Bernitsas Law is ranked in the Top Tier in the Legal 500 EMEA 2023 Guide.
'excellent lawyers with deep knowledge of the sector and accurate, sharp and high level of legal advice ... availability 24 hours a day ... realistic, business-oriented and innovative solutions ... unparalleled expertise … willing to go the extra mile … an exceptional competent and ethical entity … well structured, team workers, efficient and dedicated … top-quality services'
Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
Bernitsas Law acts for a variety of players in the banking and finance sector, including Greek systemic banks, international banks, investment firms, public and private corporations, as well as hedge and investment funds. The team advises on all aspects of banking, finance and capital market matters, while recently being active in the debt and equity capital markets, structured finance and securitisation fields, in addition to project finance, showing ‘immense experience in syndicated bond loans’, non-performing loans, with considerable experience in cross-border MREL instruments issued by Greek banks. ‘Exceptional’ Athanasia Tsene and Nikos Papachristopoulos head the team and are ably supported by ‘exceptionally efficient’ Dionysis Flambouras, Panayotis Bernitsas, Sofia Kontou.
Hall of Fame: Nikos Papachristopoulos, Athanasia Tsene, Panayotis Bernitsas
Next Generation Partners: Dionysis Flambouras
Practice head(s): Athanasia Tsene; Nikos Papachristopoulos
Other key lawyers: Panayotis Bernitsas; Dionysis Flambouras; Sofia Kontou;
Corporate and M&A
With a heavy focus on cross-border and international M&A, Bernitsas Law remains a top-tier firm. The team regularly assists clients from a wide range of industries and offers an illustrious record of advising private equity companies looking to expand in Greece. Beyond M&A, the firm also assists with corporate compliance, risk management, and restructuring matters, and routinely provides advice to public and private sector clients on privatisation matters. Nikos Papachristopoulos is an expert in structuring M&A and company takeovers. He co-heads the practice with Lambros Belessis, who specialises in day-to-day corporate governance and regularly advises on corporate restructuring. Panayotis Bernitsas, the firm’s managing partner, is recommended for his privatisation expertise, while Evi Kitsou has an extensive record advising on transactions and regulatory compliance.
Leading individuals: Evi Kitsou
Hall of Fame: Nikos Papachristopoulos, Panayotis Bernitsas
Practice head(s): Lambros Belessis; Nikos Papachristopoulos
Dispute Resolution
Bernitsas Law, an ‘outstanding’ firm, has a steady flow of work in the field of agency and distributorship disputes. The firm recently has had various assignments in construction arbitration, employment litigation, corporate crime, civil fraud cases and public law. The firm is also active in a variety of sectors, including competition litigation, intellectual property disputes and insurance. Christos Paraskevopoulos‘s expertise includes contractual, commercial, fraud and white-collar crime disputes, whilst Dimitris Roussis has vast experience of public procurement related litigation.
Leading individuals: Christos Paraskevopoulos, Dimitris Roussis
Rising stars: Pelina Leontiadou, Evangelos Mamalakis
Practice head(s): Christos Paraskevopoulos; Dimitris Roussis
Other key lawyers: Panayotis Bernitsas; Evangelos Mamalakis; Fotini Karra; Pelina Leontiadou
Energy
Bernitsas Law is renowned for its expertise in advising developers and international investors in the energy market, handing work including renewables M&A deals, natural gas infrastructure and electricity transmission, among other areas of expertise. A number of recent instructions have come from key Middle Eastern players in the photovoltaic market. The practice is headed by Yannis Seiradakis, who works regularly with financial advisers and developers, private and institutional investors, and Greek state-owned companies.
Leading individuals: Yannis Seiradakis
Rising stars: Eleni Stazilova
Practice head(s): Yannis Seiradakis
Other key lawyers: Stella Papakosta
EU and competition
Bernitsas Law regularly acts for multinational clients before the Hellenic Competition Commission and European Commission on matters involving merger control mandates and anti-competitive practices. Its strengths span a number of key areas, including cartel work, compliance advice, damages actions and state aid matters. Marina Androulakakis heads up the practice; she assists with antitrust issues and risk and strategy assessments. Managing partner Panayotis Bernitsas and senior associate Tania Patsalia are also recommended.
Leading individuals: Panayotis Bernitsas, Marina Androulakakis
Rising stars: Tania Patsalia
Practice head(s): Marina Androulakakis
Projects and privatisation
Bernitsas Law is noted for its expertise in handling highly complex and high-value projects, including project finance and PPPs. The team has a particular focus on banking, energy and infrastructure sectors, along with telecom and waste management. Recent work included acting for the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development on their PPP project related to the financing, construction and maintenance of the student accommodation facility of the University of Thessaly. The trio of Panayotis Bernitsas, Dimitris Roussis and Yannis Seiradakis heads the practice. Dionysis Flambouras is also recommended.
