Massimiliano Danusso

Partner

massimiliano.danusso@belex.com

Main office: Rome

Focus Team: Banks, Debt Capital Markets, Insurance

Expertise

Banking and Finance, with particular focus on:
- Capital Markets
- corporate finance operations
- credit-linked notes and derivatives
- bond offerings
- covered bonds
- securitisations
Advising financial institutions on highly complex derivative and financial litigation, both civil and criminal

Foreign Languages: English

Background

President of the firm
Board member since 2021
Primarily based in BonelliErede’s Italian offices while also serving as Managing Partner of the London office
Team leader of the Debt Capital Markets Focus Team
Member of the Banks Focus Team
Member of the Insurance Focus Team
Member of the Africa Team
Country Partner for the United Kingdom and for the United States of America Midwest (FL, TX)
Joined in 2016 as a Partner
Appointed P.R.I.M.E. Finance Expert
Member of the Editorial Board of the Capital Markets Law Journal, edited by the Oxford University Press
Vice Chair of the IBA Debt Capital Markets Subcommittee

Ranking and Awards

Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 EMEA international legal directory list Massimiliano one of Italy’s major experts in banking and financial law, securitisations and debt capital markets

Testimonials

“Massimiliano Danusso provides a great technical service with superb commercial advice and an outstanding ability to deliver on complex documentation in record time.”

(The Legal 500 EMEA)

Qualifications

Member of the Italian Bar
Solicitor registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for England and Wales (2019)
SJD in Civil Law from University of Rome
LL.M. from the Ann Arbor University, Michigan
Law degree from La Sapienza University in Rome

Knowledge Sharing

EMIR 3 – EU lawmakers agree on new clearing obligations and margin requirements

The new EU Regulation pragmatically addresses some of the main issues arisen from trading and risk management practices and, in particular, introduces new provisions and requirements applicable to clearing and margin obligations, with the objective of making the European regulatory framework ap …

Energy transition and derivatives – challenges and opportunities in light of the Draghi Report

The Draghi Report highlights key issues such as distortions in the energy derivatives market and calls for regulatory changes, including revising position limits and the ancillary activity exemption. Additionally, it emphasizes the increasing importance of financial instruments such as Power Pu …

The Italian Supreme Court takes a position on the jurisdiction over disputes relating to derivative transactions

By a landmark decision issued on 15 July 2024, the Italian Supreme Court declared the lack of jurisdiction of the Italian Courts over a claim ultimately aimed at challenging the validity of certain derivative transaction documented by the ISDA Master Agreement (and as such subject to the Englis …

ESG Insights | Between ethical finance and Italy’s mortgage crisis: exploring the potential of social value securitisations

The ESG market has seen exponential growth at EU and national level. While most investment capital and regulatory initiatives have so far focused on environmental matters, social and governance aspects are now starting to join the central stage as a necessary means to achieve large-scale goals. …

ESG Insights | Sustainable securitisations: tapping into the ‘old’ to catch the wave of new opportunities

Financing that takes into account environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors has been gaining prominence for several years now, so much so that ESG assets are expected to represent a third of global assets under management by 2025. Indeed, investors are increasingly seeking produc …

The High Court of Justice of England and Wales hands down a landmark judgment on derivative contracts entered into by an Italian local authority

On the heels of the Italian Supreme Court’s well-known Cattolica decision of May 2020, a new chapter has been written in the long-running legal debate over certain derivative contracts entered into by a small local authority in Italy. This time, the High Court of Justice of England and Wal …

More certainty with non-possessory pledges over movable assets

Decree No. 114 of 25 May 2021 of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which establishes a register for Italian non-possessory pledges, has finally been published in the Italian Official Gazette. Non-possessory pledges widen the possibility for entrepreneurs registered in the competent compan …

Article 56 of the “Cura Italia” Decree: moratorium on the payment of loan instalments and effects on derivative contracts

On 17th March 2020, the government passed Law Decree no. 18/2020 (the “Cura Italia” Decree), as converted into law and in course of publication in the Italian Official Gazette, introducing, inter alia, new measures to support businesses suffering from ca …

Brexit Update: Italy prepares for a no deal Brexit and converts into law the Brexit Decree

On 20 March 2019, the Italian Council of Ministers approved the Law Decree No. 22 of 25 March 2019, which came into force on 26 March 2019 (the “Brexit Decree”), introducing urgent measures in order to manage the potential effects of a “no-deal” Brexit scenario on the activities of UK …

Development Decree: new amendments to the Italian Securitisation Law

Law Decree No. 34 of 30 April 2019 (the so-called Decreto Crescita, or "Development Decree") has introduced some further, significant amendments to the "Italian Securitisation Law" aimed, inter alia at (i) fostering the transfer of “unlikely to pay” (UTP) receivables; (ii) introducing chang …

Alert Brexit: Brexit Decree

The Italian Council of Ministers has approved a law decree introducing urgent measures in order to manage the potential effects of a “no-deal” Brexit scenario on the activities of UK banks, investment firms, e-money and payment service institutions, insurance companies, insurance and reinsu …

Insights

BonelliErede: new Milan office in 2026 - 19 March 2025

BonelliErede announces its plan to consolidate its Milan offices into a single landmark space in the heart of the vibrant Porta Nuova district, between Brera and Gae Aulenti. The new headquarters, owned by the Atlas fund (managed by the leading private and independent asset management company K …

2025 edition of the Franco Bonelli Memorial Scholarships kicks off - 18 March 2025

For the ninth year now, BonelliErede is granting two scholarships in memory of one of its founders, Franco Bonelli. The scholarships are open to law graduates who intend to pursue their studies in a different European country than their home country or in the US in one or more of the following …

Ferdinando Emanuele joins BonelliErede as partner and co-head of the firm’s international arbitration practice - 3 February 2025

BonelliErede announces the arrival of Ferdinando Emanuele as a partner based at the firm’s Rome office. With a successful international career spanning over 30 years in the arbitration and litigation arena, Emanuele will become co-head of the firm’s international arbitration practice alongs …

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