McDermott makes Milan push with 12-lawyer team hire, targets PE work

McDermott has made a major push in Milan, hiring a five-partner, 12-lawyer team from Italian firm Gitti as it looks to build out its presence in one of Europe’s fastest-growing markets.

The group is led by private equity specialist Vincenzo Giannantonio who joins as co-managing partner of the Milan office. Giannantonio was a founding partner and managing partner at Gitti.

He is joined by partners Giacomo Pansolli and Domenico Patruno, both focused on transactions, alongside employment specialist Elisa Mapelli and IP partner Marco Blei.

The hires take McDermott’s Milan partnership to 19 partners.

Milan momentum

The move comes as Milan continues to attract international firms looking to tap into a buoyant private capital market, driven by increasing deal volume and investor-friendly tax rules.

US firms in particular have been expanding in the city. Ropes & Gray has been among the most active, opening in Milan last year with a team from Latham and continuing to hire from local firms.

For McDermott, the hire strengthens its mid-market private equity offering in Europe, an area the firm has identified as a key growth priority.

In a statement, the firm said the addition would deepen its local capability while enhancing its ability to support cross-border deals across its European platform.

Harris Siskind, global head of the transactions practice group, said: “This is a standout addition to our European platform and a key step in building McDermott as a pan‑European destination for mid‑market private equity. 

“For clients, it means deeper local capability, delivered through a fully integrated European platform for complex, cross‑border deals.”

Giannantonio said the move reflected alignment between the firm’s international platform and the needs of his clients. “We are genuinely excited to join the firm and to help drive the growth of the Milan office, working closely with colleagues across Europe to deliver high‑impact, cross‑border private equity and M&A solutions,” he added.