ST. LOUIS, May 17, 2007 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Wire – Bryan Cave LLP announced today the opening of an office in Milan, Italy. The office is expected to be open and operating by Aug. 1.
The Milan office will be led by Paolo Barozzi and Fulvio Pastore-Alinante, currently partners in the Milan office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. Joining them will be a group of four partners and counsel who also are practicing in Milan: Luigi Zumbo, Claudio Morpurgo and Andrea Batazzi, all currently with Willkie Farr; and Stefano Serbini, a former partner with Ashurst. It is anticipated that a group of associates from Willkie Farr also will join Bryan Cave’s Milan office. It is expected that additional partners, counsel and associates from other leading firms will join in the near future.
The legal practices in the Milan office initially will focus on general corporate, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, finance, contracts, tax, labor and employment, asset management, commercial litigation and arbitration.
“Establishment of multiple offices in the European Union will better position us to meet the substantial and ongoing European legal service needs of our existing clients,” said Don Lents, chairman of Bryan Cave. “This will complement the strong client base of our new Italian colleagues. In addition, Bryan Cave’s resources in London, across the U.S. and elsewhere will allow them to better serve the international legal needs of their clients.”
“With the opening of a Milan office, Bryan Cave will be entering a legal market which has a need for global legal resources,” added Fred Bartelsmeyer, Bryan Cave partner who will serve as liaison between Bryan Cave’s U.S. and U.K. practices and the Milan office. “We believe providing broad ranging and global legal services to businesses, with a full-service partnering approach and passionate, long-term commitment to our clients, will distinguish Bryan Cave from our peers. Our move into continental Europe by way of Milan reinforces Bryan Cave’s position as a global law firm.”
Italy is the sixth largest economy in the world. Milan is considered the financial and industrial center of Italy rather than Rome. It has been identified as one of the 10 most important markets in the world by Standard & Poor. It is a center for design and fashion as well as electronics, biotech, health care and mechanical engineering.
The firm’s London office, established in 1982, acquired English law capabilities in 1999 and has grown to 30 lawyers, 40 total fee earners. Bryan Cave already has secured a prestigious historical building for its office in Milan’s central business district, and will soon start operating in the new premises.
Background: Bryan Cave Milan Lawyers
Paolo Barozzi, age 49, focuses his practice on private equity and merger and acquisition transactions, corporate law and contracts, asset management and commercial litigation. He received his J.D. in 1984 from the State University of Milan.
Fulvio Pastore-Alinante, age 48, practices in international contracts, mergers and acquisitions, competition law, unfair advertising, arbitration and commercial litigation. He received his J.D., with honors, in 1982 from the State University of Naples, his diploma in law of the European Communities in 1984 from the Rome Bar and his LL.M. degree in 1988 from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Fulbright scholar.
Luigi Zumbo practices in commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring and insolvency, commercial litigation and arbitration. Zumbo, age 42, He received his J.D. in 1988 from the State University of Messina and his graduate diploma in law in 2006 from the BPP Law School of London.
Claudio Morpurgo focuses his practice in employment law and industrial relations, including litigation. Morpurgo, age 37, received his J.D. in 1995 from the University “Cattolica” of Milan.
Andrea Batazzi practices in commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, LBO/MBO transactions, intellectual property and asset management regulations. Batazzi, age 43, received his J.D. in 1989 from the State University of Milan.
Stefano Serbini, age 42, focuses on domestic and cross-border tax structuring of corporate, financial and real estate transactions. He received his J.D. in 1991 from the State University of Milan and his master’s degree in tax law in 1992 from the IPSOA School in Milan.
About Bryan Cave LLP
Bryan Cave LLP has a diversified international practice. The firm represents a wide variety of business, financial, institutional and individual clients, including publicly held multinational corporations, large and mid-sized privately held companies, partnerships and emerging companies. Aided by extensive investments in technology, Bryan Cave’s more than 800 lawyers in 14 offices across the United States, United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia efficiently serve clients’ needs in the world’s leading business and financial markets. For more information on Bryan Cave LLP, please visit www.bryancave.com.
