For years, a dedicated professional has balanced an impressive legal career with a profound commitment to academia, philanthropy, and community service. This individual, Francesco del Bene, has built a distinguished legacy, offering his expertise across several fields while simultaneously contributing to the greater good.
Del Bene’s journey began in the halls of the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” where he earned his Law degree, followed by a Master’s in Banking and Financial Law. His legal career took flight after being admitted to the Register of Italian Lawyers in 1993. Over the years, he became a key player in some of Italy’s most prestigious law firms, including those of Avv. Franco Musco and Professor Avv. Giulio Prosperetti, before founding Avocom Law Firm LLP in 2019. But his path was not confined to the legal world alone.
Beyond the courtroom, Del Bene found purpose in education, becoming a professor at leading Italian and international universities, imparting knowledge to the next generation. Yet, his academic work was always intertwined with his philanthropic activities. Del Bene has actively supported initiatives of great religious significance, such as the canonical recognition of the Relics of St. Charles Borromeo, housed at the Zaccaria Dei Padri Barnabiti Institute in Milan.
He also used his professional expertise to advocate for the continuous improvement of services, emphasizing efficiency and quality through ISO certification in his firm. As an influential voice in corporate, banking, and financial law, he has shared his insights at global congresses, symposia, and workshops. Since September 2022, he has further expanded his academic contributions as the Scientific Director of the “Collana di Studi Giuridici” published by Key Editore in Italy.
Throughout his career, Del Bene’s blend of legal prowess, teaching, and philanthropy has shaped his reputation, marking him as a figure of inspiration and a leader in his field.
A Distinguished Career in Law, Academia, and Global Leadership
Avv. Prof. Francesco del Bene (born in Lecce on July 31, 1964) is an esteemed Italian lawyer and professor, specializing in banking and financial law.
Del Bene began his legal and academic career after earning a degree in Law from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1990, followed by a Master’s degree in Banking and Financial Law in Lecce (1990-1991). He was admitted to the Register of Italian Lawyers in 1993. His career began with a traineeship at the Law Firm of Avv. Antonio del Bene in Lecce, and he later progressed to collaborate as an Associate at the Law Firm of the Grand Officer Avv. Franco Musco, Honorary Consul of Malawi and son of the former Quaestor of Rome. From 1994 to 1998, he worked at the law firm of Professor Avv. Giulio Prosperetti & Associati in Rome, ultimately becoming a Partner. In 2005, Del Bene joined Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati in Milan and went on to hold counsel roles at renowned law firms such as BBLP Pavia, Ansaldo, and Eversheds PB. In 2019, he founded Avocom Law Firm LLP, an internationally recognized law firm with offices across four continents. The firm is particularly renowned in the sectors of Energy, Real Estate, M&A, and Project deals, using cutting-edge communication and interaction technologies, digitization, and the development of the Metaverse.
A key milestone in Del Bene’s career is his strategic alliance with the prestigious Estudio Flint Abogados, a global law firm headquartered in Peru, which operates through multiple legal entities, including Flint Consulting Group – FCG.
In addition to his legal practice, Del Bene has made significant contributions to academia. He has taught at various Italian and international universities, including the University of Cassino, the University of Insubria, and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa. He also served as a Visiting Professor at the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Law in Finland. In 2024, he was appointed Lead Faculty Full Professor at Blackwell Global University in Orlando, Florida (USA).
Del Bene has received numerous accolades for his research and contributions to banking and financial law. He served as research and study coordinator for the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Parliamentary Studies in Rome and as a member of the Committee of Experts on banking and financial contracts at the Libera International University of Social Studies Guido Carli in Rome.
Throughout his career, Del Bene has published extensively, participated in global conferences, and been honored with multiple awards and recognitions. He was named Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1999, among other accolades for his professional excellence.
Academic Leadership, Corporate Expertise, and Legal Innovation
Del Bene has held prominent academic and managerial roles throughout his career. He served as a Professor of Banking Law and Fundamentals of Private Law at the University of Cassino from 1996 to 2000 and has since been a Visiting Professor at several renowned institutions, including the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Law (2000), the University of Insubria in Varese (2003-2005), Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa (2007-2008), and, as of 2024, Blackwell Global University in Orlando, Florida.
