ROME -- International law firm Hogan Lovells has recruited two new corporate partners in Milan. Luca Picone and Francesco Stella joined Hogan Lovells from magic circle firm Linklaters today (Friday). Of Counsel Luca Magrini also joined the ranks of the corporate law giant.

 Picone has spent the last five years as a partner at Linklaters and the previous five years as a partner at Bonelli Erede Pappalardo. He advises on domestic and cross border mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations and joint ventures.

 Stella has been a partner at Linklaters since February 2008 and was previously a partner at Gilberti, Pappalettera Triscornia & Associati, Italy’s leading private equity boutique. He advises on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions with a recent focus on financial institutions.

 Hogan Lovells in Italy now counts 21 partners and nine Of Counsels and more than 100 professionals and the Italian corporate team headcount is at 10 partners and 30 professionals.

 Marco Rota Candiani, local managing partner at Hogan Lovells Milan office said: “Both Luca and Francesco are senior practitioners with an excellent standing in the market as is evidenced by the legal directories. Their team joining us is a welcome boost to our current corporate capabilities in a key European financial centre.”

 Speaking on behalf of the new team, Picone said they were “looking forward to working with our new colleagues to build one of the leading corporate practices in Italy.”   

 "Hogan Lovells’ full service capability in Italy represents a powerful cross selling tool for clients and the global platform that sits behind that is hugely attractive.”

 DLA Piper also recently boosted their workforce in Italy with the hire of a 15-person team from Studio Legale Grimaldi e Associati, adding three new partners in Rome and two in Milan.

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