Marco De Leo has been with BonelliErede, a premier Italian law firm, for his entire career. He joined on the day he graduated with a law degree from the Catholic University of Milan in 2004, rising through the ranks in Milan to make managing partner in Dubai in 2020.
In the years since he assumed the role, he has grown the legal team more than fivefold.
He recalls the firm’s initial foray into Dubai in 2017, saying he was one of three lawyers who set up the office in the Dubai international Financial Centre (DIFC)’s Index Tower, and that he even wore a hard hat in the early days.
Today, the Dubai office is the firm’s hub for work in the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with 16 specialist lawyers who can tap into the firm’s network of more than 500 lawyers across eight offices.
Regional strategy
In addition to Dubai, the firm has an office in Cairo, and the teams in both locations often collaborate across matters. To further support its operations in the region, BonelliErede has established a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) committee, led by partner Catia Tomasetti alongside partners including De Leo and Giuseppe Manzo. In addition, there is a secondment programme enabling lawyers from the Cairo office to work in Dubai for around six months to one year.
Opening the Dubai office a year after the Cairo launch was a strategic decision by BonelliErede to expand its reach into civil law jurisdictions beyond Europe. “Italy and the UAE have a strong commercial relationship and the UAE is a civil law jurisdiction, and, although we have English law capability, we are mainly a civil law system firm,” De Leo explains. This alignment with local frameworks provides BonelliErede with a unique advantage in a market often dominated by UK and US law firms. “We are one of the only continental firms advising on civil law systems in the region,” he says. “Our expertise allows us to effectively serve international clients navigating these jurisdictions, while also providing comprehensive assistance to local players who require our specialised advice.”
Initially the work would arrive from Milan, where the firm is headquartered and moving to new offices next year. Now, he says around 70% of the workload is generated locally.
“Our intention was not to open a representative office, rather the idea was to establish a fully operational office, similar to our Italian locations, to penetrate the Middle East market and deliver our legal services with the same level of quality for which BonelliErede is well known,” says De Leo. “Our aim is to become the go-to firm in the Middle East.”
A personal connection
For De Leo, a father of two young boys aged four and one, his relocation from the firm’s Milan office to Dubai held personal appeal. He is originally from Sicily, and so the city’s warm climate and proximity to the sea appealed to him, plus as a triathlete, who competes at an Ironman World Championship level, he describes it as an ideal training ground. “It is a key part of my life outside of work,” he says, referencing the demanding undertakings of an Ironman: a 190km cycle, a 42km run, and a 3.8km swim.
A professional approach
This dedication and discipline that drives his athletic pursuits are evident in his professional approach. While the office has a strong team, De Leo is the only partner. He starts his day at 5am with some form of physical activity, after which he will head to the office where he continues to fee-earn alongside his managerial duties.
“I do business development; I get the mandate, but I also work on the mandate,” he says.
“I do not go home if I have not finished my work, or if I am not satisfied with the work that I have done,” he adds. “I do the same hours as I was doing as an associate.”
“I do not think there is another way to manage the business,” he says, before adding: “If you want to successfully manage the business.”
De Leo specialises in corporate law and mergers & acquisitions (M&A), which is also the core focus of the Dubai office. This is further supported by capabilities in project finance, energy, international taxation, and a rapidly expanding international arbitration practice.
He explains this growth reflects the increasing sophistication of regional arbitration centres as new rules and regulations are introduced, as well as the region’s large-scale projects in which disputes are materialising. A key focus moving forward for the firm, is to grow its international arbitration practice across the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, he says.
Big mandates
“2024 was a very good year for us, in line with previous years,” he remarks. The firm was involved in big mandates, including an Abu Dhabi government-owned company’s joint venture with an Italian government-owned shipbuilder. It was also recently involved in a deal by Stadler Rail with Saudi Arabia Railways for the supply and maintenance of railway trains for use on Saudi Arabia’s expanding network.
There have also been deals involving the luxury sector, and BonelliErede has a dedicated focus team made up of partners across its offices with specialist experience.
As a corporate lawyer based in Dubai, a city renowned for retail and luxury business, De Leo has been involved in major fashion deals. He recently advised on aspects concerning the Versace group in the Middle East, following Prada Group’s $1.375 billion purchase of the iconic brand. The deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals.
Trends in the luxury sector
One trend he has observed in the luxury market is global brands striving for a stronger foothold in the region, whether by establishing joint ventures or a direct presence in the region as laws evolve to make this possible without the previous requirement of a local partner.
What’s more, Dubai has introduced a new regulation allowing companies within the free zone to operate in the mainland, which De Leo says will have a significant impact on company structures moving forward.
De Leo has also noted a significant emphasis among businesses in the region on e-commerce. Previously, local partners in joint ventures often excluded this in agreements, with global brands typically managing it centrally. However, it has now become a crucial point in their negotiations, he says. Further, intellectual property (IP) considerations are evolving beyond just brand names to include aspects like store layout and concept.
Looking ahead
His priorities for the Dubai office over the next two years, which also marks a decade of the firm’s Dubai operation, in 2027, include continued expansion both in terms of people and practice areas, such as litigation, he says.
De Leo rules out office expansion for the time being. “We are an ambitious international law firm and every strategic decision we make is in response to what our clients need from us and in-line with the firm’s strategy,” he says. “Our growth trajectory is carefully calibrated to enhance our capability to deliver exceptional legal services across key markets, while maintaining the high standards of excellence and client-focused approach that distinguishes our firm.”
Reflections
Looking back on his 20 years at BonelliErede, De Leo emphasises that it is the people, whom he considers his “second family”, that are one of the several reasons why he has stayed with the firm.
“BonelliErede has been my second family for more than 20 years. I have spent more time in the offices of BonelliErede than in any other place, and there has been no one single day that I have regretted spending a significant part of my life at the firm,” he says. “The reasons for remaining with the firm for such a long time are several, but above all what I have always appreciated are the people at BonelliErede.”
His biggest challenge was becoming a partner. He entered the process upon arriving in Dubai and was promoted to the firm’s partnership in January 2019. He became the managing partner of the Dubai office a year later in March 2020.
“It is a tough process,” he comments. “It involves compromise on your personal life, but for me, I never viewed it as a sacrifice, because I love my work. Our team works on high-profile matters, offering the kind of professional growth and intellectual stimulation that truly drives us as legal professionals.”
Advice
One piece of advice that has stayed with him throughout his career is the importance of continuous learning. It was first relayed to him by one of the firm’s co-founders, Sergio Erede, who is still at the firm, during a meeting on his second day in the office. De Leo himself decided to undertake a master’s in law focused on corporate M&A at the London School of Economics (LSE) in 2011 while in practice. This advice he continues to uphold and instills into junior lawyers. “I think it is crucial in our business,” he says. “If you are not up-to-date it will begin to show.”
For lawyers considering a move to Dubai, he encourages developing a specialised practice to maintain an edge over peers and provide firms with a strong incentive to invest in them.
“Dubai is erupting as a volcano of opportunity,” he says. “Its ever-evolving skyline symbolises a market with no bounds.”
This article was first published in the May 2025 print issue of Law Middle East.