From 2000 to 2002, Del Bene was a top manager in charge of the Legal Advisory Group within the Merchant Bank Division at Big Leading Corporate, IntesaBCI, where he played a pivotal role after the merger between Banca Commerciale Italiana, Cariplo, and Banca Intesa. He has also held key positions as Of Counsel and Partner at distinguished international law firms such as BBLP Pavia, Ansaldo, Eversheds, and Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associates.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Del Bene co-founded the law firm Del Bene De Vitis & Associati and was a co-founder of the Independent Legal Network AVOCOM, initially composed of several firms, before establishing Avocom Law Firm LLP in 2019. Under his leadership, Avocom has quickly risen to prominence, securing a top rank (Rank 1) for Project Finance in Italy and the UK for three consecutive years.
Avocom has earned numerous accolades, including being named Law Firm of the Year in 2024 by the Scientific Committee of Ranking Professions and Corriere della Sera for its exceptional response to innovation and market needs. The firm also earned ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2021 for its Integrated Quality Management System and received an “A” corporate rating from ICRA Rating in 2023.
Del Bene’s leadership extends beyond the legal realm, having forged a Corporate Partnership with the prestigious Fondazione del Teatro alla Scala di Milano in 2021, supporting both its artistic and charitable initiatives. His philanthropic efforts also include supporting significant religious and cultural projects, such as the canonical recognition of the Relics of St. Charles Borromeo in Milan and the establishment of the N.H. Prize Prof. Renzo d’Andrea. In 2024, Del Bene initiated the Avv. Antonio del Bene Prize in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Order of Lawyers of Lecce, aimed at recognizing distinguished young lawyers in the field of Forensic Ethics.
Scholarly Contributions in Banking and Financial Law
Del Bene specializes in a wide range of areas, including financial intermediation, banking, structured finance (such as Deteriorated Credits, CLOs, CDOs, CMBS, and CLNs), corporate financing, working capital operations, medium- and long-term debt restructuring, securitization, M&A, and real estate finance. His extensive expertise covers complex financial instruments and strategies that are vital in today’s financial and corporate landscapes.
In addition to his practical legal work, Del Bene has made significant contributions to legal scholarship, authoring numerous essays, articles, treatise sections, collective works, and monographs. These works showcase his expertise and thought leadership in the evolving areas of finance and corporate law.
Contributions, and Leadership in Corporate Law
Del Bene has made significant contributions to the legal field through his extensive work on case notes in civil, bankruptcy, and banking law. His expertise has led him to speak at numerous national and international congresses, workshops, symposia, conferences, and seminars on corporate law, finance, and banking law issues.
In 1993-1994, he coordinated research and study for the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Parliamentary Studies in Rome, focusing on legal and socio-economic matters. He also collaborated with the Institute of Monetary, Banking and Financial Studies “Luigi Einaudi,” which was founded by the Bank of Italy and the ABI (Italian Banking Association) in 1965. From 1997 to 1999, he was a full member of the editorial committee of Giurisprudenza di Merito, published by Giuffrè. Del Bene remains an active collaborator with numerous national and international legal journals.
In March 2001, he was suggested by the General Directorate of the Italian Commercial Bank S.p.A. as a member of the Technical Committee at the LUISS-Guido Carli University for a three-year project on research related to banking and financial contracts. He also served as a legal advisor for the VI Permanent Finance and Treasury Committee of the Italian Senate, focusing on corporate governance and savings protection under the leadership of Sen. Giorgio Benvenuto.
Del Bene played a key role in drafting the bill on “Family Acts” in collaboration with Sen. Giorgio Benvenuto and prominent academic and notarial figures, including the National Council of Notaries and the Italian Notary Foundation.
In 2010, he was appointed by Unipol Banca SpA as a member of the Board of Directors of Nuova Pansac S.p.A., a company admitted to Extraordinary Administration under Italian law (D.lgs. 270/1999). His career continued with rapid success, and he was appointed General Counsel of the Framingham Fund (Asset Management) in 2012, and later, General Counsel at Citic Holding IF Group LLC (2016), an investment and private equity firm.
Since September 2022, Del Bene has served as the Scientific Director of the “Collana di Studi Giuridici” published by Key Editore, Italy, further solidifying his role as a thought leader in the legal and academic communities.
