Banking, finance and capital markets (Tier 3)

Led by the ‘knowledgeable and responsive’ Emmanuel Dryllerakis , Dryllerakis Law Firm provides ‘succinct and commercial’ advice to creditors and debtors across a wide range of financing mandates, including within the energy and tourism sectors. In addition, the team regularly advises on NPL transactions, as well as handling work for foreign and domestic entities seeking to comply with national financial services regulations. The ‘exceptional’ Themelis Zamparas is another key member of the team and regularly acts for lenders and borrowers on bond loans and refinancings, as well as being adept at advising public companies on compliance with ATHEX requirements.

Testimonials

‘The team is composed of highly educated individuals who care about the needs of the client. They are responsive, professional and provide succinct and commercial advice.’

‘The exceptional Themelis Zamparas is always ready to handle any task effectively and within tight deadlines. His legal advice is always succinct and solutions-oriented.’

‘Emmanuel Dryllerakis is knowledgeable and responsive.’

‘Emmanuel Dryllerakis has excellent business acumen and excels in finding workable solutions.’

Work highlights

• Advised the syndicate of banks throughout the negotiation of the terms for the refinancing of a secured bond loan amounting to up to €150m for the financing of the purchase from an SPV owned by HelleniQ Energy Holdings S.A of compulsory stock crude oil and petroleum products..
• Advised Sunlight Systems S.A. on the issuance of an RRF syndicated bond loan amounting to €140m for the purposes of financing the company’s innovative investment plans that meet the criteria of the “Greece 2.0” National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Commercial, Corporate and M&A (Tier 1)

The team at Dryllerakis Law Firm is divided into commercial, M&A, and corporate governance sub-groups, allowing its specialists to offer bespoke advice on all aspects of transaction structuring, due diligence, and the drafting of documentation. The practice has vast expertise in the traditional energy sphere, representing domestic and international natural gas players, as well as renewable energy companies handling photovoltaic initiatives. Emmanuel Dryllerakis heads the outfit from Athens, bringing in-depth insight into corporate financing and privatisations to the group, whilst John Dryllerakis specialises in tax and corporate law issues. Cleomenis Yannikas has ‘deep knowledge’, particularly of investment incentive issues, and Georgia Danatsopoulou focuses on corporate governance affairs.

Testimonials

‘Dryllerakis & Associates’ team has significant and up-to-date knowledge and practical experience on all corporate and commercial legal matters, ranging from simple issues relation to our daily activities

to highly sophisticated, complex matters, with a thorough understanding of the company’s needs. Its team members are always available to provide to-the-point, high-level legal services, even on short notice.’

‘Cleomenis Yannikas has deep knowledge of the sector and is always available and efficient in providing comprehensive legal support.’

‘The team has great expertise, is business oriented and has close relationships with clients. The advice is always precise and on time.’

‘Emmanuel Dryllerakis is one of the best lawyers that we have collaborated with. He is an expert in corporate law – he understands our business and tries to find the best legal solution. He is always willing to help and available whenever required. He is friendly and professional. His advice is precise and to the point, within the requested deadlines. Definitely a partner that I would recommend to others.’

‘Knowledgeable, responsive and easy to speak to. An excellent team.’

‘The individuals are the key strength of the firm. They establish a respectful but still friendly relationship and this makes you feel protected.’

‘The people are very friendly and they seem to work perfectly together as a team. They are up to date regarding the use of new technology. The firm covers many different fields of law so they can provide holistic support for any issue that may arise.’

‘They work very efficiently and on time, have an in-depth knowledge of the industry, and are readily available and accessible. They take the time to communicate with us so that we feel secure. They are able to break down their thoughts and make the information they share comprehensible.’

Work highlights

• Advising Helleniq Energy Holdings S.A. with regard to the sale of its 35% participation in DEPA Infrastructure SA in the relevant combined privatisation process run by the Greek privatisation fund (HRADF) for the sale of 65% stake held by the latter.
• Advised Zeus International with regard to the purchase of Stefania S.A., a company which owns the Ajul Luxury Hotel and Spa, a major hotel complex in Chalkidiki, Greece.
• Advising Nike on its group restructuring involving a cross-border merger through the absorption of local subsidiaries.

