An unexpected beginning

“When I chose to study law, it wasn’t a vocation,” Giuseppe confesses. “I actually wanted to be a historian.”

Without a real calling or a legal family background, it was a teacher who advised Giuseppe against studying history or literature, guiding him to choose something with better job prospects – law. 

 “Law was not love at first sight,” he recalls. “I didn’t really settle for the first year, but it grew on me. Everything changed in the second year with the commercial law exam. That’s when things really clicked, turning what started as a fallback choice into a genuine passion.”

In the years that followed, Giuseppe worked as a financial markets inspector after passing the supervisory authority’s CONSOB exam, but resigned after two years to return to law. “I faced many rejections when I was trying to find an Italian firm for legal traineeship, and when I was hired at Pucillo and Liuzzi, it was more to do with the fact that I had a drivers license and could attend hearings in various provinces, than my talent for law. But I passed the bar there.

“It was many years later when I was a partner at Advant Nctm, one of Milan’s leading law firms with a strong track record in IPOs, that I first met Brunello Cucinelli, and my career trajectory took a turn.” His legal career was about to pivot again.

Swapping prestige for purpose / Laying legal foundations at Cucinelli

“In 2011, Brunello came to Nctm seeking legal support to go public with his high-end fashion empire. We worked closely through the IPO, and shortly after, they asked if I’d consider joining Brunello Cucinelli directly.”

The offer posed a dilemma – relocate from Milan to Umbria, leave behind the prestige of partnership, and start from scratch building an in-house legal team. But Giuseppe was craving balance. “After 12 years as a partner with a top law firm I was tired of the pace. Leaving home early and returning late at night. I wanted a different rhythm, more time for family, and a chance to build something meaningful.”

He accepted.

What followed was the creation of a legal function from the ground up – managing compliance, privacy, internal controls, and the complexity of a rapidly globalizing luxury brand. “I wanted to make sure that we could work internally, not just outsource to external firms, so I made that a condition for joining the business.”

Regulation, resilience, and reinvention

When asked about the most challenging part of the role, Giuseppe cites “transforming an artisanal manufacturer into a public company. There is clear tension between craftsmanship and compliance, so it’s hard to embed control into an organizational culture rooted in tradition.” 

Manufacturing rules are evolving constantly. From sustainability to supply chain due diligence, the regulatory landscape never stops shifting. “I was constantly worried about missing new legislation, by relying on external law firms and specialized websites.”

Initially, he built a lean, hardworking legal team, supported by external consultants, but later brought the legal operations entirely in-house. To stay ahead, Giuseppe blends internal vigilance with trusted advisors, external counsel, and now, increasingly, AI.

A sparring partner, not substitute

“I’ve always been a bit of a tech nerd,” he laughs. “I still have one of the first personal computers I ever owned.”

But AI has changed the game. “This isn’t like the email revolution. This is something deeper – it doesn’t just support your work; it can do work.”

At Brunello Cucinelli, AI is already being used to scan contracts, extract data, and model legal scenarios. Giuseppe likens it to a “logical sparring partner”, one that challenges reasoning, surfaces blind spots, and tests rhetorical structure.

Still, he’s pragmatic: “For young lawyers, it’s vital to first understand the law manually, read the civil code, and struggle through the reasoning. AI can’t replace that formative stage. But it can greatly ease manual repetitive work, deepen curiosity and broaden horizons. AI enables previously unthinkable logical connections and deep interrogation of legal corpora.”

“I discovered Legora a little over a year ago during a presentation by a Milan-based lawyer on AI tools for legal professionals, and set up a call that led to our technological collaboration – and an AI revolution for our operations.”

Tradition meets transformation

Working at Brunello Cucinelli, a company synonymous with “humanistic capitalism”, means balancing innovation with deeply held values.

“The design process is still analog, led by intuition, travel, and human connection. That won’t change,” he explains. “But AI is a powerful ally in the operational engine of finance, logistics, and legal compliance. We use it where it makes sense, but we don’t let it define us.”

The company now employs over 3,000 people worldwide, with an internal “Digital Amen” team leading tech adoption responsibly. “We’re modernizing, yes. But never at the expense of what makes us who we are.”

Advice to young legal minds

What would Giuseppe tell a recent law graduate?

“Start with the fundamentals. The civil code. The hard texts. But use these new tools to explore. Ask how the same rule is interpreted in Germany or France. Follow your curiosity. That’s where AI becomes magic.”

And his favorite metaphor? “AI is your sparring partner. It helps you sharpen your thinking. But you still have to get in the ring.”