Founder

Paolo Cerina graduated in law in 1989 at the University of Milan, cum laude, and he was admitted as a lawyer in Italy in 1993.

He attended courses in London and Amsterdam and in 1993, with a scholarship awarded by the University of Milano and a grant of the Italian Student Loan Fund, he attended the School of Law of Columbia University in New York, obtaining a Master of Law degree (LL.M.).

After three years practicing as a litigator, as a natural team-oriented player he felt the need to move beyond the adversarial nature of trial law and started to practice corporate law, gaining experience in all aspects of contract and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities law, and intellectual property rights.

He became an equity partner at a ”Magic Circle“ international law firm in 2000, Managing Partner of the Italian Corporate Department and member of the Global Corporate Board from 2004 to 2008.

He left this firm in 2009 and started to counsel with his own law office. In the early years of his private practice, he became a founding partner and key investor in a leading pan-european infrastructure fund, where he successfully completed transactions particularly in the energy and real estate sectors.

During his career, he has served and often serves as a non-executive director of for-profit and not-for-profit Boards, contributing to ensure the legality of their actions and an effective governance and interaction with stakeholders.

Aside from the technical aspects of deal making and transaction structuring, Paolo also understands the ”people“ side of the transaction and is an expert negotiator and communication facilitator. He is particularly adept in maintaining and enhancing the parties' relationship as the transaction proceeds through the time and emotion sensitive phases.