Top Band rankings in Chambers Europe 2017

Bernitsas is consistently ranked in the Top Bands by Chambers Europe in their 2017 Guide to Europe’s Leading Lawyers for Business. 'Authenticity and honesty are core elements of the firm's culture.' 'A perfectly tuned team, they were always ahead of any problems with solutions at the ready.'

Banking & Finance

'Banking and finance is a core business for the firm and they have a strong reputation for that work. They have a lot to add because they have exposure to the majority of major deals in Greece.' Managing partner Panayotis Bernitsas is well respected among peers for his long-standing presence in the market and his broad experience in a range of commercial and finance topics. Nikos Papachristopoulos receives significant praise for his work on capital markets mandates. Clients highlight Papachristopoulos' commercial approach, saying: 'He doesn't just start by putting forward the technical arguments but tries to understand the business considerations and to amalgamate the two ... He has vast experience and I trust him completely.' Athanasia Tsene has 'incredible market knowledge and an incredible reputation that she lives up to ... She's very thorough and is well respected by the banks, in terms of her technical skills she is extremely strong.'

Competition / European Law

'What really differentiates the team is that it consistently applies the same ethical values as our company.' Managing partner Panayotis Bernitsas is renowned in the market for his extensive experience in the competition and European law arena. Augustine Almyroudi is known for her deft handling of issues before the Hellenic Competition Commission and the civil courts. 'I like the way she works'.

Corporate / Commercial

Interviewees highlight the firm's ability to work on demanding global deals: 'They react very quickly when issues arise and are commercial in accommodating what the client expects in terms of speed of service.' One client describes the lawyers as 'reliable and efficient ... they give fast responses and are accurate in providing information.' Panayotis Bernitsas is a 'very successful man and clearly a very high-quality individual, and also well known in the market.' Nikos Papachristopoulos 'knows everything about every legal subject; he has seen it all in Greece, and on top of that he is always available.' Evi Kitsou 'is committed and dedicated ... I always receive an answer from her that is 100% accurate.'

Dispute Resolution

'The lawyers give to-the-point, practical advice.' 'They are always supportive in helping us to take the correct decision ... they build up a relationship with the client rather than just seeing us as a source of fees.'  Christos Paraskevopoulos is a major driving force behind the firm's commercial litigation practice and is described by clients as 'flexible and able to provide solutions ... he can attack the other side immediately, partly because of his long experience but also because he knows the case well in all its detail.' Peers also note Paraskevopoulos' ability to 'present in a succinct way during a case.' Dimitris Roussis is 'not reluctant to state his opinion and to try to divert you to a more realistic position, he knows how to handle a case and what he can accomplish for a client.' Clients highlight George Atie's experience in civil and public law litigation mandates.

Employment

'It was really nice to work with them, they were very responsive and didn't miss any deadlines. They usually got work to us well before deadlines, actually!' Katia Papantonopoulou is 'collaborative and highly effective.'

Energy & Natural Resources

'It felt like the in-house team was bigger, rather than having an external team.'

Real Estate

'prominent lawyer' Nikos Vouhiounis has ... extensive experience of real estate development projects and is well-versed in advising investors on entering the Greek market.

Restructuring / Insolvency

Standout team at a highly respected local firm with particular experience in the restructuring of state-owned assets. Regularly acts for lenders, borrowers and other stakeholders in distressed situations. Maintains its stellar track record in assisting Greek banks with restructuring and recapitalisation. 'They have a strong banking practice and their restructuring and insolvency work really complements that.' Panayotis Bernitsas is a highly respected versatile lawyer on the Greek market and is noted as a 'well-known name'. Athanasia Tsene is 'very practical and has a lot of experience.'

Tax

Sources note the ability to assist with unusual tax matters. 'They provided very prompt and thorough advice on a very complicated issue for which there was no previous jurisprudence to provide guidance.' Fotodotis Malamas enters the rankings as a result of positive client feedback. A client describes him as 'very responsive, very thorough,' and also notes his business-friendly approach.

Tax

A corporate powerhouse with an impressive TMT department. Reputed for advising TMT clients on regulatory matters, including representing before national regulatory authorities. Also assists foreign companies wishing to provide telecoms and media services in Greece. Click here to view the full rankings.

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Chambers Europe 2017

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