Legalcommunity Week 2026 kicks off: diary of the opening day
From June 8 to 12, the tenth edition of Legalcommunity Week takes place in Milan, the event dedicated to the Italian and international business legal community. Once again this year, the Hotel Principe di Savoia has confirmed its role as the beating heart of the event, hosting conferences, roundtables, and in-depth discussions on the key issues transforming the legal market, the role of general counsel, and the relationship between professionals, companies, and institutions.
Alongside the professional discussions, there was no shortage of networking and social events, long-standing hallmarks of the initiative. Cocktails, exclusive in-house counsel events, and networking opportunities accompanied a particularly intense opening day.
On Legal Community you can find the updated program of all events and registration links.
Opening day
Legalcommunity Week 2026 opened on Monday, June 8, with the Opening Conference “Elite Legal Symposium: (Shaping) the Future of the Legal Market (in Italy and Worldwide)”, organized with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo and dedicated to the transformations reshaping the national and international legal market.
Following the welcome coffee and institutional greetings by Aldo Scaringella, CEO of LC Publishing Group; Emmanuel Conte, Milan City Councillor for the Budget, Antonino La Lumia, president of the Milan Bar, and Giovanni Lega, founding partner of LCA and honorary chairman of Asla, the proceedings were introduced by Nicola Di Molfetta, editor-in-chief of LC Publishing Group.
The first roundtable, “The Italian Big Firms: Mergers and Value Creation,” featured leading figures from Italian law firms.
Participants included Eliana Catalano (BonelliErede), Bruno Gattai (PedersoliGattai), Francesco Gatti (Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici), Filippo Modulo (Chiomenti), Filippo Troisi (Legance), and Giuseppe Velluto (Gianni & Origoni). Moderated by Nicola Di Molfetta, the discussion focused on growth strategies, consolidation processes, and value creation among large Italian firms.
After a coffee break, the morning continued with “Italy Through the Eyes of Global Law Firms,” a roundtable offering perspectives from big international firms operating in Italy. Speakers included Roberto Bonsignore (Cleary Gottlieb), Luca Picone (Hogan Lovells), Laura Orlando (Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer), and Paolo Sersale (Clifford Chance Italy). The session was moderated by Ilaria Iaquinta, editor-in-chief of Iberian Lawyer.
Attention then turned to the next generation of professional leadership with the roundtable “Nextgen Partners: A New Model of Leadership in Law Firms.” Participants included Leonardo Graffi (White & Case Italy), Michele Milanese (Ashurst Italy), Paolo Nastasi (A&O Shearman Italy), and Ermelinda Spinelli (Freshfields), again moderated by Nicola Di Molfetta.
Afternoon meetings
In the afternoon, following introductory remarks by Giorgio Martellino, general counsel and compliance officer of Avio and president of AIGI, the roundtable “The Business of Law: How Consulting Giants Are Reshaping the Legal Market” addressed the growing role of major consulting firms in the legal sector. Participants included Daniele Caneva (EY), Francesco Paolo Bello (Deloitte Legal), Barbara Pontecorvo (PwC Legal), Sabrina Pugliese (KPMG), and Giovanni Stefanin (BDO Law). The session was moderated by Ilaria Iaquinta.
This was followed by “Beyond Italy: International Networks, GC Navigating the Legal Landscape” a roundtable focusing on the international outlook of legal departments and professional associations. Speakers included Stéphanie Fougou, chairwoman of ECLA and general counsel at Hbxgroup, Patricia Miranda (SNCF Voyages Italia), Alicia Muñoz Lombardia (Santander Spain), Agostino Nuzzolo (TIM), Javier Ramirez (HP), and Nicola Verdicchio (Pirelli). The discussion was moderated by journalist Michela Cannovale.
The day concluded with “Business Lawyering: How It All Began,” reflecting on the evolution of the legal profession through the experiences of key market players. Taking part to the roundtable, Luca Arnaboldi (Carnelutti), Enrico Castaldi (CastaldiPartners), Stefania Radoccia (Bip Law and Tax), and Franco Toffoletto (Toffoletto De Luca Tamajo), moderated by Nicola Di Molfetta.
General Counsel cockatil
Following the conference sessions, the 2026 edition of “Le Tavole della Legge”, a guide to the restaurants most appreciated by Italian business lawyers, was presented.
The evening continued with the traditional General Counsel Cocktail hosted by Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici, during which the GC Champions List 2026 was unveiled, and with the Terrace Party organized by CastaldiPartners to celebrate the firm’s thirtieth anniversary.