A Year of Strategic Growth, Innovation, and Excellence
Avv. Prof. Francesco del Bene and his team at Avocom Law Firm experienced a year of remarkable growth and strategic achievements in 2021, solidifying their position as one of the leading law firms on both national and international levels. This success was bolstered by strategic alliances with entities such as Coral International Commercial Agency (CICA) and Estudio Pinkas Abogados, enabling the Firm to expand its team to 65 members, including partners, associates, and trainees, while achieving a significant 34% increase in turnover compared to the previous year.
Notable milestones included the addition of Giorgio Benvenuto as Senior of Counsel, contributing expertise in institutional relations at domestic and international levels, and Federico Michele Sorrentino, who joined as an equity partner and head of the Corporate M&A department at the Firm’s London office. The Firm also achieved recognition as a partner of AIFI and The Adam Smith Society, underlining its commitment to fostering market economy principles.
A testament to its dedication to quality, Avocom Law Firm obtained the ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Integrated Management System, demonstrating adherence to the highest standards of quality management. These accomplishments reflect the Firm’s focus on innovative growth areas such as Web3 and the metaverse, as well as its ongoing projects across key sectors, including infrastructure, digitalization, healthcare, the circular economy, and renewable energy.
Positioning for Growth
With the arrival of Recovery Plan funds, Avv. Prof. Francesco del Bene and his team at Avocom Law Firm have proactively focused on preparing for the opportunities and challenges presented by the 200 billion euros allocated to Italy under the Next Generation EU initiative. The Firm has been strategically enhancing its teams, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and engaging with European projects to align with the transformative impact of these funds.
Key sectors set to benefit from these investments include infrastructure, digitalization, healthcare, and the circular economy. The substantial funding directed toward infrastructure—encompassing roads, highways, and railways—is expected to attract significant private capital. This will likely drive an increase in project financing and project bond operations, alongside mergers and acquisitions (M&A) related to infrastructure projects.
In the realm of renewable energy, another high-priority area under the European Green New Deal, Avocom Law Firm is preparing to support clients navigating investment opportunities in the green economy and energy transition. Renewable energy, particularly green hydrogen, is anticipated to draw over 10 billion euros in investments by 2050, thanks to the financial backing provided by the Italian Recovery Plan. These developments present compelling opportunities for both European and overseas capital, reinforcing the Firm’s commitment to being at the forefront of innovation and growth in these transformative sectors.
Pioneering Legal Consultancy in the Metaverse and Web3
Avv. Prof. Francesco del Bene and his team at Avocom Law Firm are strong proponents of the metaverse and Web3, having invested significant time and resources to position themselves as pioneers in these innovative fields. Drawing inspiration from groundbreaking pilot projects like the One Upland initiative by the Canadian law firm Renno & Co., which enables clients to interact with a virtual foreign office, Avocom is at the forefront of exploring and developing these transformative technologies.
The Firm is witnessing a growing influx of domestic and international clients from sectors such as emerging technology, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, and clean tech. With a steadfast commitment to building deep expertise in these rapidly evolving yet largely uncharted areas, Avocom is helping clients navigate opportunities within the metaverse. By encouraging businesses to rethink their strategies, property concepts, and resource utilization in virtual spaces, the Firm fosters synergies that enable cost optimization, value creation, and innovative uses of resources previously considered unimaginable.
In a further step toward embracing the future, Avocom offers its lawyers and staff the option to receive part or all of their income—salaries and fees—in bitcoin. This progressive initiative underscores the Firm’s commitment to instilling confidence in clients exploring these emerging markets and technologies while reinforcing its reputation as a trailblazer in legal consultancy for the Web3 era.
Leadership in Legal Scholarship
Avv. Prof. Francesco del Bene specializes in financial intermediation, banking, and structured finance, with expertise in non-performing credit, CLOs, CDOs, CMBS, CLNs, corporate financing, debt restructuring, securitization, M&A, and real estate finance. He has authored numerous scholarly works, including books, articles, and case notes on civil, bankruptcy, and banking law. A frequent speaker at national and international conferences, he has also contributed to the Parliamentary Studies Institute’s research on legal and socio-economic issues.