Ropes & Gray announced the addition of Fabrizio Scaparro as partner and Paola Pagani as counsel in its Milan office, strengthening the firm’s private equity and M&A capabilities across Europe.
The hires are part of Ropes & Gray’s broader strategy to expand its European private capital platform and meet growing client demand for cross-border transactional expertise. Both Scaparro and Pagani join from a leading Italian law firm and bring significant experience advising on complex domestic and international deals.
Scaparro is widely recognized as one of Italy’s leading private equity and M&A lawyers, with experience spanning acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, and minority investments across sectors including healthcare, technology, and industrials. Pagani adds further depth with her expertise in corporate law and cross-border transactions.
Their arrival enhances the firm’s capabilities in Italy, a market that continues to see increasing private equity activity, while reinforcing Ropes & Gray’s integrated European platform, which spans offices in London, Milan, Paris, and Dublin.
The Milan office, which opened in September 2025, represents a key component of the firm’s regional growth strategy, enabling coordinated, cross-jurisdictional advisory services for global clients pursuing complex investment strategies.
With these additions, Ropes & Gray continues to build out its European private capital team, which now includes 16 partners, reflecting the firm’s focus on scaling its presence in key markets and supporting clients across increasingly sophisticated transactions.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our global clients are pursuing ambitious investment strategies in a fast-changing environment. Fabrizio’s and Paola’s proven skill in navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional deals enhances our ability to seamlessly support clients as they capture new opportunities in Italy, across Europe and around the world.”
Julie Jones, Chair, Ropes & Gray
“We are thrilled to welcome Fabrizio and Paola to our Milan team. Fabrizio is very experienced with an impressive track record, and we are incredibly happy that he will lead, together with Giorgia, Alessandro and Luca, our private equity team in Milan. The arrival of Fabrizio and Paola adds further depth to the team’s capabilities, reinforcing our position as a trusted adviser to sponsors on their most sophisticated and innovative transactions.”
Cataldo Piccarreta, Partner And Co-Lead Of European Private Equity Transactions, Ropes & Gray
“Fabrizio’s and Paola’s experience advising on prominent private equity, M&A, and capital markets transactions further drives the upward trajectory of our position in Italy and Europe. Their addition reflects our strategic focus on expanding our presence in markets that are critical to our clients’ global goals, while delivering the calibre and expertise they expect from Ropes & Gray.”
Michael Lee, Partner And Global Co-Chair Of Private Capital Transactions, Ropes & Gray
“Joining Ropes & Gray in Milan during this period of growth is a truly exciting opportunity. The firm’s standout collaborative culture, best-in-class talent, and unwavering commitment to client service set it apart in the market. We look forward to contributing to the strategic expansion of the offering in Italy, one of the fastest-growing European private equity markets, and to the continued success of our integrated European platform.”
Fabrizio Scaparro, Partner, Ropes & Gray
