What is the firms nature, in terms of its size and areas of expertise?
PV: We are currently six lawyers (two partners, three associates and one trainee) and one support staff member. Two more associates and a second trainee will join us as of next January. The core areas of expertise are EC internal market and competition law on the one side and international trade and food law on the other. Regarding our EC and competition law practice, the firm specialises in EC antitrust and state aid law, EC litigation and internal market regulatory work with a focus on network industries and services. That practice is led by Alessandra, with Fabio Filpo, Andrea Carta and Gaia Pandolfi making up the rest of the team. As for the international trade and food law practice, the firm specialises in EC and WTO trade law, with a focus on WTO dispute settlement, trade negotiation in the areas of services and agriculture, market access issues (TRQs, SPS, TBT and other non-tariff barriers) and EC food law. I lead that team which will include, as of 1 January 2008, Ignacio Carre