Dispute resolution (Tier 1)

Demonstrating broad expertise across the financial services, energy, and real estate industries, and described as one of  ‘the most reputable law firms’, Dryllerakis Law Firm specialises in handling complex tax, civil, and corporate litigation. The firm has extensive experience of dealing with multi-jurisdictional proceedings involving violations of IP rights and shareholder disputes, with Athens-based co-heads Gerassimos Apergis and Vassilis Constantinidis specialising in unfair competition claims and commercial litigation. John Dryllerakis draws upon his ‘wisdom and experience’ when addressing business law cases, whilst Panagiotis Kakaletris and Anna Damilakis are also noted.

Testimonials

‘The uniqueness that this team brings to their field is their innate ability to make their clients feel reassured, no matter how dire a situation may be. From the initial meeting to the final outcome of a case, they are instantly available. Their collaboration between themselves and with clients is a constant and they are knowledgeable of the minute details pertaining to not only the cases but the clients themselves.’

‘I have had the pleasure of working with Panagiotis Kakaletris a number of times, and his confidence in all matters is reassuring. His compassionate nature is what differentiates him from most in his profession. This, added to his extensive knowledge of the law, contributes to making him singular in the field.’

‘Claire Sergaki, although young, is very experienced and confident. She has very good legal knowledge, is very hardworking and is always available when needed. She speaks and writes excellent English.’

‘Panagiotis Kakaletris is exceptional.’

‘Panagiotis Kakaletris is very professional, experienced and dedicated, with a good understanding of the client’s needs and a high level of legal knowledge.’

‘Despite being one of the most reputable law firms in Greece, they show extreme care for each specific case they handle and they create a feeling of trust that your case is being handled in the best way possible. There is a very direct and personal approach with both associates and senior partners alike. They use a lot of IT tools that I didn’t expect a law firm to use which gave us an edge in my arbitration, making our presentation before the arbitrators stand out.’

‘John Dryllerakis is one of the most reputable lawyers in Greece. His wisdom, experience and the care he puts into his job are second to none. Emmanuel Dryllerakis and Vassilis Constantinidis are very experienced, with tremendous legal backgrounds, and offer excellent representation. They both possess a unique ability to understand complex commercial and corporate law matters. Claire Sergaki has a tremendous work ethic, legal expertise and care for the client’s needs.’

‘Vassilis Constantinidis is one of the most efficient litigators I have worked with. He invests the time to get to know the facts of each case in depth and he is very inventive in terms of arguments and legal tools in order to get the desired outcome.’

Work highlights

• Represented Olympic Brewery (Carlsberg Group) in a complex and ongoing series of litigation and appeals dating back to 2006, stemming from an investigation by the Hellenic Competition Commission.
• Defending Unilever against claims brought by former distributors for compensation and profit loss on the grounds of non-causal and/or abusive termination.
• Defending the Raytheon Company in a lawsuit filed by a former agent, seeking compensation over the termination of its cooperation with the client.

Employment (Tier 2)

The employment practice at Dryllerakis Law Firm provides advice on all aspects of collective labour bargaining, TUPE matters, and flexible forms of employment. The firm’s client base includes entities from across the publishing, legal, and finance sectors, and it routinely handles employment and social security due diligence for high-profile M&A projects. Team head Vassilis Constantinidis is an expert in disputes. The ‘exceptional’ Anna Damilakis and Olympiada Bassakarou are also noted.

Testimonials

‘The team is responsive, always available and focused on problem-solving.’

‘Anna Damilakis is an exceptional lawyer and is extremely expert in the HR area. Very experienced and genuinely interested in finding solutions. We would recommend her without hesitation.’

‘The practice manages to comprehend in-depth the needs of our company and respond promptly with realistic and ethical advice.’

‘All the individuals are very supportive of our specific requirements. I would like to single out Anna Damilakis, whose professionalism, support and responsiveness are exceptional, no matter what the issue is.’

‘The collaboration I have with Dryllerakis Law Firm is spot on. The team respond as soon as possible, while providing all the necessary supporting documents. Furthermore, they are always available when we submit a question and have the necessary knowledge to support us when needed.’

‘The people are very friendly and they seem to work perfectly together as a team.’

‘They work very efficiently and promptly, have an in-depth knowledge of the industry, and are easily available and accessible. They spend the time needed in communicating with us so that we feel secure. They are able to break down their thoughts and make the information they share comprehensible.’

Work highlights

• Providing continuous advice to Aquila Hotels on many day-to-day labour matters with regard to the seasonal personnel of the hotels within the group.
• Advising Beiersdorf Hellas S.A. on various employment law matters.
• Providing advice to Henkel Hellas S.A. on the dismissal of top-level employees, the relocation of executives, and the update of its existing corporate policies in light of the most recent labour law reforms.

