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Boccadutri Law Firm is an independent international law firm with a global network of clients and 13 offices across Europe, the Americas, and Oceania.
We are a dynamic, multilingual team with decades of experience in Italian and international law. But beyond the law, we bring empathy, clarity and professionalism to every case we handle.
Founded in 10
10 people in their team
We understand that having an accident in a foreign country can be a very traumatic experience.
As well as the obvious stress caused by the injuries suffered, there is also the difficulty of dealing with public authorities that speak a different language.
Our global presence and network of professional collaborators that extends to all five continents ensure that, in your native language, you can get the compensation you deserve from your home country.
At Boccadutri, we specialise in making this process as easy as possible for our international clients so they can concentrate on making a full recovery, safe in the knowledge that their case is being taken care of.
We focus on helping injured clients and their families restore their lives by getting them the financial security they need.
We will clearly explain your legal rights and ensure that your rights and interests are protected.
We act as your representative to resolve all the bureaucratic issues of your case and deal with all parties involved.
Our Family Department has extensive experience and expertise in representing clients based throughout the world on divorce law issues in Italy and resolving their matters.
Family law matters are often complex and are usually handled during periods of high stress and emotion.
It can be difficult to make life-impacting decisions under such circumstances.
For this reason, it is important to have a family law lawyer help you wade through the chaos.
An experienced family lawyer should be able to help you see the larger issues at play and provide the advice you need to make informed decisions about your future.
In divorce cases, the size of a potential financial settlement is, in many cases, conditioned by the country in which the divorce proceedings are filed.
At Boccadutri, we can provide you with detailed advice in a timely manner as to the best place to file your divorce proceedings.
If children are involved and you or your ex-partner reside outside of Italy, then the issue of where the children live and what contact arrangements they will have with the non-resident parent will need to be resolved.
We have vast experience in dealing with these types of issues and representing your wishes either through mediation or with the assistance of the Court.
Our team is at the forefront of creating new family law and have been involved in many leading cases in recent years.Legal separation in Italy
The Italian legal separation of the spouses is regulated by the Italian Civil Code, the procedural code and related statutes.
There are two types of legal separation in Italy:
Legal separation in Italy does not break up the marriage; it divides the legal communion and the duty of marital fidelity.
Moreover, the legal separation of the spouses in Italy, unlike a divorce, is temporary so it gives the couple time to reconcile, without formalities that issue an ad hoc declaration.
The Italian legal separation may result in affecting the personal and patrimonial relations between husband and wife, as well as between parents and children; by way of an example:
Our comprehensive range of legal services includes dedicated wills, tax, trust and a probate department.
We are also one of the few legal firms to offer in-house forensic accountancy specialists, helping clients establish the true value of assets and achieve full financial disclosure.
If you are going through a divorce or need assistance with the legal issues involved with adoption, seek advice from a family law lawyer.
A skilled lawyer should be able to help you understand the legal ramifications of decisions you have to make and fight to protect your best interests.
For more information about our family law practice, or to schedule a consultation with a divorce lawyer, contact Boccadutri today. Our lawyers will handle your family law matter with the utmost sensitivity, and confidentiality.
The Boccadutri International Law Firm has gained extensive experience in legal services related to real estate. Our team includes international and corporate Real Estate lawyers.
We offer services directed to Italian and foreign investors who are interested in buying and selling real estate in Italy and abroad.
Real Estate in Italy is a complex matter and covers many areas.
It can be a daunting prospect when entering into negotiations; for this reason we provide you with advice that will guide you from the moment you decide to purchase a property, supporting you throughout the whole process.
In addition to private property purchases for personal use, we provide clients with the necessary information to purchase properties as an investment.
We share our specialist knowledge with you related to market values, opportunities to invest in safely, off-plan purchases and buying commercial properties – all of which can give you an added income each year.
If you are interested in purchasing your dream house in Italy, we will put you in touch with the best, well known-brokers and the right real estate agencies.
Experts in real estate law are essential in these transactions to safeguard your investment and advise you on all of the potential hidden risks.
The first and most important step to be followed in a property purchase is due diligence.
