PANETTA Studio Legale | PANETTA Law Firm

Founder and Managing Partner

Rocco Panetta, a Supreme Court Lawyer, Chairman of Panetta Consulting Group, and Managing Partner at PANETTA Studio Legale, is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the leading experts in technology law, data governance, and AI strategy.

In 2023, he was dubbed the "AI Lawyer" for representing OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Replika in the landmark proceedings before the Italian Data Protection Authority, which were the world’s first cases on Generative AI.

A certified CIPP/E, Uniter, and TUV professional, he currently serves as the Country Leader for Italy at the IAPP and is a former member of the IAPP Board of Directors. He is also an Ethics Expert for the European Research Council Executive Agency and part of the European Data Protection Board’s external consultancy pool. Previously, he was a senior executive at the Italian Data Protection Authority, where he led departments overseeing public service concessionaires, marketing, regulatory simplifications, and international data transfers. At the same time, he represented Italy at the European Commission and the Council on matters such as BCR, SCC, SH, APIS/PNR, and IMI.

At Panetta Consulting Group, he leads one of the most qualified and extensive teams specializing in advising SMEs, public administrations, and, above all, multinational corporations operating in the data economy. He also serves as an external DPO for major international groups, national enterprises, and public institutions.

He is the President of several Supervisory Bodies (ODV) for leading companies and groups and also chairs the Monitoring Body (ODM) for the Italian Code of Conduct for Employment Agencies.

Previously, he served as Secretary-General of the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission at the Ministry of the Environment and as a legal advisor to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on telecommunications and environmental law.

Author of over 150 publications, including monographs, legal codes, and editorial series, his insights are regularly featured in Il Sole 24 Ore, Agenda Digitale, Repubblica, and Corriere delle Comunicazioni.

A highly regarded international speaker, he regularly delivers talks and academic lectures from Washington to Sydney, Boston to Brussels, Auckland to London.

Since 2010, he has been recognized and awarded by top legal directories, including Chambers, The Legal 500, TopLegal, Legalcommunity, and Who’s Who Legal.

In 2023, Forbes named him among the 100 most influential Italian lawyers.

Italian: Native; English: Fluent (writing and speaking); French: Intermediate (writing and speaking)

Country Leader Italy and former Board of Directors member of IAPP International Association of Privacy Professionals. Member of the Rome Bar Association.