Energy (Tier 2)

The ‘strongly dedicated, enthusiastic and effective‘ energy team at Dryllerakis Law Firm has notable expertise in photovoltaic and wind power initiatives, and is also well versed in M&A transactions. The team regularly assists domestic and international companies with regulatory compliance measures, as Athens-based practice head Emmanuel Dryllerakis is an expert in competition law issues and corporate financing. Cleomenis Yannikas has experience in dealing with high-profile privatisations in both the traditional energy and renewable spaces; Anna Ntionia focuses on the waste management sector; and Themelis Zamparas is a specialist on the regulatory side.

Testimonials

The team involved is strongly dedicated, enthusiastic, effective and we feel them as part of our internal team.’

‘The individuals are very good and the best are Emmanuel Dryllerakis, Cleomenis Yannikas, Claire Sergaki, Themelis Zamparas.’

‘The people are very friendly, they seem to work perfectly together as a team, they are up to date regarding new technology use, the firm has many different law fields so they can support us as a whole for any issue that may arise.’

‘They work very efficiently and on time, having an in-depth knowledge of the industry, being easily available and accessible. They spend the time needed in communicating with us so that we feel safe. They are able to break down their thought and make the information they share comprehensible (drafting of short memos, tables, excels etc).’

‘Very friendly, reachable and discussable professionals that assist in project development.’

‘Dryllerakis and Associates’ Energy team has an in-depth knowledge of the legislation in the Energy field and is always up to date on current news and developments in the Energy sector. What is more, their long-term experience is what makes them stand out and identify all the critical issues that their client needs to be aware of.’

‘The individuals I have mostly worked with are Anna Ntionia and Themelis Zamparas. Of course, they both are exceptionally professionals that have a long-term experience and an in-depth knowledge in the sector. What makes them stand out is, first of all, their knowledge and expertise in their practice field, but also their integrity, their very good communication skills and their dedication to their client’s business needs.’

‘The team is business oriented, looks for solutions, and is available.’

Work highlights

• Advised Helleniq Energy Holdings on the sale of its 35% participation in DEPA Infrastructure, in the combined privatisation process by the Privatisation Fund (HRADF) for the sale of a 65% stake held by the latter.
• Assists REDEN Solar with securing the land required for the installation of all PV projects the client is currently developing in Northern Greece.
• Advised SIREC Energy on an M&A project, regarding the legal due diligence and acquisition of an SPV developing a PV project (with 10MW capacity) in Central Greece.

EU and competition (Tier 1)

Cementing its place at the top of the EU and competition law market in Greece, Dryllerakis Law Firm displays ‘profound knowledge’ in its handling of formal investigations by the European Commission and in Greek state aid cases. The practice is well versed in advising major Greek companies on antitrust compliance measures, and regularly represents clients in proceedings brought by the Hellenic Competition Commission for abuse of dominance claims. Athens-based practice head Emmanuel Dryllerakis focuses on M&A and corporate financing matters. John Dryllerakis specialises in all aspects of competition law; Cleomenis Yannikas is experienced in dealing with litigation before Greek Administrative Courts; and Eleftherios Rantos concentrates on EU Commission investigations.

Testimonials

‘Dryllerakis Law Firm holds profound knowledge and extensive experience in competition law matters. The firm is able to provide comprehensive, solution-oriented legal support, taking always into account the latest developments of the applicable laws, the practice of the European Commission and the Hellenic Competition Commission, and the case law of the CJEU and the competent Greek Courts. The team members are always available, well prepared and swift in providing the advice required.’

‘Cleomenis Yannikas has deep knowledge of the sector, demonstrates great partner availability and client care, and is always efficient in providing comprehensive legal support. ’

‘The long and deep knowledge of this specific area of law – they are an established practice with seasoned lawyers who are experienced in proactively advising clients in risks and next steps ’

‘In-depth understanding of the way the sector works, down to its intricate day-to-day operations and a commentable and excellent ability to implement the theories of competition law on such understanding. The result is very concrete, practical, commercial advice without vagueness and legal theories. Absolute delight to work with.’

‘Cleomenis Yannikas has this amazing ability of absorbing the details of the industry specifics, remembering them and applying the complex principles of antitrust law to give practical, commercial and high-quality advice. He is always available, cooperative, understanding and inspires confidence and legal safety. He is a model legal partner for our business.’

