Hogan Lovells has recruited its first litigation partner in Rome with the hire of litigation head Massimiliano Marinozzi from local firm Mazzetti Rossi.

Marinozzi joined the Anglo-US firm's litigation, arbitration and employment group this week after 16 years at his previous firm, 12 of which he spent as practice head.

He will be the sole litigation partner in the office, heading up a team of five lawyers. He will work alongside group heads Francesca Rolla and Cristina Pagni, who are based in Milan.

Marinozzi specialises in commercial litigation in industry with an emphasis on the automotive sector and product liability issues.

Hogan Lovells Italy managing partner Leah Dunlop said: "We have built our litigation and arbitration practice gradually in Italy and have been looking for someone in Rome with an international outlook to drive our litigation work forward in terms of clients and contracts in this region.

"In hiring Massimiliano we now have the capability to grow more aggressively in Rome and his expertise in the automotive and sports litigation sectors fits in well with what we do."

Legacy Lovells last bolstered its Italian arm with the hire of a two-partner capital markets team from Simmons & Simmons in July 2009. Hogan Lovells has two offices in the region, in Rome and Milan, both of which were previously Lovells offices.