Bernitsas Law is ranked in Band 1 across all practice areas by Chambers Global in their 2026 Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
Banking & Finance
Bernitsas Law offers exceptional expertise across the banking and finance spectrum. The law firm enjoys an excellent standing in capital market transactions, handling large bond loan and note issuances and listings, as well as receivables securitisations and structured finance mandates. Additionally, its clientele benefits from in-depth expertise in NPL transactions, including the sale and acquisition of portfolios and all regulatory issues. Lawyers at the firm frequently assist with the Greek aspects of pan-European finance deals, acting for a wide range of prestigious financial institutions and private companies.
'Bernitsas consistently provide clear, to-the-point advice and are extremely responsive. The team always go the extra mile, and every professional is of the highest quality.'
'Bernitsas consistently take the time to understand their clients' business models, risk appetite and strategic objectives, tailoring their advice accordingly.'
'Bernitsas demonstrates expertise in financial analysis, strategic planning and risk management, alongside a deep understanding of relevant laws and regulations.'
'The team includes individuals with diverse skill sets and backgrounds, which allows them to address a wide range of issues effectively.'
'The lawyers at Bernitsas are very proactive and they respond very accurately and thoroughly to the requirements and needs of their clients.'
Managing partner Panayotis Bernitsas continues to garner extensive praise for the depth of his expertise and for his standing in the Greek banking and finance world.
Market-leading partner Athanasia Tsene is widely appreciated for her comprehensive coverage of complex finance and capital market transactions, ranging from corporate credit facilities and non-performing receivables sales to structured finance deals and NPL transactions.
'Athanasia Tsene provides a high level of service. She is client-friendly and one of the most experienced professionals in the market.'
'Athanasia is an excellent professional – she's dedicated, always available and consistently provides the right answers. She handles complex situations with calmness and clarity.'
'Athanasia is super knowledgeable and explains very complicated issues in a very easy manner, even for non-lawyers.'
Sildia Fotopoulou has expansive experience assisting clients with corporate financings, bond loan issuances and securitisation transactions.
'Sildia stands out for her deep technical expertise and ability to translate complex issues into actionable insights. Her calm, solutions-oriented approach under pressure is particularly valuable.'
'Sildia Fotopoulou is always available, well organised and knowledgeable on our company's peculiarities. Our cooperation is always smooth and efficient.'
'Sildia is experienced, focused on meeting strict timelines and providing the requested results while protecting her clients' interests.'
Corporate / Commercial
Bernitsas Law boasts a broad corporate and commercial practice based in Athens, aided by its strong financing offering. The law firm comes highly reputed for its expertise in M&A transactions ranging from divestments and demergers to cross-border acquisitions. A further key strength of the firm lies in the handling of shareholder agreements and share acquisitions, as well as participation in public tenders, making it a great choice for international clients. Additionally, the firm regularly assists with corporate restructurings, contract negotiations and due diligence issues. The team's clientele includes investment funds and pharmaceutical companies, and lawyers in the team also act for public authorities, further underlining the firm's strong market position.
'Bernitsas Law stands out for its ability to combine deep legal expertise with a strong understanding of business realities. The team's advice is always pragmatic and tailored to commercial needs.'
'Bernitsas Law offers depth of expertise, commercial pragmatism and consistent high-quality execution.'
'The team have immense experience, are very hard-working, approachable and empathetic, and understand the difficulties that a company may come across.'
'Bernitsas provides high-level technical expertise and in-depth legal knowledge.'
'The department distinguishes itself through its expertise in complex transactions.'
Panayotis Bernitsas is the managing partner of Bernitsas Law and is held in high esteem for his longstanding expertise in corporate and commercial law matters across Greece.
'Panayotis Bernitsas is awe-inspiring in the brightness of his mind and his understanding of the complexities.'
Lambros Belessis is a skilled lawyer who advises prominent international investors and corporate clients on the Greek law aspects of multinational corporate deals.
