Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has secured its Italian law debut after hiring a seven-partner team from the local legal arm of Ernst & Young (E&Y) as the San Francisco firm steps up its European expansion drive. The partners, part of a 23-lawyer Milan-based team, resigned last week led by partner Alessandro de Nicola, who will become the local managing partner for the US firm. Seven of the lawyers join Orricks as partners.

First reported on www.legalweek.net (4 April).