Member Profiles

Fabrizio Cugia di Sant’Orsola, founding partner of the Cugia Cuomo & Associati Law Firm, regularly advises national and international carriers in the areas of: Electronic Communications with in-depth knowledge and practice of EU policies; ffering and provision of electronic, audiovisual and Internet on line services, including issues on download of content, ISP responsibility in restriction of Intellectual Property violations, services and related IP/Copyright regulation; Adoption of Information Society policies and reviews; Drafting, negotiation and set up of online services and/or dissemination and use of protected IP services or rights on the Web (e.g. editorial responsibilities, use of protected images [such as FIA-FOA Formula One image use in introduction of online betting in Italy], creative commons, licensing, trademarks, open source, Internet search engine agreements, image commercial exploitation, etc.) EU competition/antitrust matters. He is International, WTO (Agreement on Government Procurement – GPA) and EU online regulation expert. Advised public institutions of numerous East European countries with the definition and optimization of completion-enhancing policies in the offering of services. In particular, developed EU-approximated public procurement standards and guidelines, both sector-specific (i.e. for regulated markets such as the EU Telecommunications market) and of general scope, with a view to maximize the financial and administrative efficiency of local, national and international tender procedures. Thorough knowledge of innovative and IT-enhanced procurement methods: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Enterprise resource planning (ERP), e-catalog, e-auctions, e-procurement. He is International and EU communications and electronic commerce regulatory expert: Team Leader in the strengthening and introduction of EU telecommunications regulatory principles in Central Asian Countries, including Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan (World Bank /IFC project). Legal Advisor for National Communications Regulatory Authorities (Italy, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg) in the reform of ex ante telecommunications regulation. Regulatory Expert in the programs of Assistance to approximation of the legislation in liberalized services and offering of e-commerce, Internet and audiovisual services in the Slovak Republic and in Poland. International Contributing Expert in the programs of assistance in regulation alignment projects and in the reform of new liberalized public services and reform of IP rights infringement and protection in Bulgaria. Excellent experience assisting national authorities and Governmental institutions in the development of EU compliant regulatory framework and in drafting and reviewing of EU-approximated competition-oriented sector-specific primary and secondary legislations, including Telecommunication component. Team expert in communications regulatory review projects in Azerbaijan (2005-2010) including projects on adoption of EC and International regulations in the markets for electronic communications services and networks. Experienced Team Leader and in several EU and non-EU sector-specific projects as Telecommunications regulatory expert with missions in Central Asian Countries, including Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan as well as EU-PHARE (Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Albania) and EU-EAR (Kosovo) programs. In-depth knowledge of EU policies, expert in multimedia, IP and communications law. Regulatory and legal counsel of national and multinational communications operators on offering of telecommunications and information technology services in Italy and abroad, with particular emphasis on competition issues, introduction of services, numbering allocation, carrier selection, number portability, personal communication (DECT, UMTS, WiFi, GSM standards as well as upcoming 4G standards, LTE, etc.), authorization and licensing, roaming, antitrust, regulation, outsourcing, interconnection, radio and satellite frequency allocation, housing, code hosting and project financing.  Expert in placement transactions, advisor in the privatization procedures of Mediocredito Centrale and Telecom Italia for the Italian Treasury Ministry. Has supervised the homologation procedure of the FLAG apparatus and equipment in the Palermo international connection cable station (1996). Assists service providers on regulatory and corporate compliance in the offering and introduction of new services. Legal advisor on bidding procedures related to GSM, WLL and UMTS licenses, has assisted in the relevant interconnection, roaming and data processing agreements. Legislative assistant, Italian House of Parliament, IXth Legislation (1988-1991). Has assisted in the elaboration and drafting of primary and secondary legislation (Maccanico Law on broadcasting and telecommunications, administrative reform, energy legislation). Admitted to Italian High Courts, Fabrizio has been Legal Assistant to the Italian House of Parliament (1988 – 1991) and Contract Lecturer in Telecommunications Law (2000-2002) at La Sapienza University, Rome. He is member of the Italian Bar Association; International Bar Association (Chair, Communications Committee 2010-2013); International Institute of Communications; American Bar Association, Centre for the Study of Democracy (“Contributing Expert” in Communications Law and Regulation); North Texas Global Telecommunications Society. He has been the author of several publications in the TLC sector since 1993 and, since 2010, he is a Lecturer of European Law at the SSPLE at the University of Perugia. Winner of  Top Legal Industry Awards Lawyer of Year 2017 in TMT- Technology. Languages Italian English French

Maurizio Lupoi graduated from Rome University School of Law magna cum laude and went on to further studies at Oxford, Cornell and Paris. He then joined the firm his father had founded in the Thirties, of which he is now the Senior Partner: Studio legale Lupoi. In the Eighties the firm opened a branch in New York and Maurizio was admitted to the Bar there as a Foreign Legal Consultant. In the meantime Maurizio pursued an academic career and was appointed Full Professor at Perugia University. He later moved to Genoa University and taught Comparative Law and Trust Law there until his retirement in 2012. His textbook on trusts was translated and published in English by Cambridge University Press (2000).