Administrative risks and fines are commonplace in these transactions, as there are many different aspects to adhere to when making an investment in a property.
In Italy, signing a preliminary contract does not transfer the property into your name; however, signing the agreement does carry certain commitments.
If thorough due diligence has not been carried out, various problems can arise which can lead to you losing your deposit or wasting unnecessary money to rectify the issue.
To purchase your dream home, you may need a mortgage to help you afford the property.
As with the purchase itself, this can be a complicated matter, especially if you do not understand the law and the language.
We have extensive experience in obtaining mortgages for clients and can assist you in your application; furthermore, we work closely with Italian banks, which enables us to get you the most favourable deal in terms of interest payments.
Just as we offer assistance in buying homes, we are also able to assist you if you wish to sell your property.
Having a specialist in Real Estate law guide you in these transactions is essential, since Italian bureaucracy does not always make it easy to sell a property if the documentation related to it is not up-to-date, clear and complete.
Additionally, you may not know that you also need a valid Italian fiscal code and updated energy certificate to sell a property – just a couple examples of the requirements needed to carry out these transactions.
We assist clients throughout the entire process and make sure to acquire the relevant documentation to ensure that the sale goes through without any problems.
We also assist many clients that have inherited property from family members and wish to sell as they do not reside in Italy.
This can also be a complicated procedure, as the probate may not have been completed correctly, or other discrepancies exist. Common problems include the land registry not being updated or planning permissions that are missing.
These issues can be easily resolved by an experienced Italian Real Estate lawyer who will ensure the whole process is completed without any complications.
To purchase or sell a property in Italy, you do not need to be present at the completion.
You can appoint our Lawyers through Power of Attorney, which will allow us to represent you.
Furthermore, having us represent you at the completion will save you money for a translator which will be needed to complete the transaction before the Notary if you do not speak Italian fluently.
If you need a surveyor, we have external consultants that work closely with us who can provide answers to your questions such as to the value of the property, structural condition, market value, and other important information.
Insurance is another important aspect of real estate.
After going through all the stages to find and purchase your dream home, it is advisable to insure your new home in order to safeguard your investment.
It is not always easy to understand the intricacies of insurance contracts, which sometimes hide risks with complex legal expressions; our team will advise you as to what is the most suitable insurance policy that fits your needs.
Furthermore, we will negotiate with insurers to obtain the lowest cost with the maximum security.
Taxes are another important point which people often forget about, only to notice after the purchase/sale that they could have saved money.
Unfortunately, part of buying a property includes the duty to pay taxes, and there are various different taxes to be paid and the total sum may change, so it is imperative that you seek legal advice to ensure that you pay the lowest amount possible.
If you are not correctly informed, you will find yourself in trouble with the Italian tax office and will subsequently have to pay heavy fines. Indeed, moving your residency to Italy will allow you to save a lot of costs in terms of taxes, as there exists many legal strategies to reduce the total amount due.
Risks are behind every corner in these transactions and what makes our clients contact us is that they feel safe in the knowledge that the sale/purchase is being carried out by professionals who deal with these matters on a daily basis – our scope is not pushing you to purchase or sell, but rather to ensure that things run in a smooth and time-efficient manner.
Once the sale or purchase is complete, if needed, we can also assist you in managing on-going tax payments to the local municipality and local taxes. Failure to pay these taxes can again lead to fines from the tax office, so it is important to obtain the correct information.
There are a few ways to invest in real estate in Italy.
If you are looking for a way to establish an extra revenue stream, purchasing a property to rent out to tenants is a secure way to do so. However, you need to be certain that the property that you are buying corresponds with the rental demand in your specific area.
Alternatively, you can buy property and carry out restoration work to increase its value, then resell it at a later date.
Indeed, you can also buy an off-plan property and sell it once it is complete.
In this case, we can assist you with all documentation and contracts that need to be drafted and protect your interests through the entire transaction.
Whichever option you choose, to ensure your investment is financially successful, you will need to pay attention to all the risks involved and have an in-depth knowledge of the property market in the local area.
Our experience and knowledge in this market means we are able to give you the best guidance and advise you on which kind of investment to consider, depending on your requests and needs.
