Eurojuris Italy has signed an agreement that will help the network to enter one of the biggest markets in the country, fostering the idea that partnerships like these may well be the future for such organisations.
Italy: land of the Coliseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the lagoon of Venice. Millions of tourists travel there every year to enjoy its weather, food, and historical riches. Italian people are rightfully proud of it. Pietro Bembo (EJ Italy) is one of them: “You have to remember that in Italy, we have traces of the entirety of Western history: Romans, medieval castles, Renaissance palaces, Futurism... 2500 years of craftsmanship. There is nowhere like Italy in the world!”
Pietro's enthusiasm guides his work as a lawyer. “Because of these unmatched riches, tourism is still a very important industry in Italy. All our industries are being sold to other countries, but it is impossible to sell tourism; it will always be Italian,” he says. This is how Pietro came to seek a partnership with SKAL.
What is SKAL? “It is an international association of tourist operators,” Pietro explains. “Very large, and very old too. In a recent congress, they had 1300 participants. It is a very powerful organisation, with links to universities.” This link is how Pietro managed to get in touch with them: “I contacted the head of the Tourism Studies Department of Bocconi University, one of the three top universities in Italy. They are big in management degrees and their special courses about the tourism business are unmatched. I offered our services and we were put in touch with SKAL”.
According to Pietro, the tourism industry is in need of lawfirms. “Their market is becoming more and more of an online one,” he explains. “Which of course raises new legal challenges: what are the warranties? Which jurisdiction is competent if the website is based overseas? What if the agency is a ghost, with only an online presence?” Eurojuris Italy and SKAL have a meeting scheduled in December to address these issues.
Pietro says the benefits are mutual, offering a lot of opportunities for lawyers. “There are a lot of such professions that need tailor-made legal services and that is what we provide. Other professionals don't always know how to find a good lawyer, but we do!”
Pietro concludes by urging other members to follow in his footsteps: “I plan to emulate this agreement on an international level. I'll be looking for experts in tourism all over Europe, in anticipation of the World Expo in Milano in 2015. You know, if you look for networks of lawyers online, you will see how aggressive they are in finding markets. Personally, I don't like to be aggressive, but we have the opportunity to achieve big agreements with other professional associations of professions that can be our customers, so let's not turn our back on it!”
Do you agree with Pietro? Do you have similar experiences or projects? Please let us know at journalist@eurojuris.net
