Gianni & Origoni

Gianni & Origoni
Name	Gianni & Origoni
Headquarters	Milan
Founded	1946
Founders	Giovanni Malagodi; Ugo La Malfa
Num attorneys	200
Practice areas	Corporate law; Mergers and Acquisitions; Litigation; Intellectual Property; Tax; Banking and Finance

Gianni & Origoni

Gianni & Origoni is an Italian full-service law firm headquartered in Milan with a history of advising multinational corporations, financial institutions, and public entities across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The firm has participated in cross-border transactions involving firms from United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, China and Brazil, and it maintains relationships with international organizations and bar associations such as the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Union Internationale des Avocats.

History

Founded in the aftermath of World War II, the firm developed during the Italian economic boom alongside prominent industrial groups such as Fiat, Eni, and Pirelli. During the 1960s and 1970s Gianni & Origoni expanded its services in response to regulatory changes introduced by bodies like the European Economic Community and decisions from the Court of Justice of the European Union. In the 1990s and 2000s the firm deepened expertise in Mergers and Acquisitions and Banking matters, advising on cross-border consolidations involving entities such as Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, and Credit Suisse. In the 2010s it extended its international footprint to align with global trends exemplified by transactions involving Tesla, Inc., Alibaba Group, and SoftBank Group. The firm’s evolution reflects interactions with legal frameworks shaped by instruments like the Treaty of Rome and rulings from the European Central Bank.

Practice Areas

Gianni & Origoni provides services across multiple areas: corporate and commercial transactions involving multinationals such as Microsoft, Apple Inc., and Amazon (company); antitrust and competition work referencing precedents from the European Commission and cases similar to United States v. Microsoft Corp.; banking and finance matters for clients like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase; capital markets and securities offerings linked to issuers on exchanges such as Borsa Italiana and New York Stock Exchange; intellectual property and technology disputes analogous to litigation involving Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm; tax controversy and planning in contexts shaped by rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and guidance from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; employment and labor counseling for corporations engaged with unions such as the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro; and regulatory compliance matters in sectors including energy with players like Enel and Shell plc.

Offices and International Network

The firm’s main office in Milan is complemented by branches in major Italian cities and representative presences across Europe and beyond, cooperating with networks and firms linked to organizations like the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and regional chambers such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy. Through alliances with firms in New York City, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, and São Paulo, the firm frequently coordinates transnational mandates involving actors such as Citigroup, Barclays, UBS, TotalEnergies, and Itaú Unibanco.

Notable Cases and Clients

The firm has been engaged in major transactions and disputes, advising on mergers and acquisitions reminiscent of deals involving Exor, Mediobanca, and Telecom Italia. It has represented banking consortia in financings similar to facilities arranged by Deutsche Bank AG and Societe Generale, and counseled industrial groups during privatizations comparable to operations involving Alitalia and Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance. In competition and regulatory matters the firm has worked on cases invoking principles found in EU competition law precedents and disputes akin to those before the Italian Competition Authority and the European Commission. Its clientele spans sectors represented by companies such as Ferrero, Salini Impregilo, Leonardo S.p.A., IKEA, and international investors including BlackRock and CVC Capital Partners.

Leadership and Partners

The firm’s leadership has included senior partners and practice heads with backgrounds in judiciary posts, academia, and public service, comparable to figures who have served in institutions like the Italian Constitutional Court, University of Milan, and national ministries such as the Ministry of Justice (Italy). Its partnership roster features lawyers experienced in cross-border arbitration under rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of International Arbitration, and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law dispute resolution mechanisms.

Awards and Recognition

Gianni & Origoni and its lawyers have received recognitions from legal directories and ranking organizations such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, IFLR1000, and Best Lawyers. Individual partners have been noted in lists compiled by publications including Il Sole 24 Ore and international rankings referencing benchmarks like the European Union’s prime transactional and litigation standards.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Pro Bono

The firm engages in pro bono representation before tribunals and in initiatives linked to NGOs and institutions such as Amnesty International, Save the Children, and local charitable foundations. It participates in continuing legal education programs in cooperation with universities like Bocconi University and professional bodies including the Italian National Bar Council to support access to justice and legal reform projects.

Category:Law firms of Italy