LAWYER PROFILE
Maria Cristina Breida

Maria Cristina Breida

Europe 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by EY

Practice Areas

Maria Cristina Breida is a Law Partner of the firm and the Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability Leader for EY .

She has more than twenty years’ experience in assisting international groups, Italian public and private companies, private equity funds and investment banks in relation to significant extraordinary and real estate transactions involving activities with a high environmental and energy impact, environmental policies and responsibilities and risk management.

Maria Cristina has extensive expertise in assisting clients in structuring and implementing innovative energy transition business projects and green economy and sustainability models applied to industrial and energy sectors as well as in advising on projects in the field of conventional and renewable sources with reference to contractual, authorization profiles, negotiation with the Public Administration and litigation.

She also provides legal support in sustainable finance operations, ESG regimes applicable to entities operating in regulated markets and environmental, climate change and ESG liability litigation.

Career

Maria Cristina joined the EY legal team in 2022 from the Italian firm Legance where she was Head of the Environmental Law practice. Prior to this she spent 18+ years at the Italian firm RP Legal, where she was partner in charge of the Environmental and Energy department.

Professional Memberships

- Italian Bar Association – Admitted to practice before the higher Courts

- International Bar Association – Officer of the Environmental, Health and Safety Law Committee

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers European Guide

Public Law: Environmental - Italy

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial

Maria Cristina Breida has considerable experience in environmental law matters, advising clients on a range of related issues. These include proceedings related to industrial contaminations, as well as ensuring the environmental compliance of major oil and gas clients. She often acts on circular economy projects.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Maria Cristina Breida offers excellent support on administrative and environmental issues.

    Public Law: EnvironmentalChambers European Guide
  • We value her high level of expertise, availability and timeliness in the assistance provided.

    Public Law: EnvironmentalChambers European Guide
  • She is highly responsive, strategically-minded and consistently delivers effective solutions even in the most complex matters.

    Public Law: EnvironmentalChambers European Guide
  • Maria Cristina Breida is hard working and always available to the client. She also has an extremely pragmatic and solution-oriented approach to issues.

    Public Law: EnvironmentalChambers European Guide

Ranked Individuals at EY (6)

Italy

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