Squire Patton Boggs, one of the world’s largest law firms, will open an office in Milan – its 15th location in Europe and 45th worldwide – with a multidisciplinary team.
Galileo Pozzoli, Daniela Sabelli, Ian Tully and Fabrizio Vismara will join as partners, bringing extensive cross border disputes and transactional credentials to the firm, with a particular focus in energy law and representing African countries in major international arbitrations.
“Our goal is to provide clients with premium counsel wherever they do business. Launching an office in the third largest Eurozone economy is another important milestone in our global expansion,” said Squire Patton Boggs Chair and Global CEO Mark Ruehlmann. “We already work for a number of Italian companies and other entities doing business in the market. This team will take our practice to even greater heights.”
“This is a unique opportunity to bring a market-leading Italian practice to the firm, while also adding substantial heft to our historically strong work for sovereigns on major arbitrations, energy and policy matters,” said Squire Patton Boggs Global Managing Partner for Clients & Strategy, Steve Mahon.
The team joins from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP, where Mr. Pozzoli served as Italy Managing Partner since 2010 and was a member of the firm’s European management committee.
“The more we learned about the firm, its extensive global position and its collaborative culture, the more this move made sense for us and for our clients,” said Mr. Pozzoli. “This is an exciting opportunity to add a fully integrated Italian practice into the global firm and expand its already sizable Africa practice.”
At Squire Patton Boggs, Mr. Pozzoli will serve as managing partner of the Milan office, with responsibility for growing the Italian practice. He will also work closely with Peter Stewart, who recently joined the firm in London, to coordinate the firm’s Africa business development efforts and practice.
Mr. Mahon commented, “Galileo is a respected and well-connected practitioner with a strong track record for building talented teams. He will play an important role on our expansion efforts across both Italy and Africa.”
About the Team:
Galileo Pozzoli specializes in energy law, including handling international arbitration cases, with particular expertise in the oil and gas sectors. He acts for a number of national oil companies, governments and state entities across countries including, Nigeria, Tanzania, Gabon, Rwanda, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Uganda, Mozambique, Libya and Zambia. His breadth of energy experiences encompasses the structuring and negotiation of cross-border energy transactions, including negotiating and drafting production sharing agreements, joint operating agreements, service contracts and contracts for the transportation and distribution of natural oil and gas. Galileo won Arbitration Lawyer of the Year in Italy’s 2018 Top Legal Awards.
Daniela Sabelli is a corporate partner with a particular focus on regulated sectors, including energy, infrastructure and life science sectors. Recognized as one of Italy’s top energy lawyers (including renewables), advising government authorities, energy generators and financial institutions on a wide variety transactions, disputes and projects. She is also notable for her experience of matters in Africa, including North Africa and the Maghreb. She often lectures on Italian company law, energy law and environmental law at industry conferences and seminars and at post-graduate educational institutions. Ms. Sabelli has broadly based experience in mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions and joint venture agreements. She provides general corporate, commercial and regulatory advice to both domestic and international clients across a number of industries.
Ian Tully is dual-qualified in Italy and the UK, focusing his practice on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, for which he is ranked in Chambers Global. Mr. Tully has particular experience in the UK and Italy, where he has advised companies on many trans-European transactions. Many of Mr. Tully’s M&A transactions are in the pharmaceutical, medical device and wider healthcare industry. He is heavily involved in the energy sector. He has represented a range of companies in joint ventures; share and asset purchase and sale transactions; corporate restructurings; debt and equity capital-raising transactions; corporate governance issues; partnership agreements; licensing and sales agreements; technical assistance agreements; research and development agreements; product supply and toll manufacturing agreements; and distribution and agency agreements.
Fabrizio Vismara is an experienced litigation, corporate and tax partner representing Italian and international clients on Italian and international corporate and tax matters. His practice focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and represents funds and strategic investors in private equity transactions, corporate restructurings and foreign investments, as well as acting for Italian and international clients on antitrust matters. Mr. Vismara acts for clients on the taxation of controlled foreign corporations, transfer pricing issues, and matters governed by international tax treaties to which Italy is a party. His activity includes tax and antitrust disputes, representing Italian and foreign clients, multinational companies and banks in dealings with the public administration on tax matters and relevant obligations. He also advises clients on the taxation of financial instruments, the application of currency regulations, double taxation agreements and EU customs and VAT legislation. Mr. Vismara is a Professor of International Law at the University of Insubria.