McDermott Will & Emery's Italian arm has launched an intellectual property (IP) department with the hire of name partner Francesco Mattina from local boutique Gemma Mannino Mattina.

Mattina, who will join the US giant's Rome arm as a partner on 1 October, has been handed a brief to launch a new Italian IP practice as part of a period of investment in the region by the Chicago-based law firm.

The latest appointment also hands a boost to the firm's existing global IP, media and technology group, which comprises 240 lawyers and patent agents.

McDermott has focused much of its recent investment in its Rome practice, which opened its doors in October 2005 with just one partner and has since grown into a 25-lawyer operation with nine partners, handling corporate, tax and antitrust work.

The arrival of Mattina follows McDermott's hire of Lovells lawyer Veronica Pinotti earlier this summer to launch an Italian competition group. Pinotti joined the Rome office in July as a partner to head the new antitrust group.

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