Luigi Chessa, the former co-managing partner at Clifford Chance (CC) in Italy, has rejoined the firm after two years as a sole practitioner.

The move, announced today (28 October), sees Chessa return to the firm he quit in 2003 as an of counsel in CC's five-partner Rome office.

Chessa became CC's Italian co-head in 2002 after Vittorio Grimaldi quit the firm with four other partners and 26 lawyers. However, he quit the firm in early 2003 to set up his own practice.

As a sole practitioner, Chessa had worked for ratings agency Standard & Poor's and was appointed to the board of Cassa Desposti e Prestiti. However, the finance lawyer had stayed in contact with partners at CC and is said to have wanted to work as part of a team again.