Corporate & M&A Law · Italy
Work with a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Italy
Italy is a codified civil-law jurisdiction: transactions, notarial formalities and any later litigation follow rules written in the Civil Code and applied by a defined court hierarchy. Tell us what you are dealing with and we introduce you to a lawyer who works on Italian corporate matters.
- Corporate transactions and post-closing disputes
- Lawyers registered with the Italian bar
- Free matching, no obligation to instruct
Free matching service · No obligation · First response usually within 24–48 hours
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Why this page
Finding the right adviser for an Italian deal
Buying or selling a company in Italy involves codified rules, mandatory notarial steps and courts that work differently from those in common-law jurisdictions. Whether you are acquiring an Italian target, selling a family holding or negotiating warranties in a share purchase agreement, you need advisers who know how the Tribunale, the Corte d’Appello and the Corte di Cassazione operate, and who can coordinate notarial deeds, land-registry filings and, where a dispute arises, compulsory mediation. This page explains how that framework works in Italy. When you tell us what you are dealing with, we match you — free of charge and without obligation — with a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Italy whose practice covers corporate transactions and the disputes that can follow them.
Italy in practice
How corporate transactions and disputes work in Italy
Italy is a civil-law country whose core rules are codified in the Civil Code and the Code of Civil Procedure, and whose courts are organised in a clear hierarchy. These are the practical features that shape M&A work and post-closing litigation in the country.
Where corporate disputes are decided
Civil claims arising from a transaction go first to the Tribunale ordinario, sitting as a single judge or a three-judge panel depending on the matter; appeals on the merits are heard by the Corte d’Appello. Italy has 140 Tribunali and 26 Corti d’Appello. The Corte Suprema di Cassazione in Rome reviews questions of law only and ensures uniform interpretation of legislation.
Who may act for you
Practising as an avvocato requires registration in the albo kept by the territorial Consiglio dell’Ordine degli Avvocati, with the Consiglio Nazionale Forense as the national body. Under Law 247/2012, admission requires an Italian or EU law degree, an 18-month traineeship and the State examination. Representation is generally mandatory; only before the Giudice di Pace, for claims up to EUR 1,100, may parties appear in person.
Notarial deeds and land-registry transcription
Contracts transferring ownership of immovable property must be made by public deed or authenticated private writing, on pain of nullity under art. 1350 of the Civil Code. To be enforceable against third parties, the transfer must be transcribed in the land registry, which in practice requires a notary. The notaio verifies title and collects registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes — a routine step in asset deals.
Mediation as a condition of admissibility
Under art. 5 of Legislative Decree 28/2010, a first mediation attempt is a condition of admissibility for a listed set of civil and commercial matters, including banking and financial contracts, insurance, leases and inheritance. The obligation was reinstated by D.L. 69/2013 after judgment no. 272/2012. The condition is met if the first meeting takes place, even without settlement.
Prescription and forfeiture: two different clocks
Italian law separates prescrizione, which can be interrupted or suspended and runs for ten years under art. 2946 of the Civil Code — five years for tort claims and periodic payments — from decadenza, a strict term that cannot be interrupted. Many procedural challenges, such as dismissal claims and administrative appeals, are forfeiture terms, so files are best reviewed early.
What proceedings cost
Court proceedings carry a contributo unificato under art. 13 of D.P.R. 115/2002, scaled by the value of the claim from EUR 43 to EUR 1,686, increased by half on appeal and doubled before the Cassazione; a EUR 27 marca da bollo is also due. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed, with ministerial parameters as a fallback. Legal aid applies below EUR 12,838.01 of annual taxable income.
Key time limit — Commercial & Corporate Law
Debt claim (general contractual) — 10 years. The ordinary prescription period under the Civil Code, running from the point at which the right can be enforced.
Country information is drawn from official Italian sources — the Consiglio Nazionale Forense, the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura, the Normattiva database of legislation and the Ministry of Justice — consulted in 2025.
- Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura — The Italian judicial system
- Consiglio Nazionale Forense — The Italian bar
- Normattiva — Civil Code (R.D. 262/1942)
- Normattiva — Legislative Decree 28/2010 on mediation
- Normattiva — Legislative Decree 104/2010 (administrative process)
- Ministry of Justice — Legal aid in civil and administrative proceedings
Common situations
The problems clients bring to us
Most enquiries we receive about Italian corporate work start with one of these three scenarios.
A deal with Italian formalities
You have agreed the terms, but the target holds real estate or licensed assets, and you discover that a public deed, a notarial file and land-registry transcription are needed before the transfer is effective against third parties.
A dispute after completion
Warranty claims, earn-out calculations or payment defaults surface after closing, and it is unclear whether the file belongs before the Tribunale, the Corte d’Appello on appeal, or an administrative court.
Time limits running quietly
Prescription, forfeiture and the compulsory mediation step can pass unnoticed while negotiations continue, and a well-drafted file can still be weakened by a missed procedural deadline.
What we do
What you get from our matching service
We are not a law firm: we identify the adviser whose practice fits your matter and put you in contact.
Coverage of corporate work
We match you with lawyers who handle share and asset purchases, due diligence, notarial deeds and the transcription of property transfers in the Italian land registry.
Litigation experience where it counts
If the deal turns into a dispute, we look for advisers familiar with the Tribunale, the Corte d’Appello and the Cassazione’s review of questions of law alone.
Free and without obligation
Describing your matter costs nothing and commits you to nothing. You decide whether to instruct the lawyer we introduce to you.
Clarity on Italian costs
Your first conversation can cover the contributo unificato, how fees are agreed under Italian practice, and whether legal aid thresholds are relevant to your situation.
Across Europe
Corporate counsel in other European jurisdictions
Cross-border transactions rarely stay inside one legal system. If your deal also touches another market, we can look for advisers there as well.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Italy handle?
Typically due diligence, share and asset purchase agreements, notarial deeds and land-registry transcription for immovable property, negotiation with counterparties, and post-closing disputes. Italian lawyers must be registered in the albo kept by a territorial Consiglio dell’Ordine degli Avvocati, and representation before the ordinary civil courts is generally mandatory.
Do I need an Italian-registered avvocato for a transaction in Italy?
For advisory and contractual work you can instruct a lawyer qualified elsewhere, but court representation is different. Under art. 82 of the Code of Civil Procedure, parties may appear in person only before the Giudice di Pace for claims up to EUR 1,100; otherwise a qualified difensore is required, and Cassazione work is reserved to lawyers on the special albo dei cassazionisti.
Which court hears a dispute over a share purchase agreement in Italy?
The Tribunale ordinario is the general first-instance civil court, sitting as a single judge or a three-judge panel depending on the matter, and appeals on the merits go to the Corte d’Appello. The Corte Suprema di Cassazione in Rome reviews questions of law only. If annulment of an administrative act is at stake, the TAR decides first, with appeal to the Consiglio di Stato.
Is mediation compulsory before suing in Italy?
For a listed set of civil and commercial matters — including banking and financial contracts, insurance, leases and inheritance — a first mediation attempt is a condition of admissibility under art. 5 of Legislative Decree 28/2010, reinstated by D.L. 69/2013. The condition is met if the first meeting takes place even without settlement. Not every corporate claim falls within the list, so this should be checked early.
How long do I have to bring a contractual claim in Italy?
The ordinary prescription period is ten years under art. 2946 of the Civil Code, running from the point at which the right can be enforced, while five-year terms apply to tort claims and to periodic payments such as rents and interest. Italian law also uses decadenza, a strict forfeiture term that cannot be interrupted and applies to several procedural challenges.
How much does it cost to be matched with a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Italy?
Nothing: matching is free and there is no obligation to instruct. If you proceed, Italian lawyers’ fees are freely agreed with the client, since minimum fees were abolished in 2006, and the ministerial parameters serve as a reference where no agreement exists. Court fees are separate, and legal aid may be available below EUR 12,838.01 of annual taxable income.
Next step
Tell us about your Italian deal or dispute
Describe the transaction, the target or the dispute in a few lines. We will identify a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Italy whose work fits your matter and introduce you — free of charge, with no commitment to proceed.