White & Case leaves Rome to focus on Milan

White & Case is to close its Rome branch at the same time as the firm is flying one of its most senior finance partners over from New York to bolster its Milan practice.

The New York-based firm revealed last week that it has begun winding down its nine-lawyer Rome office after a review of its Italian operations found it would be better placed consolidating its Italian operations within the firm's larger Milan office.

As part of this refocusing, senior finance partner and former member of White & Case's management board Sean Geary is to relocate from New York to Milan, bolstering the office to 20 lawyers. Although no timeframe has been given for the closure of the Rome office, the firm has begun consultations with staff regarding their possible relocation to Milan.

In a statement, White & Case said it remained "firmly committed to the Italian market", and that the consolidation of its Italian operations in Milan would assist it to focus on its core business of corporate and banking, which stem largely from the city.