Massimo Sterpi specializes in the Intellectual Property and has substantial experience in both transactional matters and litigation concerning patents, designs, copyright and trademarks. Over the last years, he has been very active on legal issues related to Disruptive Technologies, with particular focus on AI, Blockchain, robotics. He has litigated a very large number of IP cases, many of them involving cross-border issues, both before national and foreign courts, including the European Court of Justice.
A passionate art collector, he has also developed a unique and internationally renowned practice in art law, representing world famous artists, institutions and collectors.
Massimo graduated in Law “maxima cum laude” from the University of Turin in 1989 and with a Post-graduate Diploma in UK and EC Law of Copyright and Related Rights from King's College, London, in 2000. He was a visiting lawyer at leading international law firms in London and Munich.
In 2021 he was awarded “Lawyer of the Year - Art and Cultural Heritage” at the TopLegal Industry Awards and in 2011 he was crowned "Lawyer of the Year for IP" at the TopLegal Awards. He has edited or contributed to a number of publications on IP and art law topics, mostly in foreign languages and is a frequent speaker in national and international conferences.
Massimo is included in WIPO's IP Arbitration and Mediation Center's List of Neutrals, as well as in WIPO's List of Art and Cultural Heritage Neutrals. He has been President of the International Bar Association’s Committee on Art, Heritage Law and Cultural Institutions and is the current President of the UIA‘s (Union Internationale des Avocats) Art Law Committee.
He is also the Italian member of the editorial board of "European Copyright and Design Reports" published by Sweet & Maxwell; a member of the Advisory Board of the Venice Peggy Guggenheim Collection; a member of Fondazione Prada’s Board of Directors, of the US Friends of MAXXI Foundation’s Board of Directors, and of the Italy-USA Relations Council.
He is admitted to representation before the Italian Court of cassation.
He speaks English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese.