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Mariafrancesca De Leo is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Milan office. She focuses her practice on financial services litigation and regulatory enforcement procedures. She has developed experience in the conduct of internal investigations, particularly in relation to market abuse cases, systems and control violations, mis-selling, fraud, and corruption. She also leads litigation and insolvency matters for clients of a number of sectors, including energy, diversified industrials, and technology.

Mariafrancesca has spent long periods of her professional life outside Italy. Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Mariafrancesca worked for other international law firms, both in Milan and London. 

Mariafrancesca has been recognized by publications, including the Legal 500Legal 500 has praised Mariafrancesca for being a "an outstanding lawyer, with impressive qualities such as passion, dedication, availability to listen and understand clients’ needs. She has considerable experience in financial litigation, corporate and insolvency.” Additionally, “Mariafrancesca De Leo is well prepared and attentive to client’s needs. She always provides business-oriented solutions whilst not forgetting technical excellency.”

Concentrations

  • Securities litigation
  • Financial services litigation
  • Regulatory investigations
  • Commercial litigation

Capabilities

Experience

  • Advising a European bank in relation to the implications in UK of the challenge raised by UK hedge fund in relation to the classification as capital of certain hybrid instruments.°
  • Assisting Mediobanca in the acquisition of the Swiss systematic asset manager (RAM Active Investment) and providing advice on relevant application of CRD IV.°
  • Advising a European bank in relation to a pre-contentious defamation matter, with cross border and market abuse implications, against a major news provider.°
  • Representing a European bank in relation to a large number of retail litigation matters which stem from the Swiss National Bank decision to remove the cap between Euro and Swiss Franc exchange rate and the consequences it created for the bank's clients who had invested in related forex.°
  • Advising a European bank in relation to rogue employees' misconduct, carrying out relevant internal investigation and dealings with supervisory authorities. Representing the bank in disputes commenced by customers stemming out of the employees' misconduct.°
  • Assisting an AIM listed English company in FCA/AIM investigation concerning market abuse.°
  • Assisting an Italian asset manager in advice relating to compliance with IDD (Insurance Distribution Directive).°
  • °Assisting an English multinational in internal investigation concerning the use of suppliers by the past management in relation to potential allegation of corruption.°

°The above representations were handled by Mrs. De Leo prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig Santa Maria, an affiliate of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Recognition & Leadership

  • Listed, Best Lawyers in Italy, Litigation, 2023-2024
  • Listed, Legal 500 EMEA Guide 
    •  Dispute Resolution, 2023-2024
    • Compliance, 2024
  • Listed, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution, 2024
  • Listed, Chambers Europe, Dispute Resolution, 2023-2024
  • Selected, Legalcommunity Finance Awards, “Best Practice Litigation and Investigation,” 2018
  • Listed, Legalcommunity Finance awards, 2016 and 2017
  • Member, Milan Bar Association

Credentials

Education
  • B.A., Law, University of Trieste, 1996
Admissions
  • Italy
Languages
  • Italian, Native
  • English, Fluent