When purchasing a luxury home overseas, it is of the utmost importance to ensure the transaction is conducted in a manner that will protect your property rights.
Consulting a qualified real estate lawyer will help ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, and that your property rights are protected and all necessary paperwork is completed.
The firm, on behalf of its clients, deals with every legal aspect, grants every possible administrative compliance, and provides legal support in case of judicial dispute.
Were your ancestors Italians and would you like to apply for citizenship jus sanguinis? We will do the appropriate research and reconstruct your family history to get you Italian citizenship.
It is important to know that:
Citizenship can be obtained automatically only through “jus sanguinis“. However, there is a history to be reconstructed: entanglements of people, ancient documents, and names that were changed as they passed from one country to another, as diligent clerks relied on interpreting what they were told in another language, and our ancestors, often illiterate, were hardly able to correct the error.
Moreover, there is the fact that our ancestors have not always been able to maintain ties with Italy, because the states that received them perhaps forced them to renounce their Italian citizenship.
In addition, exists also the maternal lines (bloodlines starting from women), which are the most complex ones to gradually put back together. Regardless to the illiteracy, the surname that may have been changed and the local law that may have taken away their citizenship, there was also the acquisition of their husband’s surname (hence, the loss of their own), not to mention the (often unaware) loss of birthright citizenship caused by marriage to a foreigner.
The loss of an Italian woman’s citizenship could be a consequence of the automatic acquisition of her husband’s nationality, but also because of the legal consequences of the Italian law, No. 555 of 1912, according to which the child of an Italian citizen, who had emigrated, did not have to be recognized as an Italian citizen if she contracted marriage with a foreign citizen.
Law No. 555 has been shelved, but its consequences are still reflected today on applications for Italian citizenship, because if the marriage predates 1948, a court will be required to claim the right to be Italian.
The Immigration Department of Boccadutri Law Firm specializes in the recognition of Italian citizenship and acknowledges that a right of jus sanguinis is not always easily acquired, but to claim it, a court of law may need to be faced.
Have you been married or civilly united to an Italian citizen? This condition may give you the right to acquire your partner’s Italian citizenship.
Following marriage to an Italian citizen, it is possible to acquire citizenship whether you reside in Italy or abroad. The difference is that, in the former case, at least two years must have passed since the marriage (including continuous residence), in the latter case the years must be three.
In the presence of children, born or adopted by the couple, the terms are reduced by half.
It will be verified that the marriage is stable, that there is no ongoing separation, dissolution, annulment, or termination of the civil effects of marriage.
The procedure does not change for those who married abroad to an Italian (including same-sex) or for those who, in Italy, joined civilly with a partner (including same-sex).
For everyone, whether married or civilly united, it is mandatory to have a basic knowledge of the Italian language, not less than level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL).
Have you selected Italy as your residence, living and working there for years?
You can obtain Italian citizenship after living in Italy continuously and demonstrating that you speak good Italian (minimum level B1) and have an income congruent with the law’s requirements.
Our assistance aims to understand, based on your personal situation, whether you meet the requirements to apply with a chance of success.
Usually the time frames are:
The firm aims to offer legal assistance in applying for and obtaining citizenship, whether it is sufficient to act administratively or whether it is necessary to go to a court.
Thanks to Italian citizenship, it is possible to acquire the rights of Italian citizens and assume, at the same time, their duties.
We can provide valuable support to those who qualify for citizenship and to those who have been unjustly denied an entry visa.
Our experienced Immigration Law attorneys will initiate all necessary procedures with the relevant bodies, depending on the client’s situation and needs.
We advise and represent both corporate and private individuals for crimes that they have been accused of and also crimes that have been committed against them.
Criminal proceedings can often be lengthy and stressful, which is why our team of expert criminal lawyers are well placed to assist you in these matters, as their experience in criminal cases means that you can be assured that you are receiving exceptional representation.
We have extensive experience in cross-border criminal matters and use our global network and presence to ensure clear communication throughout the case.
More specifically, Boccadutri works on the following matters:
We also assist and represent clients in cases of medical malpractice, privacy and defamation cases, as well as assisting and representing clients in bringing civil claims to criminal proceedings.
