Francesca Morra
Partner
Partner
Milan
Francesca leads the Italian energy and infrastructure practice at Herbert Smith Freehills.
Francesca has extensive knowledge of energy regulatory matters (including TPA exemption, REMIT, MiFID, EMIR, MAR, unbundling, FDI etc.), industry contracts (EPC and O&M contracts, drilling contracts, LNG and natural gas sale agreements, power purchase agreements, storage agreements, transportation agreements, regasification contracts, general terms of supply to final customers, energy efficiency contracts etc.), M&A and in the development of power projects (both from conventional and renewable sources and merchant lines) and gas infrastructures (LNG regasification terminals, gas storages, pipelines). She also advises on competition matters, including merger control, horizontal and vertical agreements, abuses of dominant position, state aids and on consumers' protection law.
She is recognised as one of the leading experts in Italy in the energy sector by various publications such as Chambers (Up and Coming), Legal500 (Leading Individual), Who’s Who Legal Energy, LegalCommunity, TopLegal and Class Editori
Francesca has been recognised two years in a row (2020 and 2021) as "Energy Lawyer of the Year" in the ranking of Forty-under-40 by LegalCommunity, a leading legal publication in Italy, "Lawyer of the Year – Oil & Gas" in 2021 and "Lawyer of the Year - Renewables" in 2020 by Top Legal Industry Awards in Italy.
Francesca's experience includes advising:
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Interconnector Italia (a consortium of the largest Italian energy intensive companies) on the regulatory and contractual aspects of the development of a merchant interconnector project (Italy-France) (2017 PFI Power Deal of the Year, 2018 TXF Perfect 10 Deals of the Year by Trade & Export Finance and 2018 LegalCommunity Energy Deal of the Year)
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Interconnector Energy Italia (a consortium of the largest Italian energy intensive companies) on the on the regulatory and contractual aspects of the development of a merchant interconnector project between Italy and Montenegro
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Edison in the acquisition of Gas Natural Vendita Italia and of a long-term GSA for the import of 11 TWh of gas from Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijian
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DXT Commodities in the structuring of the first corporate PPA in Italy for the electricity generated by a wind farm (owned by Fera)
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TrailStone in the first ever 10 years PPA in Italy for the offtake of power from a non-subsidized PV plant
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Dolomiti and Alperia in the antitrust aspects of the creation of Neogy, a joint venture active in the smart mobility sector
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Various operators in the implementation of REMIT, MAR, MIFID II and EMIR compliance programs
Background
Francesca graduated from the University of Napoli – Federico II (magna cum laude) and holds an LL.M. from the King's College London (in competition law). Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills, she worked for other leading international law firms.
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