Italian independent firm Varrenti Bassan Lenzi & Associati has reorganised internally, with Alessandro Varrenti separating his practice from that of fellow name partners Fabio Bassan and Maurizio Lenzi.

Varrenti, ex-managing partner for White & Case in Italy, is now in talks with a larger Italian independent with a view to a merger with his own practice, Varrenti Avvocati Associati.

A disagreement over the strategic direction of the firm caused the split.

Varrenti said: “We decided we wanted to concentrate better on our core practices of corporate finance and acquisition finance.”

Varrenti said he has been looking to integrate his practice with a large Italian firm since he demerged his firm from White & Case in 2004.

“The reason we left White & Case was that we wanted to get together with a large Italian merger,” said Varrenti.