Linklaters' Italian ally Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners has hired the legal head of the Italian Antitrust Authority, in a major boost for the firm's competition team.

Piero Fattori joins Gianni Origoni's antitrust and regulatory practice. Prior to working at the Authority, he spent four years at CONSOB, the Italian securities market regulator.

"The arrival of Piero further strengthens our antitrust department, which has already acquired great potential last year with the entry of former secretary general of the Italian Antitrust Authority, Alberto Pera," said Gianni Origoni managing partner Francesco Gianni.

The leading Italian firm's 15-lawyer antitrust practice is currently headed by Pera. Clients include Bayer, Totalfinaelf and Vodafone.

The firm has made a number of senior appointments in the past two years, including in 2001 raiding Simmons & Simmons' respected Italian practice.

The move saw Gianni Origoni hire Simmons' former Italian name partner Eugenio Grippo and rainmaking partners Stefano Speroni and Andrea Giannelli, plus a team of seven other lawyers.

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