Big Four's fabulous move, Deloitte Legal acquires Italian maritime law boutique

Big Four's fabulous move, Deloitte Legal acquires Italian maritime law boutique

Deloitte Legal ventures into the maritime and transport law after acquiring Munari Giudici Maniglio Panfili (MGMP)

The Big Four accountancy firm Deloitte Legal's Italian arm has acquired boutique Munari Giudici Maniglio Panfili (MGMP) in the northern Italian port city Genoa enabling it to open its department of maritime and transport law.

The deal adds four partners to the Big Four giant. They include 20 lawyers who now move to Deloitte Legal. The new department of maritime and transport law will be led by Francesco Munari, partner and co-founder of MGMP.

MGMP has been in the existence for a little over two decades and has its offices in Genoa and Milan. It specialises in multiple facets of transportation and maritime law, including M&A, competition, regulation, commercial, construction, employment and dispute resolution.

Besides Munari, other three partners joining Deloitte Legal are Alessandra Maniglio, Paolo Terrile and Andrea Blasi. Partners Alessandra Maniglio and Emanuela Baj will join the firm as counsel.

The two remaining partners of MGMPm namely Anna Maria Panfili and Paolo Giudici have decided against joining Deloitte Legal.

"We are experiencing a growing synergy between legal consultancy and tax consultancy activities, an indication of the fact that investments made for the growth of Deloitte Legal also work from an integrated perspective," Alessandro Lualdi, country leader and manager of tax and legal services for Deloitte in Italy, said, adding that he expects the addition of MGMP will allow the firm to enrich its legal capabilities in Genoa.

The new arrivals will increase Deloitte Legal's capacity in Genoa to 25 lawyers and 100 professionals, making it the largest law firm in the city.

Carlo Gagliardi, managing partner of Deloitte Legal, termed the addition of four MGMP partners as a milestone in the firm's growth path. He pointed out that Deloitte Legal had less than 50 professionals with it in 2018. Since then it has increased the numbers to 200 professionals, including 21 partners in eight cities, spread over 15 practice areas.

Deloitte Legal had entered into a tactical tie-up with top Italian employment boutique LabLaw in September 2020. The alliance was supposed to help consolidate LabLaw's market-leading position while helping Deloitte Legal grow its international employment practice.