London, 7 May 2025 – LMS Studio Legale, a leading Italian independent law firm with offices in Milan, Rome, Turin and London, is pleased to announce the appointment of two prominent senior lawyers, Mario Lisanti and Fabio Niccoli, who joined the partnership effective 1 May 2025 from Ashurst.
Founded in 2006, LMS Studio Legale has built a reputation for delivering top tier legal assistance to Italian and foreign clients, advising on their most complex business law matters. The addition of Mario Lisanti and Fabio Niccoli, both based in the firm’s Milan office, represents a significant strengthening of the firm’s capabilities in the banking and finance as well as corporate and private equity practices.
Mario Lisanti, who assumes the role of the firm’s Head of Banking and Finance, has more than 25 years’ experience in advising lenders and borrowers on a wide range of banking and finance transactions, including acquisition and leverage finance, real estate finance, and corporate loans, as well as on special situations, debt restructuring and distressed debt trading. Over the last ten years, Lisanti has become a leading figure in the private credit space, advising domestic and international asset managers and investors on complex transactions in Italy, including in the form of Unitranche notes or loans, Holdco/PIK financing, Securitisation/SPV lending, or via USPP/private placement structures. He has also advised on the structuring, establishment and financing of credit funds focused on the Italian market, as well as on Italian regulatory matters.
Lisanti is dual qualified in Italy and in England and Wales and is currently Chair of the Credit Committee of Assoimmobiliare (Italy’s leading industry association in the real estate sector) and a member of the Tax & Legal Committee of AIFI (Italy’s leading industry association in the private equity, venture capital and private debt sectors). He has been consistently recognised as one of Italy’s leading banking lawyers by all major international directories, including Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, and has received multiple industry accolades, including, “Private Debt Lawyer of the Year” (2019), “Leverage Finance Lawyer of the Year” (2022) and “Real Estate Finance Lawyer of the Year” (2024).
Before joining LMS Studio Legale, Lisanti was a banking partner at Ashurst for eight years. Previously, he was a banking partner at Norton Rose Fulbright for eleven years, and, prior to that, he worked at Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) in their London and Milan offices, and BonelliErede.
Fabio Niccoli brings over 25 years’ experience in private equity, M&A and corporate law, primarily advising Italian and international private equity funds as well as global corporations on complex M&A, including minority investments and cross-border transactions. His broader experience includes corporate governance and commercial contracts.
Prior to joining LMS Studio Legale, Niccoli was a partner in the corporate transactions and private equity department at Ashurst for five years, based in Milan. Niccoli also served as General Counsel of Fondo Strategico Italiano (currently CDP Equity), one of the main Italian investment companies, and played a key role in its early development. In addition to his General Counsel position, he sat on the Investment Committee and was member of the Board of Directors of several portfolio companies, as well as Chairman of a number of co-investment companies with primary Italian and international partners, including sovereign wealth funds. He began his career at BonelliErede and Gianni & Origoni, and was a founding partner at LMS Studio Legale in 2006.
Fabio Labruna, founder of LMS Studio Legale, commented: “We are delighted that Mario Lisanti has joined our partnership and to welcome back Fabio Niccoli. Mario’s exceptional track record will significantly enhance the firm’s offering in key strategic areas such as banking and finance, and his pioneering work in private debt will allow us to support lenders and borrowers in a fast-growing segment of the market. Fabio’s return reinforces our private equity practice and will see him bring additional valuable experience from his unique perspective as General Counsel of a primary investment fund.”
Mario Lisanti added: “I am very excited to join LMS Studio Legale and work with a team of high calibre professionals who have an outstanding reputation and experience. I am sure that, together, we can provide the ideal platform to support clients across banking & finance, private debt, private equity, corporate/M&A, real estate, and debt restructuring. I am grateful to Fabio Labruna and the other partners and colleagues at LMS Studio Legale for their trust and for this opportunity, which I will pursue with commitment and enthusiasm; I am also thankful to my former colleagues at Ashurst for their support over the years.”
Fabio Niccoli commented: “It’s a pleasure to return to LMS Studio Legale, where I reunite with many longstanding partners in the field of private equity and to begin working with other highly experienced colleagues operating in other areas that complement my expertise and practice areas. I strongly believe that LMS Studio Legale offers a robust platform to support investment funds and other market players, in private equity and M&A, and importantly, offers high quality legal advice. I’m thankful to Fabio Labruna and all the partners and colleagues of LMS Studio Legale for supporting my return and extend my gratitude to Ashurst and my former colleagues, with whom I shared five years of personal and professional growth.”
About LMS Studio Legale
LMS is an independent law firm, founded in 2006. With a team of 70 professionals, including 20 Partners, the firm is recognised in the Italian and international market for its ability to handle complex M&A and corporate finance transactions and sophisticated legal cases. The firm combines a multidisciplinary approach with great attention to quality and promptness of legal services offered. Its professionals work in interdisciplinary teams offering clients full-scale assistance in complex matters. LMS’ practice areas include M&A and corporate, banking, debt restructuring and litigation, with a number of professionals also specialising in competition and EU law, real estate, construction and tax law. LMS relies on established relationships with leading international firms in Europe, North America, Asia and South America, which allow the firm to provide its clients global assistance on the most sophisticated cross-border transactions.
Media contacts
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