Overview
For Italian-based companies and multinational corporations active in the local market, McDermott provides effective, coordinated legal counsel on cross-border and domestic transactions and on a broad range of legal issues, including EU competition and government regulatory compliance, energy, tax, insurance, health, private equity and capital markets, banking and finance, intellectual property, real estate, restructuring and employment law, as well as litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
Our clients include public and privately owned companies in many industries and of all sizes and geographic reach, from small and family-owned businesses to medium-sized companies and large multinational corporations. We emphasize the delivery of sophisticated, practical advice that combines high levels of legal knowledge with effective engagement management and seamless teamwork. We avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, preferring to focus our resources and attention on those areas where we believe we can serve clients best and add value to a transaction.
Our practice is local, regional and international. We help Italian clients expand their operations and investments outside national borders and work with international companies seeking to enter the Italian market. Our lawyers are highly experienced professionals capable of delivering legal services in English, German, French and Italian to better serve clients worldwide. No matter the size or scope of the engagement, we emphasize the development of longstanding client relationships that enable us to provide client-centered guidance well into the future.
Our practices and individual lawyers have been recognized by Chambers Europe, The Legal 500 EMEA and other respected industry publications and ratings agencies for the quality, consistency and creativity of our legal counsel.
Related Capabilities
EU Competition
Our offices in Italy are integral to McDermott’s industry-leading, global Antitrust & Competition practice. Our lawyers work with colleagues across all of our US and European offices to represent clients before Italian, EC and other national regulatory authorities on the full range of competition issues.
We have significant experience assisting with the management of distribution networks, cartels, abuse of dominance, state aid and issues related to regulated markets, antitrust audits and risk assessments of potential antitrust liabilities within judicial and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. We also assist clients on consumer protection, unfair competition and misleading advertising, including any potential criminal aspects.
Insurance
Our lawyers advise Italian and foreign clients in all areas of Italian and European insurance and reinsurance regulation. We work closely with clients and regulators to establish insurance companies as well as subsidiaries and branches of EU and non-EU insurance and reinsurance undertakings, handle authorization procedures, and advise on day-to-day compliance and extraordinary transactions. We also counsel insurance clients on domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, private equity investments, restructurings, transfers of businesses, portfolios and run-offs, claim handling, creation of distribution channels and other arrangements, and litigation and arbitration.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Our lawyers have extensive experience representing clients in domestic and international litigation and arbitration, and regularly assist with enforcing foreign judgments and awards in Italy. When appropriate, we work closely with the Firm’s well-established International Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Group to help clients understand and take full advantage of alternative dispute resolution methodologies, from negotiated settlements to mediation and arbitration. Our litigators regularly represent multinational corporations in Italian courts with regard to business disputes in Italy, including various kinds of contractual disputes involving employment litigation. Our diverse range of capabilities enables us to provide our clients with advice tailored to their specific needs.
Tax
As part of McDermott’s internationally recognized tax team, our Italy-based tax advisors provide professional advice in all areas of taxation for major companies doing business in Italy and for Italian enterprises doing business internationally. Named 2014 “Law Firm of the Year for Transfer Pricing” by Legalcommunity.it, we deliver industry-focused solutions to large corporations in the food and beverage, consumer products, fashion and apparel, automotive, life sciences and medical devices, private equity, banking and financial services sectors. We counsel clients on tax planning and strategies, corporate income tax and indirect taxes, tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, tax audits and investigations, and tax controversies, including settlement procedures and representation before tax courts.
Mergers & Acquisitions
McDermott’s Milan-based corporate transactional lawyers, in conjunction with lawyers from the Firm’s offices throughout the United States and Europe, have successfully negotiated and closed numerous domestic and cross-border deals in Italy on behalf of businesses worldwide. Our corporate lawyers provide industry-focused advice on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including friendly and hostile public tender offers, negotiated share and asset acquisitions, joint ventures and spin-offs. We counsel clients at all phases of a transaction, including coordinating auction sale procedures, negotiating and drafting letters of intent and final agreements, and providing closing and post-closing assistance. We have extensive experience structuring intra-group relationships, corporate governance systems, and compliance and control schemes.