The ongoing revival of Italian independent firms has been underlined with the announcement this week that Milan's Lega Colucci Morri & Associati (LCM) has merged with Rome-based Ripa di Meana to form a 70-lawyer firm with offices in Milan, Rome and Beijing.

The new firm will be re-branded Ripa di Meana LC & Partners. Vittorio Ripa di Meana, who has headed his firm since 1955, is highly regarded in Italian finance circles and brings several heavyweight Italian clients to the merged firm, including publishing group Groupo Editoriale L'Espresso.

Ripa di Meana partners Maurizio Martinetti, Giuseppe Masoni, Luca Scordino and Virginia Ripa di Meana will all maintain partner status in the new 12-partner firm.

Commenting on the deal LCM partner Marco Gubitosi told Legal Week: "[Our two firms] worked together extensively in the past and built up an excellent working relationship. The merger was a logical progression." He added the Ripa di Meana name had taken prominence as the firm wanted to make use of the Rome lawyer's profile.

The move is the latest in a busy 24 months for LCM, which launched as Lega Colucci & Associati in February 2004 after spinning off from Freshfields' Italian arm. The firm then upgraded its tax practice after hiring the former local managing partner of Deloitte, Stefano Morri, and a team of 20 lawyers, to become Lega Colucci Morri & Associati in April last year.