POTAMITISVEKRIS Law Firm

Our Mergers & Acquisitions practice has tracked economic developments in the Greek market, from the drive to invest in the broader Southeast European region in the 1990s, to the subsequent push in privatisations and consolidation, and through to the current emphasis on corporate restructuring as a means to deal with the impact of the recent crisis. We are sensitive to developing needs and are able to provide skill set and type of solutions that are responsive at each juncture. Accordingly, we have led numerous outward and inward investment transactions, privatisations and domestic reorganisations.

Our practice continuously evolves to address the needs of domestic and international investors, managers and businesses. We have a record of playing a leading role in the context of several significant transactions which have had a lasting effect on the market, advising buyers, sellers and State entities.

Privatisation is another area in which we have advised on major transactions, playing a lead role in implementing innovative structures. We advise Government entities, potential buyers and State owned companies undergoing privatisation. We also advise creditors, for the most part banks, and debtors or their significant stakeholders in the reorganization of troubled entities.

We believe that we can add significant value to transactions through our collaborative approach starting from the early stages, through contributions to structuring, planning, investigating, implementing and protecting the terms of corporate transactions. We consider and address issues relating to competition, employment, capital markets regulation, tax, insolvency and company law rules, and address regulatory requirements applicable to specific industries, such as media, telecommunications or banking. We concentrate on highlighting areas of legal risk in a manner that is focused, clear and allows its evaluation from a business perspective.

Our team has taken a leadership role in the elaboration of corporate governance rules and practices for both listed and closed Greek companies. We have acted as a contributor to the Greek Corporate Governance Code since its inception, and advised on changes to the Company Law Code.

Employment law is subject to frequent and fundamental change in Greece. Familiarity with the complex and continuously shifting net of rules and policies in this area is of utmost importance to any company operating in the region.

Prominent companies trust us to advise them on a wide variety of issues, ranging from day-to-day advice to strategically sensitive restructuring operations and disputes. We advise on all employment issues relating to individual or collective labour relations and represent clients before employment tribunals, civil and criminal Courts, labour authorities and social security committees. We provide critical support to clients by managing the employment law implications of operational issues.

In addition, we offer an in-depth knowledge of industry specific provisions relating to the banking, financial, pharmaceutical, consumer products, industrial and energy sectors.

Our experience, expertise and thorough understanding of our clients’ needs allows us to focus on the core issues they face and places us in an ideal position to help them in their decision-making process. This broad approach has led to our employment practice being consistently recognized as a market leader.

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Greece codified its bankruptcy provisions for the first time in 2007. The Bankruptcy Code also brought fundamental changes to pre-insolvency and insolvency proceedings. However, despite several rounds of amendments, the rehabilitation of troubled undertakings remains a challenge.

We counsel both credit institutions and potential investors on how to deal with non-performing loans and we advise debtors, creditors and other stakeholders, such as shareholders and management, on how to restructure their debt, rehabilitate troubled companies, secure judicial ratification of agreements, and protect themselves from civil and criminal liability.

Our practice is supported by our other departments in seeking to produce integrated and efficient solutions to business reorganization, with an emphasis on speed, predictability and cost.

Our firm made a significant contribution to a recent enactment aimed at addressing existing inefficiencies through the introduction of emergency proceedings intended either at expediting the ratification of pre-pack agreements or the speedy liquidation of businesses as going concerns. We contribute to efforts to substantially reform bankruptcy laws and cooperate with prominent international organizations of insolvency practitioners, such as INSOL International, INSOL Europe and the International Insolvency Institute. POTAMITISVEKRIS has been active in organizing lectures and seminars on insolvency and restructuring, and is also in the process of developing a network of co-operating insolvency professionals, consisting of lawyers, accountants and bankers, which has become a pressing need for our market.

Intellectual Property (IP) rights are valuable for every type of business, possibly among the most important. It would not be an exaggeration to say that IP rights have nowadays evolved into core elements for the development and growth businesses.

POTAMITISVEKRIS has a very strong IP practice and can provide business oriented assistance and advice in protecting and managing IP rights.

Our practice combines a group of multi-disciplinary lawyers with intellectual property expertise and specialized skills, ready to provide strategic advice to multinational companies in all aspects of contentious and non - contentious IP related matters.

Our firm provides full range of trademark, copyright and patent advice, including litigation and enforcement. It’s this full service approach and our competence in litigating and enforcing IP rights that sets us apart.

Our IP practice group can advise at every step of a brand’s evolution, from initial concept through to becoming a global brand. We provide a one stop shop for all legal requirements including the clearance, prosecution, enforcement and exploitation of trademarks and IP rights at a national, EU and international level. In addition, we provide advice in relation to other IP related matters such as unfair competition, franchising, selective distribution, cyber-squatting, comparative and misleading advertising.

Throughout the years we have represented on contentious and non - contentious IP related matters, many prestigious national and global brands, in particular in the food & beverage, technology & communications, pharmaceutical and retail sectors, SMEs, start ups, not-for-profit organisations sector.

Xenophon Paparrigopoulos heads the team and is a longstanding significant and well respected practitioner in this area.

Real estate transactions are becoming increasingly complex. In an effort to make deals in this sector more immune to financial cycles, there is a tendency towards an increasing number of cross border, highly structured transactions, with complex financing arrangements.

We represent a wide variety of developers, lenders, private equity funds, local and international investors, including REITs and major corporations, as well as the Greek State in the context of privatisations. We advise clients on the full array of complex issues arising in this industry, including acquisitions, disposals, due diligence, development, planning, projects and construction. We also act on financings, including senior, mezzanine and preferred equity financings as well as loan workouts, restructurings, joint ventures and complex real estate mergers and acquisitions. We have enhanced knowledge of the Greek real property market and the issues associated with due diligence and transaction structuring, negotiation and implementation.

Our specialist knowledge and leading reputation in finance places us in an advantageous position to advise on real estate transactions. Our clients choose us because we understand their objectives and offer them the innovation, experience, technical expertise, clarity of advice and commitment to get their deals done efficiently and effectively.