, patents and know-how, copyright and unfair competition) and misleading and comparative advertising. Gianluca is an expert of the Extrajudicial Dispute Resolution Service Expert of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration, authorized to conduct UDPR proceedings for the reassignment of domain names registered in the cc TLD “.it”, and an arbitrator of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration in disputes relating to intellectual property rights and software.
Gianluca also assists clients in drafting and negotiating licensing and IP asset transfer agreements, technology transfer agreements, software licensing, assignment and development agreements (including in the context of important ERP projects), as well as sponsorship, co-branding, merchandising, testimonial, talent, influencer and other endorsement agreements.
In addition, Gianluca has significant experience in consumer protection and is frequently involved in proceedings before the Italian Competition Authority regarding unfair commercial practices, as well as in the drafting and review of e-commerce terms and conditions, including in the context of omnichannel projects (particularly in the fashion field).
Gianluca assists a number of big spender advertiser and communication agencies in the clearance of advertising campaigns and assists clients in misleading and comparative advertising matters before the ordinary courts, the Italian Competition Authority and the Italian Advertising Standards Authority.
Gianluca assisted an important Italian client in the first greenwashing case in Italy before an ordinary court and assists clients in the clearance green advertising campaigns.
As technology enthusiast, Gianluca has also always been involved in tech law issues, advising and litigating on personal data protection and software issues and, more recently, assisting clients in compliance activities related to the development, implementation and adoption of artificial intelligence systems and, more generally, in managing all contractual and IP-related issues arising from the use of AI in the technology and creative industries.
For his expertise in the IP, technology, and media sectors, Gianluca has received important national and international recognition; he has been ranked in Chambers Europe & Global since 2015, in Legal500 since 2018, in World Trademark Review since 2020, and has been named Italian IP (Trademark) Star by Managing IP since 2014 and has received the Client Choice Award 2018 and 2022 for IP/Copyright Italy.
Gianluca joined the firm in 2014. Previously, he worked for leading Italian and foreign law firms, including BonelliErede in Milan, Amarjit & Advocates in New Delhi and Matheson in Dublin.
Gianluca is the editor and co-author of the book “Advertising Law – Safeguards and Litigation“, Giuffre Lefebvre, and has collaborated since 2020 as author of the “Norme e Tributi” section of Il Sole 24 Ore, as well as author of numerous other publications.
Gianluca is a lecturer on trademarks, advertising, design protection, patents and unfair competition in masters and specialized courses.
Languages
Italian and English
Memberships
He is a member of numerous associations, including INTA (International Trademark Association), INDICAM (Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, of which he is a member of the Board of Directors since 2018), Marques, LES (Licensing Executive Society), AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property) and IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals).
Education
Ph.D. in Industrial Property Law, University of Milan (2015)
Law Degree, University of Milan-Bicocca (2003)
Lawyer Rankings
Italy > Industry focus: Luxury goods
With ‘precise knowledge of the luxury goods industry’, LCA Studio Legale
advises clients across the sector, from fashion houses to producers of luxury wines, watches, perfumes and cars. The firm covers a wide range of matters, including corporate and M&A transactions, IP issues, real estate transactions and dispute resolution. Its team excels in both domestic and cross-border matters. Gianluca De Cristofaro, a specialist in IP and advertising, and Edoardo Calcaterra, who advises on M&A and private equity, spearhead the practice. Simona Passarelli, practising out of Rome, provides ordinary and extraordinary tax advice.
Italy > Industry focus: TMT
LCA Studio Legale advises companies on IT, media and advertising, with a speciality in gaming, esports, VR and the wider augmented reality sector. The team is experienced in regulations affecting the Italian market, corporate and commercial transactions, IP and data protection. The team is led out of Milan by Giulio Vecchi and Gianluca De Cristofaro. Vecchi specialises in regulatory issues in the media, tech and entertainment sectors, whilst De Cristofaro focuses on IT matters, including software agreements and cybersecurity.
Italy > Intellectual property
(Leading partners)With fashion and luxury forming the core of LCA Studio Legale’s agile IP practice, the team is also regularly tapped by Italian and foreign clients in the TMT and entertainment, life sciences, and food and beverage industries, among others. Advertising law, disputes, and commercialisation specialist Gianluca De Cristofaro heads the team, while Giulio Vecchi manages the group’s work in the media sector. The team also consists of litigator and filing and prosecution lead Federica Furlan; Miriam Loro Piana, who focuses on art law and software licensing; and Matteo Di Lernia, who is experienced in handling trade marks, design, and competition law disputes.
Italy > Data privacy and data protection
Acting for Italian and multinational companies, including fashion companies, LCA Studio Legale‘s 11-strong team covers day-to-day data-related advice, privacy by design support, and assistance during cyber incidents. It also advises on data transfers, data-sharing agreements and management, the introduction of new data-driven technologies and services, and interactions with regulators. The department is co-led by Gianluca De Cristofaro, who has notable data protection experience, and the ‘extraordinary’ Giulio Vecchi. Elsa Gentile joined the team from ADVANT Nctm in February 2025.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners Italy > Intellectual property
- Industry focus: Luxury goods Italy
- Data privacy and data protection Italy
- Industry focus: TMT Italy
- Intellectual property Italy
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Genoa: leading firms
- Industry focus: Luxury goods
- Shipping
- Banking and finance: Bank regulatory
- Capital markets: Equity
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Compliance
- Data privacy and data protection
- Dispute resolution
- Industry focus: Energy
- Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences
- Industry focus: TMT
- Intellectual property
- Private equity
- Real estate and construction
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Administrative and public law
- Banking and finance: Borrower side
- Employment
- Tax