Mr Accardo is a competition law specialist with extensive experience advising on IP matters, data protection and regulatory law. He brings to Ashurst a history of practice both inside Italy and across wider Europe, having completed associate stints at international firms Hogan Lovells and WilmerHale in Belgium before returning to Italy in 2012 to join DANDRIA Studio Legale in Rome. Since 2009, Mr Accardo has also been a research fellow at Stanford University-sponsored think-tank the Transatlantic Technology Law Forum. Ashurst competition partner Denis Fosselard said of the hire: ‘Gabriele has exceptional professional and academic experience and his appointment will significantly strengthen the team.’