Litigation, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

Our practice has a strong track record in major administrative, civil and commercial and corporate crime disputes. We offer a highly specialised level of representation before the courts in Greece and Europe, industrial tribunals, the ICC and in arbitrations and mediations, with an exceptionally high success rate.

We approach disputes constructively, averting litigation where this is feasible and getting the best possible results where it is unavoidable, focusing on time and cost management to ensure minimal disruption to the ordinary course of our clients’ business. We place emphasis on pre-litigation risk management and case viability, recognising the need for communication with our clients to allow for informed decisions throughout the process.

Our practice offers a significant breadth of expertise across all types of commercial, administrative and white collar crime disputes. We enjoy long-standing relationships with clients from a wide range of industries who regularly instruct us on disputes arising in the course of their everyday business. Industry specialisations include medical, pharmaceutical, food and beverages, retail, electronics, car manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, insurance, financial services and securities.

Administrative & Compliance Disputes
Our practice has significant expertise in this area, advising clients in disputes relating to regulatory and legislative compliance and interpretation. We represent clients in the challenge of acts and decisions of central and local government and public bodies and in fiscal, corporate governance, licensing and financial investigations by the regulatory and tax authorities. We advise on petitions for the annulment of penalties and fines and on disputes arising from public procurement processes and the award of public tenders.
Banking & Finance Disputes
We act on behalf of banks and financial institutions in respect of disputes arising in the retail and investment banking sectors and relating to products, transactions, investments, securities, insurance, fraud, debt recovery and regulatory investigations.
Corporate & Commercial Disputes
We have a vast amount of experience and a unique track record litigating corporate and commercial disputes arising from the performance and termination of commercial agreements and corporate relationships. These range from breach of contract to claims relating to company and asset acquisitions and disposals, mergers, joint ventures, agency and distribution agreements and real estate development and infrastructure projects. We act for clients on corporate governance and accountability litigation including actions relating to shareholder and directors’ duties and liabilities, as well as employment disputes.
Fraud Investigations
We also have substantial experience in investigations of fraudulent and alleged or suspected fraudulent acts. We have repeatedly been instructed to conduct such investigations, independently or as part of a multi-disciplinary task-force, and present our findings, risk assessment and recommendations, usually in the form of a detailed report. Our client base includes some of the biggest names in the pharmaceuticals, electronics, defence, automobile, clothes and apparel industries. Our team includes a Certified Fraud Examiner and reports regularly on any change in the legal landscape in Greece pertaining to anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and practices.
Restructuring & Insolvency Disputes
We advise on a wide range of contentious issues arising from restructurings, bankruptcies and insolvencies. We represent shareholders, directors and officers of companies in the process of being restructured as well as creditors, advising on enforcement of security, asset tracing, retention of title and employment issues.
White Collar & Corporate Crime
Our team represents companies and credit institutions in investigations and criminal and civil proceedings, and assesses potential liabilities of executives and employees for fraud, corruption, bribery and negligence. A significant part of our practice involves risk assessment and management. We also handle claims relating to breach of fiduciary duty and have unparalleled experience in setting out the defence options available to deal with the enforcement of sanctions imposed by government or regulatory authorities.
Recent Experience
Competition Dispute
We have successfully represented a major oil company before the Athens Administrative Court of Appeals in its appeal against the Hellenic Competition Commission’s (HCC) decision relating to its alleged collusion with a company operating in the same sector to fix ratios of discounts offered to petrol station owners on wholesale prices of unleaded petrol, and enforcement proceedings initiated by the HCC and Tax authorities.
AMPNI Fraud Investigation, Data Protection Dispute and Other Litigation
We have acted for AMPNI, a leading international marine fuel logistics company, in a complex dispute involving, inter alia, an investigation into the misappropriation of company assets, day-to-day assistance with its Greek operations and the termination of several lease agreements of its subsidiaries.
