Milan

White & Case has bolstered its Milan office with the hire of two partners from U.S. rival Latham & Watkins.

Andrea Novarese, the European head of Latham's automotive industry group, and M&A partner Maria Cristina Storchi are set to join White & Case's banking and M&A practices respectively.

Both joined Latham & Watkins in 2008 from Italian firm Bonelli Erede Pappalardo. Storchi had been at Bonelli for more than 12 years, while Novarese had been at the firm for eight years.

In 2017, Novarese and Storchi advised a consortium of 24 banks on the €16.3 billion acquisition of Spanish toll management company Abertis by Italian motorway operators Atlantia.

White & Case head of global banking Eric Leicht said in a statement: "Andrea and Maria Cristina have strong relationships with key Italian financial institutions and corporates across a range of industries. Their practices have exciting synergies with our existing Italian client base and their substantial experience deepens the support our team in Milan provides to our clients."

Last year, White & Case hired M&A partner Tommaso Tosi to its Milan office from Shearman & Sterling, where he had been counsel.

Other recent lateral activity in Milan includes Herbert Smith Freehills' hire of two energy and infrastructure partners and four associates from Paul Hastings.