Dardani Studio Legale

Senior partner: Maurizio Dardani
Number of partners: 5
Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish

Firm Overview:
Based in Genoa and Milan, Dardani Studio Legale is an international boutique whose team of advocates is specialised in maritime, commercial and international trade law, dealing with a broad range of corporate, ship finance and competition matters.
The firm assists its clients, both in contentious and transactional matters, representing at national and international level all the interests of the world of shipping, energy, off-shore and commercial trade.
The firm’s lawyers regularly appear as advocates in Court and arbitrations. Its close relationship with Barristers Chambers’ in London and the qualifications in English law held by some members of the firm allows Dardani to provide assistance in cases devolved to the judicial authorities of the UK. Thus allowing the firm to appear in arbitrations heard in London, as well as in international disputes in general.
The firm’s transaction team, strongly developed in recent years, assists its clients in a wide variety of non-contentious matters: on complex corporate and financial transactions, including ship sale and purchase, leases, newbuildings, as well as negotiating and drafting charterparties, pool or joint venture agreements, advising on financial matters, restructuring, competition and corporate law.

Main Areas of Practice:
■ Maritime: Shipbuilding, Sale & Purchase, & Financing of Vessels
■ Maritime: Charterparties, Bills of Lading & International Trade
■ Maritime: Casualty, Admiralty & Maritime Insurance
■ Logistics, Land & Multimodal Transport
■ Commercial, Corporate & Financing
■ Energy and Offshore, International Constructions and Commercial Contracts
■ Litigation & Arbitration
■ Yachts & Yachting

Maritime: Shipbuilding, Sale & Purchase, & Financing of Vessels
The firm has specific experience in the fields of shipbuilding, sale and purchase of vessels and the necessary financing instruments, as it routinely assists clients in the operations of construction and sale of vessel, constitution of suitable corporate structure through vehicle corporations and relative holding companies, registration according to the requested flag, management of payments of advances and related guarantees, closing and execution of contracts, ship mortgage, financing through loan and guarantee system, corporate financing by the formation of joint ventures, leasing and bareboat chartering, relevant taxation.

Maritime: Charterparties, Bills of Lading & International Trade:
At the heart of the firm’s activities is the assistance in the field of maritime transport and, in particular, the firm deals with negotiation and conclusion of charterparties, all types of dispute arising therefrom, the issuance and/or circulation of bills of lading or way-bills, all types of claim for damage to the cargo, quality, defects and contamination of the goods. Also in collaboration with technical consultants, as well as international trade in goods, particularly dealing with contracts for the international sale of commodities, contracts under CIF, FOB, C&F or other INCOTERMS conditions.

Maritime: Casualty, Admiralty & Maritime Insurance:
The firm routinely assists clients in all matters arising from maritime casualties, with insurance related aspects, from single ship averages, to major casualties, with environmental implications and oil pollution, including collision at sea, salvage of ship and cargo, determination of the relative reward, average, particular or general, guarantees linked to the incident, P&I Insurance, H&M Insurance, damage to cargo, damage to passengers, injuries on board, ship arrest, limitation of shipowner’s liability, CLC limitation and IOPC Fund coverage, liabilities of classification societies.

Logistics, Land & Multimodal Transport:
The firm’s clientele includes the main players of the logistics supply chain, such as shippers and multimodal operators, primary inland carriers and rail transporters, both national and international, terminal operators, agents and cargo interests.

Commercial, Corporate & Financing:
The firm advises on matters concerning the choice of the best corporate structure, issues relating to current company activities, mergers and acquisitions, as well as problems of corporate governance, dealing with structuring of corporate groups, joint ventures, pool agreements, restructuring and bankruptcy, corporate and external financing, competition.

Energy and Offshore, International Constructions and Commercial Contracts:
With a strong international vocation, the firm regularly provides expertise in the drafting and negotiation of commercial agreements in various sectors such as energy, oil and gas, commodities, off shore, engineering, technology, automotive, large-scale distribution and real estate. In particular, the assistance includes international sales and consignment of goods, procurement and construction of industrial plants, ‘EPC’ and ‘O&M’ contracts, realization of international projects, project finance.

Litigation & Arbitration:
Parallel to the consultancy activities, the firm has always assisted clients in any dispute, both before judicial authorities and in arbitration, and in managing the dispute in the ‘pre-contentious’ phase, by providing immediate assistance in precautionary procedures and emergency assistance. Thanks to some of the lawyers holding specific qualification in English law, and thanks to close collaboration with primary professional law practices in London, the firm handles cases devolved to UK Courts and in London arbitrations, as well as in international disputes in general.

Yachts & Yachting:
The firm is a point of reference for anyone who needs to tackle complex negotiations for the sale of a yacht or for the conclusion of contracts for the construction of new boats (by free bargaining or through the use of standard forms such as the MYBA or through our own custom-made forms), with the necessary financing and with due attention to applicable fiscal arrangements.