Sports law specialists Pierfilippo Capello and Andrea Bozza have joined international law firm Withers, reinforcing the team led by Luca Ferrari, global head of sport.
Their arrival creates one of Italy's leading sporting practices in terms of size and quality, working with clients across Europe. Andrea and Pierfilippo bring unique skills and experience on major deals in the football market to the leading legal international team for clients in football and other global sports including Formula 1, tennis and golf.
Andrea and Pierfilippo join the firm from another major international law firm's Italian practice, and will be based in Withers' Milan office, where they will coordinate their activities with partners Anthony Indaimo and Luca Ferrari. They will also work closely with colleagues in Withers' international sports team, based across the United States, Europe and in Asia. For football clients in particular, London and Milan are the new bases for a team that can assist leading individuals in all aspects of the business, including agents, talent, managers, property and investment.
'I am very excited about the opportunities delivered by the hire of Pierfilippo and Andrea,' says Luca. 'I have known them for a long time and think very highly of their work. Their experience fits so well with our focus at Withers, which is to help successful people achieve their objectives and manage their personal, philanthropic and economic interests.'
Andrea is recognised as one of the leading experts in the field of player transfers, and has been assisting the biggest talents in the Italian and international market for years with regulatory issues, as well as with the commercial and sports contracts related to these deals. Pierfilippo is also a renowned advisor in the sports law world, and his practice covers the entire range of legal services for the sports industry, with a particular focus on contracts and disputes involving national and international teams.
Pierfilippo and Andrea comment: 'We are thrilled to join this new team, and look forward to devoting our energy to growing Withers' leadership position in an area that, despite the global crisis, is one of the fastest growing sectors in the legal market.'
Roberta Crivellaro, Withers' managing partner in Italy, adds: 'These are two of the most experienced professionals working at the national and international level in sports. Their move to Withers creates a real 'powerhouse', ready to assist clients in the area of sport, art and entertainment, and also able, like few other firms, to support and guide investors in deal-making in these sectors.'
Withers' sports practice has advised football clients including Paulo Dybala, Sami Khedira, Wojciech Szczesny, Edinson Cavani, İlkay Gündoğan, Amin Younes, Jürgen Klopp, Maurizio Sarri, Ralf Rangnick, Alberto Zaccheroni, Roberto Donadoni and Luca Gotti.
