This is the 20th edition of the Lexology Insights Italy law firm compensation, benefits and billing report. It was prepared on the basis of in-depth research carried out during May 2021. The results are based on data supplied by participating law firms, as well as interviews with partners, office managers and directors of HR and finance at 17 of the leading law firms in Italy. The report was researched by Gwilym Davies of Lexology Insights. We intend to repeat this exercise annually, addressing any fluctuations in the market, along with new areas as suggested by respondents. For this reason, we remain eager for feedback on the usefulness of the findings and on how the report’s format and relevance can be improved. Profile of participating law firms We would like to express our appreciation to all of the law firms that provided their time and cooperation in the preparation of this report. Their identity is confidential. All of the 17 law firms surveyed are experienced in advising international and UK clients across a range of corporate, financial and general business areas. The sample of participating firms breaks down as follows: • All law firms (total sample for data analysis) – 17 • Foreign international (UK or US) law firms – 13 • UK law firms – 9 • US law firms – 4 • Domestic (Italian) law firms – 4 No data analysis was undertaken for groups whose sample size was considered too small. Mean size of the firms surveyed (Italy operations): • All personnel – 162 • Fee-earners – 115 • Support staff – 47