Former White & Case capital markets partners Paola Leocani and Nicholas Lasagna joined Simmons & Simmons in Milan on Friday. Ms Leocani is a debt and securitised derivatives specialist who joined White & Case from Allen & Overy in 2013, having made partner at the latter firm in 2006. Meanwhile, Mr Lasagna advises clients on a wide range of bank finance and capital markets transactions, including leverage finance, acquisition finance, bond private placements, syndicated loans and debt restructuring finance matters. He joined White & Case from Latham & Watkins in 2011.

Commitment to growth

The double hire comes less than a year after Simmons & Simmons opted to shutter its office in Rome and consolidate its Italian operations in Milan. The move relocated all nine of the firm’s Rome-based partners to the Milan office, and gave associates the opportunity to shift to Milan rather than lose their jobs. Simmons & Simmons’ international financial markets head Jonathan Hammond commented that the latest double hire emphasises the firm’s commitment to growing its international capital markets offering: ‘[The hires] brings the number of partners who have joined our international financial markets practice so far this year to 10,’ he said.

Sources: Legal Week; The Lawyer