McDermott Boosts Italian Presence with Five-Partner Team Hire in Milan

Why It Matters

The addition deepens McDermott’s local capability, enabling more integrated cross‑border services for private‑equity clients. It signals intensified competition among global firms to capture Italy’s booming deal flow.

Key Takeaways

• McDermott adds five partners, seven lawyers to Milan office.
• Team led by former Gitti co‑managing partner Vincenzo Giannantonio.
• Expertise spans M&A, private equity, employment, IP, life‑science tech.
• Enhances McDermott’s pan‑European platform for cross‑border deals.
• Part of broader US/UK firm recruitment into Italy’s fast‑growing PE market.

Pulse Analysis

McDermott Will & Schulte’s latest lateral move brings a five‑partner, seven‑lawyer team from Gitti & Partners into its Milan office, with former co‑managing partner Vincenzo Giannantonio taking the helm. The hires cover core practice areas—M&A and private‑equity transactions, employment law, and intellectual‑property matters tied to life‑science and high‑tech sectors—giving the firm a full‑service capability that mirrors its broader European strategy. By installing Giannantonio as co‑head of the Milan office, McDermott signals a commitment to building a truly pan‑European platform for complex, cross‑border deals.

Italy has emerged as the fastest‑growing private‑equity market in Europe, driven by a deep pool of domestic capital and an increasingly sophisticated corporate‑deal pipeline. Milan, in particular, offers proximity to both local sponsors and multinational investors, making it a magnet for U.S. and U.K. firms seeking a foothold on the continent. Recent lateral activity—including HSF Kramer’s structured‑finance team, Ropes & Grey’s new office, and McDermott’s hires in Paris and Frankfurt—underscores a competitive scramble for talent that can service the region’s expanding deal flow.

For clients, the expanded Milan team translates into seamless coordination across jurisdictions, allowing private‑equity sponsors to execute mid‑market transactions with a single point of contact. McDermott’s integrated European network can now combine local insight with global resources, a differentiator in a market where speed and cross‑border expertise are paramount. As competition intensifies, firms that successfully embed seasoned partners into key hubs like Milan are likely to capture a larger share of the burgeoning European private‑equity business and reinforce their position as go‑to advisors.