Diesel Emissions Case
We represent Kosmocar, the official importer of Volkswagen, AUDI and Skoda automobiles and Ducati motorcycles to Greece, in relation to civil actions filed against them by consumers allegedly affected by software, the purpose of which was to optimize NOx emissions in certain vehicle models. We have to date been successful in the rejection of numerous lawsuits filed against our client, and continue to represent them in other pending or new lawsuits filed by other plaintiffs. The decisions of the Greek Courts will create case law that will be followed in this and possibly in other jurisdictions, where similar lawsuits may have been filed.
Supply Tender Disputes
We represent a truck tire distributor on an ongoing basis in their disputes arising in the context of public tenders launched by various public authorities and organisations for the supply of tires for use on public vehicles.
Franchisee Claims in Telecoms Sector
We act for a leading telecommunications provider in relation to clientele indemnification, lost profits and moral damages litigation proceedings initiated by former franchisees.
PPP Dispute
We represent an SPV consisting of several other companies active in the waste treatment units sector in disputes, including arbitration, arising from the execution of a PPP project for the design, financing, setting into operation, maintenance and facility management of a waste treatment unit.
Damages Claim by Former Distributor
We successfully represented an international ingredient solutions company in the defence of a civil action for damages and clientele indemnification filed by its former distributor.
Public Tender Preselection Dispute
We represent a global concessions and construction company in the appeal proceedings launched by two of its competitors against their preselection in the first phase of a public tender for the concession of the construction and operation of a motorway.
Usury and Money Laundering Dispute
We advised an investment company in relation to a civil action for damages as well as a criminal complaint for usury and money laundering filed against it over certain loan agreements.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Report
We contribute the Greek section to a report issued by an international law firm on anti-bribery and corruption law and gifts and hospitality.
EU Patent Protection
We act for F. Hoffman-La Roche AG, a Swiss multinational healthcare company, in relation to patent enforcement actions against a biosimilar company.
Council of State Appeals
We are advising international pharmaceutical companies in their appeals before the Council of State against decisions requiring them to pay claw backs to Greek Hospitals in relation to hospital supplies.
Squeeze-out Proceedings in the Healthcare Sector
We have successfully represented a foreign investor in the healthcare sector in proceedings aimed at the squeeze-out of minority shareholders in Greek healthcare operators.
Wind Telecommunications Exclusivity Clause Dispute
We represent Wind Telecommunications in disputes to enforce their rights under an exclusivity clause in a contract with the State granting exclusive mobile telephony rights for 8 years and contributions by the State to Wind’s investments in its network.
Product Liability Dispute
We are advising a global technology leader in connection to product liability claims brought against it by Greek consumers.
CNP Zois Insurance Litigation
We represent CNP Zois SA, a member of the CNP Cyprus Insurance Holdings Ltd Group, as their legal advisors in insurance related matters and their lawyers in litigations involving insurance related disputes on insurance products sold in the Greek market on an ongoing basis.
€9.7m Damages Claim
We have acted for an international electronics manufacturer in connection with the c.€10.5m dispute arising from the termination of their distribution agreement with its former Greek air conditioners distributor and their potential exposure. This includes defending the client against a €9.7m claim for damages brought by its former distributor following the termination and advising on their claim for unpaid invoices. We have also provided advice on Greek law matters to the client’s in-house and external UK counsels in connection with parallel proceedings in the UK.
Recourse Action against €30m Penalty
We advised a leading IT company in its recourse action initiated against the State in respect of a €30m penalty, outstanding payments and supply disputes arising from the execution of a public tender contract.
Renault €25m Damages Claim
We have successfully represented Renault in a landmark case involving numerous court proceedings relating to its former distribution network, including the rejection of a €0.5bn damages claim, a complaint before the Hellenic Competition Commission and an appeal before the Administrative Court of Appeals, all by its former Greek distributor, and the filing and acceptance of a €25m claim against the latter and its guarantor.