Paolo De Nardo was born in Rome on 4 December 1974 to parents of Calabrian origin: Giuseppe, a History and Philosophy teacher with a background in trade unionism, and Franca, a primary school teacher. In 1977, the family moved to Vibo Valentia, where he spent his formative years.
From an early age, he took an active interest in social and cultural life. He served as a student representative, contributed regularly to a local periodical and television station, and travelled extensively throughout Italy and Europe. In 1991, he won the Premio di narrativa La tua città ieri e oggi. In 1992, he returned to Rome and enrolled in the Faculty of Law at Luiss Guido Carli University.
He graduated in Law at the age of twenty-two and, between 1997 and 1998, held a scholarship at the Fondazione Einaudi. At twenty-five, he qualified as a lawyer and went on to practise law while also working with the Chair of Communications Law at Luiss Guido Carli.
Between 2002 and 2004, he was editor-in-chief of Temi Romana, the legal journal of the Rome Bar Association, and taught Internet and New Technology Law on postgraduate programmes organised by IRI Management and Midiform. In 2004, he joined the Legal Affairs Office at Luiss Guido Carli, becoming head of the office in 2008 and being promoted to executive rank in 2012.
Alongside his professional career, he continued to pursue his interest in contemporary history and writing. In 2007, he won the Premio nazionale di narrativa e poesia Giuseppe Garibaldi – Edizione del Bicentenario with the short story Uno strappo sui ricordi. He received the award again in 2008 for La gabbana del Tétavach. In 2010, he won the Premio nazionale di narrativa e poesia Roma: prova a scriverla with the short story Adua.
His son Giuseppe was born in 2016. The following year, De Nardo was appointed Director, General Counsel and Industrial Relations at Luiss Guido Carli. Over the years, he has also held a number of additional senior management positions within the university, including responsibility for its IT services and library.
In 2023, he married Julia.
In 2026, Gangemi Editore published his book Il segreto del tesoro di Garibaldi. O viâgio d'a barchêtta de mainâ, in which he reconstructs a little-known episode in the life of the Hero of the Two Worlds.
Key dates
1974 Born in Rome
1977 Moves with his family to Vibo Valentia
1991 Wins the Premio di narrativa La tua città ieri e oggi
1992 Returns to Rome to study at Luiss Guido Carli University
1997 Graduates in Law and becomes a scholarship holder at the Fondazione Einaudi
2000 Qualifies as a lawyer
2002 Becomes editor-in-chief of Temi Romana and an adjunct lecturer in Internet and New Technology Law
2004 Joins the Legal Affairs Office at Luiss Guido Carli
2007 Wins the Premio nazionale di narrativa e poesia Giuseppe Garibaldi – Edizione del Bicentenario with the short story Uno strappo sui ricordi
2008 Becomes Head of Legal Affairs and wins the Premio nazionale di narrativa e poesia Giuseppe Garibaldi again, with the short story La gabbana del Tétavach
2010 Wins the Premio nazionale di narrativa e poesia Roma: prova a scriverla with the short story Adua
2012 Is promoted to executive rank within Legal Affairs at Luiss Guido Carli
2016 His son Giuseppe is born
2017 Is appointed Director, General Counsel and Industrial Relations at Luiss Guido Carli
2023 Marries Julia
2024 Wins the Premio poetico-letterario internazionale Luigi Maria Lombardi Satriani - La Rocchetta with the short story Destate
2026 Publishes Il segreto del tesoro di Garibaldi. O viâgio d'a barchêtta de mainâ with Gangemi Editore
