Dewey & LeBoeuf's Italian arm is rebranding under the name of Italian corporate heavyweight Vittorio Grimaldi after sealing the hire of the high-profile former Clifford Chance (CC) partner.

Dewey's two Italy offices in Rome and Milan have opted to take on Grimaldi's name after deciding to separate from the faltering US firm and operate as a standalone outfit last week.

Grimaldi's former firm voted to dissolve at the end of last year, after corporate chief Roberto Cappelli left the firm alongside an 11-lawyer team to join Italian leader Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners.

The new spin-off firm will now operate under the name of Grimaldi Studio Legale, and will be led by the Dewey's former Italy chief Bruno Gattai.

Grimaldi, who spent two years at CC from 2000 to 2002, will be based in Rome. The new firm will also include Grimaldi's existing base in Brussels, while Grimaldi & Associati competition partner Francesco Sciaudone is also joining the new outfit.

The decision ends weeks of speculation about the fate of Dewey's Italian operations, which has been linked with firms including White & Case. The new firm has a total of 130 lawyers, including 20 partners.

Grimaldi & Associati was set up in 2002 after a 30-lawyer team broke away from CC due to a dispute over the management of the magic circle firm's Italian practice. CC had merged with former ally Grimaldi in 2000.

The news also comes after DLA Piper announced the hire of a five-partner team from the former Grimaldi outfit earlier this month.