Simmons & Simmons has poached two partners from White & Case in Italy, a year after the firm closed its Rome office.

Capital markets partners Paola Leocani and Nicholas Lasagna have both joined Simmons’ Milan office.

The hires come a year after Simmons’ consolidated its Italian offices by closing its doors in Rome and relocating its partners to Milan. The firm’s nine Rome partners were moved to Milan while its associates were offered the opportunity to relocate rather than lose their jobs.

At the time Simmons’ senior partner Colin Passmore said that the firm was still committed to the Italian market but added that the majority of its clients were located in Milan.

Leocani’s practice focuses on debt and securitised derivatives as well as liability management transactions and equity capital markets. She joined White & Case in 2013 after working as a partner at Allen & Overy (A&O) for seven years.

Lasagna advises clients on bank finance and capital market transactions. He specialises in leverage finance, acquisition finance, bond private placements, syndicated loans and debt restructuring finance matters. He worked as a partner at White & Case after joining the firm in 2011 from Latham & Watkins. Prior to that he worked as a senior associate at Clifford Chance.

Simmons’ international financial markets head Jonathan Hammond said: “Their arrival emphasises our continued commitment to developing our international capital markets offering and brings the number of partners who have joined our international financial markets practice so far this year to 10.”

Simmons recently lost four intellectual property partners in London to A&O after the magic circle firm pulled off a string of successful raids on the firm. A&O poached Simmons head of IP Marc Döring and partner Marjan Noor earlier in the year before picking up partners Mark Heaney and David Stone last month.