Piana.eu

Welcome to my "official" website. You will find general information on my practice, on the areas I cover, how to reach and communicate with me.

I deal almost exclusively with the fields of practice that interest me most (and that I have most fun with): Technology, Free Software (AKA "open source), Law in the Digital Space. After fourteen years of general practice -- always with a growing emphasis in the field -- I have decided to specialize where I have found more enjoyment and human as well professional enrichment.

This would not have been possible -- as I wrote in the first announcement of a new practice -- without "a little help from my friends" (yes, it was a quote from Ringo Starr's song). In other words, without the kind and worthy support of colleagues, friends and clients that have been beyond my best expectations in the transition, and that I now would like to thank.

Therefore, a warm appreciation goes to:

• Prof. Avv. Tito Ballarino, for his friendship, cooperation and hospitality in his offices;
• Avv. Eleonora Ballarino, always friend and strong help in making the tough calls;
• Avv. Elena Albini, for her help and cooperation in various present and future matters;
• Avv. Simone Aliprandi, for his patience and availability, and now for upcoming cooperation in very interesting projects;
• Avv. Alberto Pianon, with whom the cooperation has never ended, and new developments are at sight;
• All members of euroITcounsel, who have confirmed their esteem, trust and friendship;
• All past, present and future clients, among which special mention goes to the friends of the Fluendo group: Julien Moutte, Muriel Moscardini, Lionel Martin, Pascal Paquet, for the unlimited trust they put on me, and to Antonio Gomez, who pays my bills ;-)
• Shane Coughlan, from FTF, who has never ceased to encourage and back me up, and all the FSFE with him;
• Patrick Ohnewein, of TIS;
• Maurits Dolmans, of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Bruxelles,Thomas Vinje, Clifford Chance, Bruxelles and Christian Duvernoy, WilmerHale, Bruxelles, (and their colleagues and consultants) whith whom I shared and am still sharing an extraordinary experience in the antitrust field, as well as Avv. Roberto Casati of Cleary Gottlieb Milano, for his priceless advices;
• All Free Software developers, from Richard M. Stallman until the smallest and undeservingly forgotten project developer, for making History, and helping me to help them making the smallest part of it; among them, special mention to the friends at Samba Team: Andrew "Tridge" Tridgell, Jeremy Allison, Volker Lendecke, Simo Sorce; and of course their (other?) legal wizard, Prof. Eben Moglen, who only by his gracious condescendingness treats me as a par;
• A very special thank to my family, who has always been supportive, patient and loving: I surely am the most lucky man in the World to have them; without them all this would seem hollow and meaningless;
• To the many, many others that only my tactless and unforgivable lack of solicitude has prevented me from mentioning, not at all their lack of merit or their not deserving being listed here: my most sincere apologies and pledges to remedy.