Four Gianni partners quit firm with twenty associates in tow

Italian independent Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners has been rocked by the shock resignation of four partners and a team of associates.

Rome-based partners Andrea Mazziotti di Celso, Fabio Labruna and Antonio Segni and Milan partner Aldo Palumbo quit last week following clashes with management over strategy.

They are leaving Gianni with a team of 20 associates to launch their own firm.

Mazziotti di Celso and Labruna specialise in corporate transactions, while Segni's practice focuses on banking and capital markets work. Palumbo is an employment specialist.

The departures will result in Gianni finance partner Bruno Bartocci moving into the newly created role of coordinator of Gianni's 26-strong capital markets group.

Gianni said in a statement: "The appointment of this new role to steer the capital markets department grows from a reorganisation of the department in response to the consensual and friendly decision between the firm and the partners, together with 20 associates, to end their professional collaboration due to the cause of diversity in strategic views."