Industry focus: Energy

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Carola Antonini
Hall of fameChiomenti
Carola, advises Italian and international clients in project development and acquisition in the energy and infrastructure fields, with a focus on renewable energy (wind, biomass -including WtE-, biofuel, photovoltaic, geothermal, solar heat, hydroelectric), energy from conventional sources (oil and gas), infrastructure and public tenders on energy and gas transport and distribution, infrastructure concessions and contracts, acquisition, and leveraged finance, with a particular focus on green financing and general ESG issues.
Tessa Lee
Hall of fameLinklaters Studio Legale Associato
Dual English and Italian law-qualified, Tessa has a long-established track record as an energy lawyer, specialising in renewable energy, oil & gas and conventional power-related matters. She heads the firm’s Energy, Infrastructure and Renewables practice in Italy. Tessa advises borrowers and lenders, including commercial banks, multilaterals and export credit agencies (ECAs) domestically and internationally, on financings, including project, export credit, leveraged and acquisition finance, principally in the energy and infrastructure sectors and from opportunities arising from the energy transition. She is also actively involved with the firm’s initiatives surrounding Africa, including developing and maintaining African client and institutional relationships. Tessa also heads the firm’s European Export Finance Practice, is a member of the firm’s ECA group, coordinates the Italian ESG working group and is a member of the Italian CSR committee and the firm’s global D&I committee.
Carlo Montella
Hall of fameGreen Horse Legal Advisory
Carlo is the Managing Partner at Green Horse Legal Advisory and co-heads the Project Development and M&A practice. He is a transactional lawyer with extensive experience in project development, asset acquisitions and financings in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Carlo has strong proficiency and consolidated background in assisting international sponsors, multinational energy companies, large private equity funds, project developers, borrowers and debt issuers, investment banks and other capital providers and investors who value his contribution thanks to his vast experience, practical know how and willingness to go the extra mile for his client. Carlo regularly advises on energy sector mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, development, structuring and financing of large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, both in Italy and internationally (including UK and Eastern European countries). He has a significant experience in the electric power sector, wind, solar, biomass, battery storage, geothermal and other renewable energy projects and has also represented clients in transactions involving electric power and green hydrogen.
Catia Tomasetti
Hall of fameBonelliErede
Partner, Catia Tomasetti specialises in project finance, project bonds, public finance especially in the fields of energy services (traditional and renewable), water, waste, hospitals, underground systems, roads and motorways. She's also adept at handling the reorganisation of listed companies and provides assistance to banks, shareholders and borrowers. She coordinates the project finance team and is leader of the Infrastructure, Energy & Ecological Transition Focus Team. She is also a member of the Africa Committee and Africa Team and is in charge of developing the firm's Middle Eastern practice. She is a member of the firm's board.
Germana Cassar
Hall of fameDLA Piper
Carloandrea Meacci
Hall of fameAshurst
Francesco Novelli
Hall of fameDLA Piper
Lorenzo Parola
Hall of fameParola Associati
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Francesca Morra
Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
Francesca leads the Italian energy and infrastructure practice at Herbert Smith Freehills. Her extensive knowledge of the energy and infrastructure sector is based on nearly 20 years of experience advising Italian and multinational energy companies, international sponsors, project developers, private equity funds and leading investment banks on some of the most innovative and complex transactions in the renewables space, conventional power, oil and gas (including LNG), energy efficiency, electric mobility and various types of infrastructure projects. Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, the development of projects and infrastructures, industry contracts and regulatory matters, including ESG, MiFID, EMIR, MAR, REMIT, TPA exemptions. She also advises on competition, foreign direct investment and consumer protection issues. Recognised as one of Italy's energy & infra experts by the main legal directories, Francesca is a frequent speaker on various energy-related topics and a contributor to legal publications. She also lectures on energy and competition law.
Giovanni Penzo
Osborne Clarke
Giovanni is an expert in corporate and commercial law, advising Italian and foreign clients, and in particular public-owned companies (multi-utilities), focusing on the energy and waste & water sectors. Giovanni is a member of the Italian Energy & Utilities team and heads the focus area group dedicated to Waste & Water. His legal expertise focuses on the wide range of corporate and commercial practices, covering both transactional and advisory work. He assists Italian and foreign clients operating in the energy sector on domestic and cross-border M&A as well as joint ventures, extraordinary finance, and general commercial matters. He has a consolidated experience in dispute resolution, both at litigation and arbitration, specifically with regards to the rules related to disputes in the Environment and Waste & Water sectors. He has a consolidated experience in dispute resolution, both at litigation and arbitration, as well as in the specific rules relating to disputes in the Environment and Waste & Water industries. Giovanni has developed expertise in advising publicly owned companies (multi-utilities), listed and otherwise, mainly operating in the Waste & Water sectors and has an in-depth understanding of the management and administrative issues applying to these companies, and of the relevant issues relating to the liability of directors in publicly owned companies. He has advised not only on a variety of M&A transactions involving companies owning waste disposal and recovery plants (landfill site and waste-to-energy plants), but also advises companies in the sector on issues including corporate governance.
