Ropes & Gray’s European Private Capital Platform Expands with Partner Fabrizio Scaparro and Counsel Paola Pagani Joining in Milan

Global law firm Ropes & Gray announced today that leading private equity and M&A lawyer Fabrizio Scaparro and experienced private equity counsel Paola Pagani have joined the firm’s Milan office. Their arrival expands the firm’s market-leading transactional capability in Italy and strengthens its private capital offering across Europe and beyond.

“Our global clients are pursuing ambitious investment strategies in a fast-changing environment,” said Julie Jones, Chair. “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.”

Fabrizio Scaparro, one of Italy’s leading private equity and M&A lawyers, is highly regarded for advising financial sponsors and multinational corporations on a broad range of complex domestic and cross-border M&A and leveraged transactions across multiple sectors, including healthcare and life sciences, technology, business services, consumer, chemical, food, and industrial. His experience spans acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, and minority investments in both public and private companies. He also advises on corporate and securities matters, debt restructurings, and corporate reorganisations.

Paola Pagani, an experienced private equity lawyer, adds further depth to the practice with her expertise in corporate matters and extensive experience advising clients on a wide range of complex cross-border transactions.

Fabrizio and Paola join the firm’s Milan office from a leading Italian law firm. In addition to bolstering the firm’s deal-making capabilities in Europe, their arrival reflects Ropes & Gray’s continued commitment to expanding its European private capital platform as client demand for sophisticated solutions and exceptional service grows across the region.

Ropes & Gray’s Milan office opened in September 2025 to meet growing demand for the firm’s cross-border expertise. The office’s launch marked a significant step in advancing Ropes & Gray’s European platform, which operates as a single integrated hub across London, Milan, Paris, and Dublin. Clients benefit from coordinated advice and friction-free execution across jurisdictions. Fabrizio joins an Italian practice made up of private equity partners Cataldo Piccarreta, Giorgia Lugli, Luca Maranetto, and Alessandro Capogrosso.

“We are thrilled to welcome Fabrizio and Paola to our Milan team,” said Cataldo Piccarreta, partner and co-lead of European private equity transactions. “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.”

“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,” said Michael Lee, partner and global co-chair of the firm’s private capital transactions practice. “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.”

“Joining Ropes & Gray in Milan during this period of growth is a truly exciting opportunity,” said Fabrizio Scaparro. “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 is ranked for Corporate/M&A in Chambers Europe and Chambers Global, Private Equity in Chambers Europe, and M&A, Private Equity and Capital Markets in IFLR1000.

Fabrizio is the latest partner to join Ropes & Gray’s European practice. His arrival follows earlier 2026 partner additions: Paul Dali and Lavinia Ralli in London, Alessandro Capogrosso in Milan, and Edouard Chapellier, Jonathan Abensour, Gaëtan Gianasso, Denis Criton and Michael Colle in Paris.

With Fabrizio, the firm’s European private equity transactions practice now comprises 16 partners. Fabrizio will work alongside Cataldo Piccarreta, Elizabeth Todd, John Newton, Paul Dali, Shona Ha, Vicky McGrath, Lavinia Ralli (London), Fabrice Cohen, Emmanuel Mimin, Gaëtan Gianasso, Denis Criton, Michael Colle (Paris), Alessandro Capogrosso, Giorgia Lugli and Luca Maranetto (Milan).