Francesco Gianni is the head of the Corporate/M&A department and one of the founding partners of Gianni & Origoni.

Francesco is considered one of the top experts in M&A in Italy, as well as the rest of Europe. His focus is on corporate finance transactions, particularly general public M&A and public to private M&A. He also has extensive experience in the arbitration field.

He won the “Outstanding Contribution Award” at the Chambers Europe Awards.

Due to his position at the pinnacle of the M&A field he is frequently asked to represent some of the largest companies and investment banks in Europe. He was involved in almost all of the major privatization processes of the Italian state-owned companies.

After graduating in Law “maxima cum laude” from the University “La Sapienza” of Rome, he obtained an LL.M from the University of London, King’s College and an LL.M from the University of Michigan Law School. Early in his career, Francesco gained experience working in the U.S. for top law firms.

He delivers lectures at conferences all over the world and has been a contributor to many of the most prominent legal publications. He is a practicing member of the Italian Bar and is a member of the New York Bar.

Immediate Past Chair of the Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law, he’s currently Co-Chair of the IBA Senior Lawyers' Committee.

He speaks Italian, English and French.

Bar Admissions

• ROME Bar (Italy)
• NEW YORK Bar

Education

• University "La Sapienza" of Rome
• King's College London
• University of Michigan

Professional Associations
Admitted to the Italian Bar and to the New York State Bar.
Member of: American, Inter-Pacific and International Bar Associations; European Society for Banking and Financial Law; The Center for American and International Law (Advisory Board); American Foreign Law Association (Vice President, 1988-93); Italian Fulbright Association; American Society of International Law; Association of Fellows and Legal Scholars of the Center for International Legal Studies.