The two firms will combine from July 1 this year, giving Fieldfisher its first ever presence in Italy. The newly-merged firm will be structured as a Swiss Verein and will operate under the Fieldfisher brand name while maintaining separate profit pools for each firm. Headquartered in Milan, SASPI has around 170 lawyers and accountants and three additional offices in Turin, Rome and Venice. Once combined with Fieldfisher’s 400-strong practice, the combination will create a firm employing nearly 1,000 people globally across 13 offices worldwide.

Global growth strategy

Fieldfisher’s flagship Italian office follows recent launches in Silicon Valley (2012), Shanghai (2013) and Manchester (2015). ‘This is the next stage in developing our international presence and being part of a growing international legal brand,’ commented SASPI co-founder John Stewart, who will stay on as the firm’s managing partner following the tie-up with Fieldfisher. ‘We are looking to make Fieldfisher the largest law firm in Italy,’ he added.

Sources: Legal Business; Legal Week