Work highlights

• Defending ELAIS UNILEVER against a HCC fine of approx. €27m for abuse of dominance and vertical restraints allegedly employed by Elais-Unilever Hellas to margarine products in Greece.
• Defending Attica Bank in a HCC investigation of the Greek banking sector regarding alleged anti-competitive agreements between the largest Greek banks and Interbanking Systems Dias.
• Representing Olympic Brewery (Carlsberg Group) concerning Athenian Brewery’s appeal both before the Athens Court of Appeal and the Supreme Administrative Court against HCC’s decision imposing €31m fine for abuse of dominance.

Intellectual Property (Tier 3)

With more than 25 years of experience in representing local, European and international clients with sizeable IP portfolios, Dryllerakis Law Firm covers all elements of trade mark registrations and infringement proceedings. Aliki Damilakis and Anna Damilakis co-lead the department from Athens, with the former specialising in unfair competition and copyright law and the latter handling cases of national and European trade marks and patents.

Testimonials

‘We have a long cooperation with the firm on intellectual property matters. The team provides comprehensive and efficient legal support.’

‘Our collaboration with Anna Damilakis is always fruitful and efficient.’

Work highlights

• On behalf of a client, researched the availability and provided legal opinions regarding potential trade mark infringements, registrations, renewals and protection.
• Advising a client on a continuous basis on the availability, registration, renewal and protection of its registered trade marks before all competent courts.

Projects and privatisation (Tier 2)

Frequently providing advice on the full project cycle, including planning, financing, and due diligence, the Dryllerakis Law Firm projects practice has handled many privatisation cases on behalf of the Greek government. The team has special expertise in regulatory compliance and drafting project exploitation agreements, with the Athens-based head Emmanuel Dryllerakis being an expert in corporate financing and privatisations. John Dryllerakis specialises in competition law and Greek State tenders, whilst Cleomenis Yannikas assists with high-profile cases in the energy sector.

Testimonials

‘Excellent legal background with efficient market knowledge. Very strong team to deliver on-time results on delicate legal and commercial issues.’

‘Excellent team members, with a very collaborative approach to rely on.

‘Kleomenis Yannikas is an excellent legal professional, with accurate responses on corporate issues.’

‘Leonidas Kastrinakis is an upcoming practitioner, with deep legal knowledge and an open-minded approach.’

Work highlights

• Acts as the main legal advisor to Hellenic Casino Parnitha S.A. for the relocation of Casino Mont Parnes (a joint venture of Regency Entertainment S.A. and the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund), following a recent law permitting relocation of the casino from its current mountaintop location to an urban site.
• Advised HelleniQ Energy Holding S.A. with regard to the sale of its 35% participation in DEPA Infrastructure SA (natural gas), in the relevant combined privatization process ran by the Privatization Fund (HRADF) for the sale of 65% stake held by the latter.
• Advising the client in the context of the tender process for the expansion of container terminal (Pier 6) of the Port of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second biggest port of strategic importance for the whole of the Balkan area. The deal takes place in the context of the mandatory enhancements of the Port provided for in the Concession Agreement between the Hellenic Republic and TPA.

Real estate and construction (Tier 2)

The Dryllerakis Law Firm real estate practice offers bespoke advice on zoning, planning and licensing, while leveraging its expertise in tax and litigation to provide a comprehensive service to its clients. Renowned for its ‘quality of work’ and ‘availability’, the team represents clients throughout tender processes relating to leases and transfers of land, along with project financing issues. Maria Stoumpidi and Stella Yannika lead the group from Athens, specialising in planning investments and project finance. Eleftherios Rantos focuses on environmental and construction law matters, while Panagiotis Georgiopoulos concentrates on real estate disputes.

Testimonials

‘The general approach is one of a wish to understand the client’s thinking in parallel with an in-depth assessment of the issue under consideration. There is also a clear philosophy to try and give value for money, not just a fee machine.’

‘Expertise, quality of work, availability.’

‘My experience has shown that the people with whom I am involved know when the principle is more important than the details and, more importantly, vice versa.’

Work highlights

• Acted for Hellenic Casino Parnitha in the relocation of Casino Mont Parnes from its current mountaintop location to an urban site.
• Acted as the main legal advisors to Minoan Group (Loyalward) in the zoning, planning and strategic advising for a major tourism project in Greece.
• Advising a client in the context of the tender process for the expansion of container terminal (Pier 6) of the Port of Thessaloniki.

