Fieldfisher will open in Italy for the first time through a merger with local firm Studio Associato Servizi Professionali Integrati (SASPI). The tie-up gifts Fieldfisher 170 fee-earners in the country.
The merger will take effect on 1 July and will be structured as a Swiss Verein. SASPI brings 21 partners and offices in Milan, Rome, Venice and Turin to Fieldfisher’s network.
SASPI has a number of tax accountants in its fee-earning roster alongside lawyers and offers banking, corporate, company secretarial, compliance and commercial, employment, data protection and tax law advice to its clients. These include the likes of Apple, Amazon, BMW, Deutsche Post, Total and banking group Intesa Sanpaolo.
Italy is the first step in planned expansion for the firm in Europe, unveiled when the firm announced its new three-year strategy earlier this month. The expansion follows a strong 2015/16 for the firm, with 7.5 per cent revenue growth to £121.5m.
SASPI managing partner John Stewart said the merger was the next stage in developing the firm’s international presence, adding that Fieldfisher’s geographic reach was “very attractive”.
“Going forward we will look to grow our life sciences, IP and technology capabilities in Italy and to continue our growth of the last five years. We are looking to make Fieldfisher the largest law firm in Italy,” Stewart said.
Fieldfisher is the second international firm to open in Italy in the past 12 months. Last October Dentons launched in Milan with a dual raid on DLA Piper and employment boutique The Employment Law Plant.