Independent Italian firm NCTM has beefed up its tax offering in Rome after agreeing a merger with local tax boutique Agnesi & Serpieri.

The move, announced today (7 February), sees all seven Agnesi lawyers cross over to NCTM, including name partner Paolo Agnesi, who joins NCTM's equity. The rest of the team comprises one salaried partner and five associates.

The latest additions boost NCTM's tax team to around 30 professionals and follow the hire of an eight-strong tax and corporate team from the local arm of Ernst & Young earlier this year.

Corporate lawyers Maurizio Cimetti, Giuseppe Parente and Michele Fiorini, along with five tax auditors, joined the Verona arm of NCTM last month.

In January the firm announced the appointment of a new senior partner, with corporate specialist Paolo Montironi taking over from Gianfranco Negri-Clementi for a three-year term.

NCTM now has nearly 200 lawyers across offices in Milan, Rome, Vicenza and Verona, with around 35 in the equity partnership.