LabLaw

Partners: Francesco Rotondi, Michela Bani, Alessandro Paone, Angelo Quarto, Pietro Speziale
Number of lawyers: 50
Languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish

Firm Overview:
LabLaw is an award-winning Italian employment and labour law boutique with the largest presence in Italy through its offices in Milan, Naples, Turin, Rome, Bari, Genoa, Messina, Bologna and Triveneto. From contracts to collective dismissals, European Works Councils to executive benefits, health and safety to HR management and strategy, litigation to NDAs, pensions to privacy, restructurings and reorganisations, trade unions to transfers of undertakings and much more — LabLaw provides 360° employment and labour law counsel.
Founded in 2006 by managing partner Francesco Rotondi, the firm anchors its strength on its team of 50 professionals who are all exclusively specialised in employment law and industrial relations. LabLaw’s pure focus in this field reassures clients that they are receiving the highest skill set and the best solutions to manage even the most complex workforce matters. LabLaw knows that employment and labour law issues do not just happen from 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. To ensure a continual personalised service, LabLaw is available to assist clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
In 2020, LabLaw entered a strategic alliance with Deloitte Legal, aimed at bringing together LabLaw’s excellence in employment law and the multidisciplinary and innovative legal services market of Deloitte Legal, part of the network of one of the world’s leading consulting firms.

International Alliance and LabLaw International Desks | DE - ES - FR:
LabLaw is a founding member and the Italian representative of L&E GLOBAL — an award-winning alliance of premier labour and employment law boutiques with 30+ members and 1500+ professionals located around the world (https://leglobal.org/).
The international department is managed by the Partner Michela Bani who also coordinate the three international desks that provide counsel on Italian workplace management and strategy to businesses operating in French, German and Spanish speaking markets — in their own mother tongue — to better facilitate business.

Professional Associations:
International Bar Association (IBA), American Bar Association (ABA), European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA), Italian Employment Lawyers Association (AGI), Italian Association of Personnel Directors (AIDP), HR Community, Italian Association of Law Firms (ASLA), Italian Bar Association and the Italian Supreme Court Bar. Sectors: LabLaw advises both domestic and international companies in all sectors — including automotive, banking and finance, energy, FMCG, fashion, health- care, information technology, insurance, luxury goods, manufacturing, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, retail, sports, telecommunications, and tourism.

Awards:
■ TopLegal –‘Italian Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year’ 2020, 2019 and 2018
■ Legalcommunity –‘Italian Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year’ 2020 and ‘Law Firm Alliance of the Year’ 2020
■ Le Fonti –‘Law Firm of the Year Labour Restructuring’ 2018, ‘Excellence in Italian Employment Law’ 2016
■ LOY - ‘Italian Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year’ 2017
■ Corporate INTL –‘Employment Litigation Law Firm of the Year in Italy’ 2016
■ Legalcommunity –‘Law Firm of the Year Industrial Relations’ 2015
■ The Lawyer –‘Italian Law Firm of the Year’ 2011, ‘European Niche Law Firm of the Year’ 2009
■ Regularly recognised in Chambers, Legal 500, TopLegal, LegalCommunity Labour Report “The Best in Italy” and Who’s Who Legal

Main Areas of Practice:

HR Management:
LabLaw advises on a wide range of employment matters including full-time and part-time employment contracts, consulting agreements, remuneration, benefits, incentive schemes, individual and collective transfers, privacy, change of job/duties, stock option plans, pensions.

Restructuring & Reorganisations:
The team counsels’ businesses on all employment- related aspects of corporate reorganisations and restructurings especially in the context of mergers, acquisitions, and downsizings when outsourcing operations, collective redundancies, plant closures, and employee-related due diligence are required.

Trade Unions & Industrial Relations:
LabLaw, which represents clients in front of national trade unions as well as during negotiations with the Italian Ministry of Labour, has extensive experience advising on industrial relations, European Works Councils (including formation), negotiating collective company level bargaining agreements, transfer of undertakings.

Corporate Governance & Compliance:
The team advises companies on corporate governance legislation including organisational models, management and controls, health and safety, in addition to the drafting and enforcement of disciplinary procedures, codes of conduct and ethics.

Dispute Resolution:
LabLaw provides prosecution, defence, mediation and arbitration counsel in disputes arising from wrong- full dismissal claims, NDAs, fiduciary duties, misuse of confidential information, agency relationships, social security matters and more — also providing representation in the Italian Supreme Court.

Trade Secrets & Forensic Investigations:
LabLaw is well versed in providing counsel to clients on trade secret protection through non-compete covenants and other post-termination restraints as well as advising on the regulations for systems which monitor employees and internal investigations, ensuring compliance with local laws.

Immigration:
The firm advises companies on all aspects of the transfer of employees across borders including the management of secondment and relocation procedures, transfer letters and agreements, work permits for foreigners working in Italy and Italian personnel working abroad.

LABLAW Sport:
LabLaw has a specialised team of lawyers exclusively dedicated to advising professional athletes and premier league teams on the transfer of players between teams, negotiating and drafting of professional sports contracts — in addition to providing counsel on exit agreements.

LABLAW Training:
LabLaw Training offers HR managers and in-house lawyers’ proactive seminars on the latest regulatory changes which may impact their human resource management and strategy. LabLaw Training empowers clients by giving them the knowledge they require to better manage their business affairs.