Italian independent Ripa di Meana LC & Partners has split, only a year after the firm was formed, it was announced yesterday (12 April).

The 70-lawyer outfit, formed through the merger of Rome-based Ripa di Meana and Milan firm Lega Colucci e Associati last year, is to separate, with the two practices operating under the respective former banners.

Partners cited strategic differences as a factor in the break-up.

Seven-partner Lega Colucci was founded in 2004 by former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer local managing partner Giovanni Lega. The firm focuses on M&A, private equity, corporate finance, litigation and arbitration, energy and telecommunications. It now aims to expand its Chinese practice, based in Shanghai and Beijing.

Thirty-lawyer Ripa di Meana will once again be headed by veteran founding partner Vittorio Ripa di Meana.

Lega Colucci corporate partner Marco Gubitosi commented: "It was a peaceful separation. We decided it was much better to separate our offices as we had different ideas in terms of development."