Gianluca
De Cristofaro

Equity Partner
You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play. Warren Beatty

Gianluca is a Partner and Head of LCA’s IP, Media, Tech & Data Department.

For over 20 years, Gianluca has been assisting Italian and foreign clients in defining the best strategies to enhance, protect and manage their intellectual property assets.

Gianluca’s practice focuses on IP litigation (trademarks, domain names, designs, patents and know-how, copyright and unfair competition) and misleading and comparative advertising. Gianluca is an expert of the Extrajudicial Dispute Resolution Service Expert of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration, authorized to conduct UDPR proceedings for the reassignment of domain names registered in the cc TLD “.it”, and an arbitrator of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration in disputes relating to intellectual property rights and software.

Gianluca also assists clients in drafting and negotiating licensing and IP asset transfer agreements, technology transfer agreements, software licensing, assignment and development agreements (including in the context of important ERP projects), as well as sponsorship, co-branding, merchandising, testimonial, talent, influencer and other endorsement agreements.

In addition, Gianluca has significant experience in consumer protection and is frequently involved in proceedings before the Italian Competition Authority regarding unfair commercial practices, as well as in the drafting and review of e-commerce terms and conditions, including in the context of omnichannel projects (particularly in the fashion field).

Gianluca assists a number of big spender advertiser and communication agencies in the clearance of advertising campaigns and assists clients in misleading and comparative advertising matters before the ordinary courts, the Italian Competition Authority and the Italian Advertising Standards Authority.

Gianluca assisted an important Italian client in the first greenwashing case in Italy before an ordinary court and assists clients in the clearance green advertising campaigns.

As technology enthusiast, Gianluca has also always been involved in tech law issues, advising and litigating on personal data protection and software issues and, more recently, assisting clients in compliance activities related to the development, implementation and adoption of artificial intelligence systems and, more generally, in managing all contractual and IP-related issues arising from the use of AI in the technology and creative industries.

For his expertise in the IP, technology, and media sectors, Gianluca has received important national and international recognition; he has been ranked in Chambers Europe & Global since 2015, in Legal500 since 2018, in World Trademark Review since 2020, and has been named Italian IP (Trademark) Star by Managing IP since 2014 and has received the Client Choice Award 2018 and 2022 for IP/Copyright Italy.

Gianluca joined the firm in 2014.
Previously, he worked for leading Italian and foreign law firms, including BonelliErede in Milan, Amarjit & Advocates in New Delhi and Matheson in Dublin

  • Legal 500 2024

    Next Generation Partner for Intellectual Property; Recommended lawyer for Data Privacy & Data Protection, Luxury Goods, TMT

  • Chambers Europe 2024

    Ranked Lawyer for Intellectual Property

  • Chambers Global 2024

    Ranked Lawyer for Intellectual Property

  • Leaders League 2024

    Leading for Advertising law & Marketing; Excellent for Trademark litigation; Highly recommended for Copyright law, Fashion law, IT & Outsourcing

  • Gianluca IP Stars 2022

    Trademark Star for Italy 2022

  • Gianluca WTR 2022

    2022 WTR 1000 World’s Trademark Leading Professionals

Intellectual property IT & Data Protection Litigation, Arbitration and ADR Marketing, Loyalty and Promotions Start Up & Venture Capital Technology & Media Manufacturing Artificial Intelligence Fashion & Luxury

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