Leading individuals: Yannis Seiradakis
Hall of Fame: Dimitris Roussis
Rising stars: Stella Papakosta
Practice head(s): Panayotis Bernitsas; Dimitris Roussis; Yannis Seiradakis
Other key lawyers: Dionysis Flambouras; Stella Papakosta
Employment
Bernitsas Law assists with the employment aspects of M&A deals and takeovers in addition to advising on ongoing employment and HR mandates for a range of large-scale clients. One client praises the team for its expertise in restructurings, ‘managing each step smoothly’. The practice’s workload encompasses numerous sectors, including infrastructure, private equity, hospitality and manufacturing. Katia Papantonopoulou, an expert in both aviation and employment law, leads the practice, while senior associate Maria Kloni is another key contact in the group.
Leading individuals: Katia Papantonopoulou
Practice head(s):Katia Papantonopoulou
Other key lawyers: Maria Kloni
Real estate and construction
Bernitsas Law specialises in work for high net worth individuals, hotels and luxury developments. The firm is recommended particularly for real estate matters involving the Greek islands and the tourist industry. The real estate team covers a broad array of matters including financing and refinancing, planning, land use and tax implications. The practice is jointly led by Panayotis Bernitsas, a highly experienced litigator and arbitrator, and Lambros Belessis, who focuses on structuring and negotiating commercial real estate transactions.
Hall of Fame: Panayotis Bernitsas
Rising stars: Christina Zakopoulou
Practice head(s): Panayotis Bernitsas; Lambros Belessis
Restructuring and insolvency
The ‘exceptional team‘ at Bernitsas Law advises on internal reorganisations, financings and NPL portfolios. The team, notable for its energy sector work, is jointly led by M&A lawyer and corporate restructuring expert Lambros Belessis and the highly recommended Athanasia Tsene, who advises on securities and hedging arrangements. Counsel Dionysis Flambouras is recommended for insolvency proceedings and rehabilitations
Leading individuals: Athanasia Tsene
Next Generation Partners: Dionysis Flambouras
Practice head(s):Lambros Belessis; Athanasia Tsene
Other key lawyers: Dionysis Flambouras
Tax
Bernitsas Law advises on a vast range of matters, such as company structuring, estate planning, tax adjustments and accounting, ownership of assets and transfer pricing. Panayotis Bernitsas heads the practice and regularly assists its clients with tax structuring, tax controversies and wealth planning matters. Counsel Fotodotis Malamas has vast experience of handling all forms of direct and indirect tax matters, with a particular focus on personal tax liabilities and post-death planning matters.
Next Generation Partners: Fotodotis Malamas
Practice head(s): Panayotis Bernitsas; Fotodotis Malamas
TMT
Bernitsas Law is noted for its expertise in all matters related to data privacy, specifically in instances of data breach and data privacy matters arising in the context of internal investigations. The practice is headed by Marina Androulakakis who specialises in both competition and data protection law and is particularly adept at supporting clients in the implementation of updated data protection policies and procedures. The firm also provides advice on licensing and registration, as well as telecoms issues relating to the use of new technologies and the launch of new products and services. Tania Patsalia regularly assists clients in GDPR compliance steps.
Leading individuals: Marina Androulakakis
Rising stars: Tania Patsalia
Practice head(s): Marina Androulakakis
Other key lawyers: Ria Venaki; Tania Patsalia
Insurance
The ‘highly motivated’ Bernitsas Law insurance team advises on commercial and regulatory issues for internationally operating insurance companies, and also assists clients with formulating and negotiating corporate transactions. The group also advises local and foreign clients on transactions including the acquisition of entire insurance entities or insurance portfolios. Team head Lambros Belessis‘ expertise includes assisting with private sector mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings of international companies with a presence in Greece.
Practice head(s): Lambros Belessis
Other key lawyers: Evi Kitsou; Christos Paraskevopoulos
Intellectual property
A firm that gives ‘attention to the details’, Bernitsas Law advises in relation to technology, software development, software licensing agreements, as well as film and audiovisual works. Recently, the team has handled IP issues arising from acquisitions of technology companies and software start-ups, also handling a number of litigious matters. Practice Head Lambros Belessis is an expert in private sector mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings of international companies with a presence in Greece.
Practice head(s): Lambros Belessis
Other key lawyers: Yannis Chryssospathis; Marina Androulakakis; Tania Patsalia; Aristeidis Papathanasiou
White Collar Crime
Bernitsas Law offers representation and expertise across all areas of white-collar crime, primarily for clients in the banking, pharmaceuticals, electronics, defence, automobile and retail industries. The team has a large focus on risk assessment and management and leverages broad experience conducting corporate and criminal investigations. The practice has an international outlook and often works in collaboration with leading international firms on complex cross-border disputes. Panayotis Bernitsas is a senior litigator with expertise in anticompetitive practice, while fellow co-head Christos Paraskevopoulos regularly represents clients in debt recovery and enforcement, with a specialisation in the area of hospital supply agreements.
Leading individuals
Christos Paraskevopoulos
Practice head(s): Panayotis Bernitsas; Christos Paraskevopoulos
Other key lawyers: Evangelos Mamalakis