'What sets Lambros apart is his deep technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and ability to navigate intricate legal frameworks with clarity and precision.'
'Lambros has sophisticated knowledge, takes an empathetic approach, and provides real-life advice which helps negotiations to proceed and solutions to be found.'
'Lambros is reliable and well prepared.'
Evi Kitsou advises clients on complex corporate mandates include share sales, restructurings and mergers, where she often acts on cross-border matters.
'Evi is very committed and always delivers results as promised.'
'Evi has strong knowledge of corporate matters and handles complex projects with a practical and business-minded approach.'
Nikos Papachristopoulos is a leading corporate lawyer with an incredible breadth of expertise in shareholder agreements, demergers and acquisitions. He often acts for investment funds and is particularly experienced in cross-border work.
'Nikos is excellent in his job and always provides a well-structured and clear picture.'
Dispute Resolution
Bernitsas Law has proven capabilities in public law litigation, including cases linked to public tenders and the breach of public contracts. The team handles IP litigation, often defending companies in enforcement actions taken by the Greek data protection regulator or other domestic public bodies. It also assists with employment law disputes and civil action claims. Bernitsas Law has a strong reputation for the capacity to handle complex commercial arbitration.
'Bernitsas Law stands out for its hard work, determination and attention to quality and detail. The whole team is excellent.'
'Bernitsas Law offers deep expertise in Greek legal matters, commercial awareness and a highly responsive and solution-driven approach.'
'Bernitsas Law is able to dive into cases, understand technical aspects, discuss with persons of a non-legal background and present a fully integrated case.'
'The team's advice and valuable guidance helps to successfully solve complex matters.'
'What distinguishes the firm is its responsiveness and ability to provide clear, business-minded advice even in high-pressure situations.'
Christos Paraskevopoulos is a well-established litigator with significant experience in contentious intellectual property matters, civil claims, and employment and shareholder disputes.
'He is detail oriented and gets excellent results.'
'Christos Paraskevopoulos has the perfect level of experience, gravitas and knowledge.'
Dimitris Roussis represents clients before the administrative courts in actions against the Hellenic Republic, including notable cases relating to environmental decisions and results of public tenders. He is also active in arbitration.
'Dimitris is an exceptional administrative litigation lawyer with excellent legal and communication skills.'
'Dimitris is very knowledgeable and leverages his incredible experience to get clients the best possible results.'
Evangelos Mamalakis assists clients with product liability cases and litigation relating to terminated distribution agreements.
'Evangelos is a very sharp lawyer who is responsive to challenges.'
'He stands out for his strategic thinking, clarity of communication, and deep understanding of cross-border dispute dynamics.'
International & Cross Border Capabilities
Bernitsas Law is a large Greek law firm providing a full-service offering to local and international clients across the full spectrum of legal areas. It is regularly a law firm of choice for clients requiring local law expertise on the Greek aspects of international matters, collaborating effectively with global firms on foreign direct investment. At Bernitsas Law, teams adeptly handle cross-border financing matters, involving both private sponsors and institutional lenders, and the law firm is a trusted adviser to clients on inbound M&A. Equally, its contentious groups are well-versed in representing clients in cross-border cases, primarily serving as local counsel on multi-jurisdictional disputes. The law firm also brings industry expertise in energy and infrastructure to bear in project financing transactions and displays proficiency advising on deals in the TMT and real estate spaces.
'Bernitsas couples unparalleled depth of Greek market insight with an international, deal-making mindset, delivering technically flawless, commercially astute advice on the most sophisticated mandates.'
'Whether its navigating multi-jurisdictional rules or advising under tight timelines, they've shown a deep understanding of both the legal framework and the commercial context.'
'The lawyers at Bernitsas are highly skilled and experienced in both local and international matters, making them great at handling complex issues.'
'Their ability to navigate local legal issues while keeping in mind the broader commercial and cross-border context has been particularly valuable.'