Carsten Steinhauer
Dentons
Dr. Carsten Steinhauer, LL.M. is a partner in Dentons’ Rome and Milan offices and Co-Head of Europe Energy Sector Group.  
Giulio Maroncelli
DLA Piper
Lorenzo Parola
Hall of fameParola Associati
Mattia Riccardo Petrillo
EY TAX & LAW ITALY
Mattia is a Partner of the firm and the Leader of EY’s Energy and Efficiency Legal Department. He has specific and extensive expertise in the energy and efficiency sector with a strong network of clients and relations, having an extensive Italian and international experience in the energy, oil & gas, and infrastructure sectors, as well as in commodities trading (e.g., oil, gas, LNG, coal, metals), e-mobility and energy transition projects.   In these fields, Mattia assists clients with respect to corporate, contractual and regulatory matters.   He regularly advises some of the leading Italian and foreign companies in these sectors on, amongst others: the development, construction, operation, maintenance and financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; M&A and extraordinary transactions; procurement, distribution and supply of commodities, chemical products, goods and services, PPA, SLA, access to transmission grids and facilities, also on a cross-border basis; access to regulated assets and facilities, participation to public tenders and structuring of contractual structure and strategy on the market (both wholesale and final customer); and design and development of transactions and solutions aimed at support the energy transition.
Umberto Penco Salvi
Clifford Chance
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Luigi Costa
Dentons
Luigi Costa is partner in Dentons’ Milan office, Head of the Project, Energy and Infrastructure business unit in Italy and a member of the global Banking and Finance practice.
Andrea Gentili
Green Horse Legal Advisory
Andrea is a co-founder of Green Horse and co-heads the Project Development and M&A practice. He regularly works on M&A, private equity, project development as well as platform and joint venture transactions in the energy and infrastructure sphere, with a particular emphasis on renewables. He represents sponsors, developers, private equity investors, infrastructure funds and other strategic participants in all stages of structuring, financing, acquiring and disposing of energy projects and companies, including the negotiation and drafting of purchase and sale, co-development, shareholders, joint venture, EPC and O&M agreements. He has served as lead counsel on several cross-border deals, including with respect to energy and infrastructure projects in the UK, US, Romania, Denmark, Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Ghana, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia, and Namibia. Andrea also has significant experience in financing transactions, having assisted various sponsors and debt providers in a number of project finance, asset finance, bond issuance, refinancing and leasing transactions. He also counsels clients on general corporate matters and day-to-day operating matters, including contracts management and a host of related legal matters. Andrea has drafted and negotiated several settlement agreements for disputes arisen between owners and contractors in relation to the construction of power plants, and participated in international arbitrations on these matters. Prior to co-founding Green Horse, Andrea spent 14 years at Orrick, where he started his career in 2008 as a trainee becoming partner in 2021. In 2010, Andrea worked in the Global Finance department of the Orrick London office, mainly focusing on cross-border project finance deals.
Mileto Mario Giuliani
Dentons
Mileto Mario Giuliani is a partner in Dentons' Rome and Milan offices and a member of the Project, Energy and Infrastructure business unit in Italy.
Gabriele Malgeri
BonelliErede
Partner, Gabriele Malgeri specialises in project finance, with particular focus on drafting and negotiation of financial contracts and security package, drafting and negotiation of project contracts (e.g. EPC, O&M, supply agreement, power purchase agreement), due diligence, project bonds, banking (corporate loans, acquisitions), tenders and works/public services concessions. He has particular expertise in the energy, infrastructure, transport and public services sectors. He is member of the Infrastructure, Energy & Ecological Transition Focus Team.
Elena Giuffrè
Ashurst
Annamaria Pinzuti
Ashurst
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Manuela Cerulli
Chiomenti
Manuela Cerulli regularly advises Italian and international clients on M&A, energy and real estate transactions. Manuela has extensive experience in the drafting of commercial contracts in several industries including energy (both conventional and renewable energy sources) and real estate (with a particular focus on hotels and nursing homes). Manuela has extensive experience in the development of solar and wind farms, including in the drafting and negotiation of Development Agreements, EPC and O&M Agreements.
Daniela De Palma
BonelliErede
Managing associate, Daniela De Palma specialises in banking and finance, with particular expertise in project financing and project bonds, advice on tenders, infrastructures and transport law, drafting and negotiation of financial documents, project documents and legal opinions.
Fabio Lenzini
DLA Piper
Nicola Toscano
Ashurst

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