In recent years, given the rise of the globalized digital economy and the increasing profile of multinational companies, the practice of legal outsourcing has become more common. Outsourcing of legal services often involves a parent or multi-national company retaining the legal services of attorneys registered with bar associations different to the home country of the parent company or client.
As there are few internationally registered attorneys who are fluent in Italian, this practice is less common in the Italian legal system. At the same time, Italian multinational companies and/or international law firms may on occasion find it necessary to outsource some or all of legal services. Additionally, Italian law firms or attorneys may collaborate with legal professionals in other countries on multinational client cases. This paper will outline the legal decrees and ethical codes regulating the practice of legal outsourcing in Italy and in so doing establishes how companies can do so in accordance with international and domestic laws while ultimately serving client needs.
This article is included in the journal US-China Law Review Vol. 14, No. 12, December 2017, full text available here