Lawyer with consolidated experience in corporate finance. He has formed his experience in Venture Capital, M&A and Private Equity transactions, assisting corporate clients in extraordinary merger and acquisition transactions, as well as institutional investors in real estate, private equity and venture capital transactions. He has participated as a speaker and expert in the corporate finance sector at various conferences organized by prestigious Italian universities. He has taught at the MIP Politecnico di Milano in matters of Corporate Finance, Private Equity and Venture Capital. He dealt, among other things, with important restructuring operations, structuring of investment schemes for leading private equity funds and operations in the renewable energy sector. He has collaborated with public institutions in a project aimed at acquiring bank impaired loans.

With over 30 years of experience, Annette is a seasoned Attorney-at-Law, always aiming to provide exceptional service while prioritizing client relationships through every process. She has wide ranging expertise, covering the areas of Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Estate Administration, Real Estate Transactions, Real Estate Development and Corporate/Commercial matters. Annette’s extensive knowledge in the realm of Estates sees her unravelling the complexities of planning and administration for testators, beneficiaries and executors, particularly in relation to the preparation of estate planning instruments and wills and the transfer of assets on death. She can be counted on to steadily guide executors and beneficiaries as to their duties and obligations in the application process on death, the costs and expenses of administration, the documentation to effect transfers and all that is required for a smooth delivery of wealth to beneficiaries in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Well known for her collaborative and affable nature, Annette has worked with a diverse range of clients, including executors for local and international estates, Attorneys-at-Law, beneficiaries in various countries, and individuals with interests in foreign assets. Her experience in navigating complex legal issues such as conflict of laws scenarios, allocation of assets, duties of executors and trustees in the management of assets and tax considerations allows her to provide comprehensive solutions to her clients. Annette’s passion for all matters relating to land see her equally well versed in the areas of Real Estate and Real Estate Development. Her services include applications for first registration of lands, sub-divisions, splinter titles, strata titles and all applications under the Registration of Titles Act.  She is also frequently involved in the preparation and review of  sale/ purchase agreements, development agreements and generally guiding clients to ensure compliance and protection of their interests. Further services include matters affecting sitting tenants, restrictive covenants, caveats, encroachments, and property taxes. Always a team player, Annette works closely with the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Attorneys in relation to family-owned companies and the nuances of same when it comes to the management and transfer of assets on death.  Annette is involved in various professional organizations which reflects her commitment to the legal community. She has actively served in the Jamaica Bar Association and is an Adjunct Tutor at the Norman Manley Law School. On a broader level, she has served as a member of the Air Jamaica Strata Executive Committee and the Jampro Pension Fund Board as Chairman for several years.  In her spare time, Annette enjoys the privilege of being Jamaican (the art, the culture, the sports, the breathtaking scenery), international travel, runs/walks, cooking, and spending quality time with her family and friends.

Admitted Japan (1977) and New York (1982) Bar Association Daini Tokyo Bar Association, New York State Bar Association Education The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1974) The Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan New York University School of Law (M.C.J., 1981) Publications "Growth Strategy 2017: Fine-tuning Japan's Banking Act for Fintech," Who's Who Legal: Japan 2017, Law Business Research Ltd. (2017)  [Co-author] Theory and Practice of TMKs- Asset Liquidation Using TMKs, Kinzai Institute for Financial Affairs (2009) [Co-author] "Securtisation 2008/09 Country Q&A Japan"PLC Cross-border Handbooks: Finance Volume 2, Practical Law Company (2008) [Co-author] "Secured Lending 2008/09 Country Q&A Japan" PLC Cross-border Handbooks: Finance Volume 1, Practical Law Company (2008) [Co-Author] "Japan Overview" The Legal Media Group Guide to the World’s Leading Structured Finance and Securitization Lawyers, IFLR (2007) [Co-author] "Secured Lending 2007/08 Country Q&A Japan"PLC Cross-border Handbooks, Practical Law Company (2007) [Co-author] "Legal Aspects (of aircraft registered in Japan)" Airfinance Annual 2002/2003 [Co-author] "Legal Aspects of PFI Financing in Japan" Japan Now Open For Business, The Essential Investment Guide From Asia Law & Practice (1999) "A case of securitisation of bank loan assets in U.K.- Structure of Rose Fund" NBL No.618, Shojihomu (1997) "Legal Aspects of aircraft registered in Japan" Airfinance Annual 1994/95 "Opinion on asset-backed CP - Discussion on taxation in connection with securitisation overseas of domestic debt obligations" NBL No. 517, Shojihomu (1993) "Relative rules for securitisation in the Cayman Islands" (Translation in Japanese) NBL No. 529, Shojihomu (1993) New Amendment Strengthens Shareholder Control" Asia Law (August, 1993) "International Banking, Japan" International Financial Law Review, Special Supplement (September, 1992) Web Articles "Capacity to Find Solutions to a Wide Range of Complex Issues Borne out of Many Years of Practicing Diversity -Atsumi & Sakai-," Bengo4.com Career (April 2023) [Interview] Seminars "Legal Issues associated with Securing Lease Receivables in Japanese Leveraged Lease Transactions—From the Lenders' Viewpoint", March 14, 1994, organized by the Business Law Institute (Shoji-Homu-Kenkyu-Kai)