Professional Profile

Paolo Grassi has over two decades of multinational commercial legal experience and over ten years in a General Counsel role. He has a deep knowledge of overseas markets, their legal systems and political environment and has an extensive background dealing with US and foreign authorities on behalf of a regulated industry. He practiced in the common law and the civil law systems, has two law degrees, two bar admissions (New York and Switzerland) and speaks four languages. Over the years he developed a substantial experience with large complex transactions in global markets, M&A negotiations as well as the establishment and licensing of start-up operations in Emerging Markets. Mr. Grassi negotiated the various aspects of the establishment and development of a network of insurance and pension companies in new markets addressing the legal aspects related to the operation of joint-ventures and single owner enterprises in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the other Republics of the former Soviet Union, Central Asia, Africa, Middle East and India.

He developed a full fledged legal department comprising of over 100 attorneys in 6 continents, implemented global compliance and corporate governance programs and has managed internal and external legal resources on behalf of a multinational organization.

Mr. Grassi is a graduate of Fordham University, School of Law, where he obtained an LLM in 1992 and of the Universität Bern, School of Law, in Switzerland, where he graduated “cum laude” in 1987. He has authored two legal reviews on Letter of Credit Transactions and on the Swiss Bank Secrecy. He is a trustee of the Franklin College and participates in various not for profit organization. He lives in New York City and in his spare time he likes to fly airplanes, ski, hike and generally hang out with his family.

Education

LLM, Fordham University Law School, 1992
JD, Cum Laude, Universität Bern, 1987

Bar Admissions

New York
Switzerland