McDermott Will & Emery is to launch a tax practice in Rome after hiring three partners from the Rome and Milan offices of Italian firm Trivoli & Associati.

Tax partners Mario Martinelli, Andrea Tempestini and Carlo Paolella are expected to join the firm in the New Year as partners with Paolella leading the team.

The lawyers have previously acted on deals including advising Deutsche Morgan Grenfell on its acquisition of car maker Piaggio and advising manufacturers Ducati and Luxottica on the tax aspects of financings and business restructuring.

Their hires take McDermott's Rome office to seven partners. It previously had an office in Milan through a merger with Carnelutti but lost that office when the venture with the independent firm collapsed last year.

Mike Fayhee, the chair of McDermott's tax practice told Legal Week: "We hired them because they have a good independent tax practice which complements our practice in Munich and London. Also we have a strong corporate practice in Italy which needs tax support."