15/09/21

unyer gains new member: Italian full-service law firm Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati strengthens global organisation

Four months after its foundation, unyer expands to Italy. Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati (Pirola), another top national player with a turnover of EUR 135 million joins the global organisation of leading international advisory services firms, which was founded by Fidal and Luther in May 2021.

The renowned Italian law firm thus ranks 4th among the highest- turnover law firms in the highly competitive Italian legal market. With the addition of Pirola, unyer is taking the next step in implementing its strategy of establishing close collaborations with advisory firms in the world's 20 largest economies in the coming years.

"Italy – the third largest economy in continental Europe after Germany and France – has always been our preferred country for unyer’s first expansion," says Christine Blaise-Engel, CEO at unyer and Senior Partner at Fidal. "The fact that we were able to attract such a significant market player as Pirola to unyer within four months from its founding makes it clear that the idea of establishing an independent organisation with exclusive partnerships has been met with great enthusiasm."

Only one member per country, only local top players with a comparable approach and mindset, this is how unyer is setting itself up for the future. Like the organisation’s founding members, French law firm Fidal and German law firm Luther, Pirola operates as a full- service law firm and has a strong industry focus. Pirola, whose approximately 600 advisors work in 14 locations worldwide, has in- depth industry knowledge not only in Italian and European but also in Asian markets.

Global approach with local expertise in key markets and regions.”

Massimo Di Terlizzi, new member of the unyer Executive Committee, confirms the great need of companies for global connectivity: “We see that clients are looking for advisors with a global approach and connectivity supported by strong local expertise in major markets and regions. unyer is the perfect answer to this megatrend. In this new global player, we were not only excited by the industry focus and innovation efforts, but we also share a common vision and values. In a few words unyer is the answer to those firms that wish to work with the same international approach as a sole firm keeping the independency in their territory.”

With the new member, the global organisation, which is also open to law firm-affiliated professional services firms, especially from the legal tech sector, grows to more than 2,500 advisors and an annual turnover of over EUR 650 million. unyer members offer practice- oriented legal advice in complex environments ranging from cross- border financings to the development and protection of innovative ideas to the structuring of international transactions and they face the clients’ needs with an innovative focus on the three megatrends: "energetic transition", "smart industries", "crypto assets and blockchain".

Like all members, Pirola continues to operate independently in Italy and cooperates globally within the unyer organisation. The legal form of Swiss Verein makes close global cooperation possible with simultaneous economic and legal independence in the respective home market. All unyer members have equal rights and votes through the Executive Committee and the unyer Assembly.

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