Tax (Tier 1)

Demonstrating vast experience in representing clients in the Greek Supreme Administrative Court, Dryllerakis Law Firm’ tax practice is highly regarded for its handling of both transactional issues, along with litigation and appeals. The team shows substantial strength in the criminal tax law sphere, covering all aspects of tax evasion, AML, and unpaid debts on behalf of domestic and international corporations. Based out of Athens, John Dryllerakis heads the group, specialising in global tax proceedings and competition law matters, whilst Eleftherios Rantos is an expert on tax due diligence projects for M&A. Nikolaia-Anna Lepida has extensive knowledge on corporate tax issues, and Dimitris Karavas focuses on complex administrative law affairs.

Testimonials

‘Strengths:- In addition to high level of expertise in tax-related matters, their unique personal empathy and interest – Effective initiatives in tackling delicate and politically-sensitive aspects related to the case handled.’

‘Key contributors and effective handlers to my case were Ioannis Dryllerakis and Nikolaia Lepida. The a.m. qualities characterize the individuals and their supporting team.’

‘Very effective, proactive and excellent collaborators. On top their fees are value for money.’

‘Always fully aware on the current legislation. Provide fast and accurate response on any occurring issue.’

‘Available at any time, can-do attitude and experienced.’

‘Dryllerakis Law Firm law firm has strong expertise in complex tax issues focusing on their clients’ needs and providing exceptional services. Efficient handling of cases and an agile approach to matters are key characteristics of their legal team.’

‘The tax team of the firm possesses an in-depth knowledge of the legal tax framework and our collaboration, on complicated as well as on day-to-day matters, has been exceptional.’

‘Excellent knowledge, prompt attendance, professionalism, diligence and efficiency. John Dryllerakis and his team have an extensive knowledge of Tax and Accounting Law and an impressive understanding of business issues. Nikolaia-Anna Lepida is an expert in the Tax and Accounting Law with professionalism and extremely responsive. Emmanuuel Dryllerakis is an excellent expert on his filed with personal commitment in the cases.’

Work highlights

• Advised EUROBANK S.A. throughout a special tax audit regarding the Bank’s compliance with Tax Reporting obligations (FATCA/CRS), the first such audit to a leading Greek bank.
• Represented Homeric Holdings in a high-profile case before the Plenary Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court, successfully claiming that retroactive taxation of tax-free reserves formed before 2013 was contrary to the Greek Constitution.
• Advise the Piraeus Port Authority, a COSCO Group affiliate managing one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, in an ongoing tax audit raising serious tax & TP matters relating to the port’s privatization.

TMT (Tier 4)

The Dryllerakis Law Firm TMT practice is ‘willing to go the extra mile’ for the international and domestic food, cosmetics and hardware companies it represents, demonstrating vast expertise in complex issues of privacy and data protection law. From Athens, Emmanuel Dryllerakis leads the team, which includes Anna Damilakis, who focuses on GDPR implementation projects, and Eirini Chagiou and Melina Atsalaki.

Testimonials

‘The team is very responsive and professional. They understand our business very well, and are able to provide us with the adequate legal advice to any question we have.’

‘Cost-effective, efficient and friendly legal advice.’

‘The team is highly knowledgeable and the advice they provide is always thorough, clear and timely. The team are very proactive when it comes to providing legal advice. The team are willing to got the extra mile for the client and to work for as long as necessary to achieve the client’s objective.’

‘Melina Atsalaki is always keen to assist on various instructions provided by the client. A constant source of knowledge, Melina’s responses are thorough, insightful and prompt.’

‘Anna Damilakis is always ready to assist, to provide advice on the spot, happy to discuss a complex matter for as long as it takes until the advice is clear. Anna is very proactive and professional in the conduct of our matters.’

‘We are delighted with the support that we have received from Dryllerakis Law Firm.’

Work highlights

• Appointed by Regency Entertainment as Data Protection Officer (DPO) in Regency Casino Mont Parnes and Regency Casino Thessaloniki.
• Appointed by Praktiker Hellas as Data Protection Officer.
• Appointed by Loulis Mills as Data Protection Officer.

White Collar Crime (Tier 1)

Frequently handling claims before the civil and criminal courts, the Dryllerakis Law Firm white-collar crime practice displays extensive expertise in all aspects of money laundering and tax assessment cases. The team represents domestic and international corporations from across the beverages, aviation, and publishing sectors, with vast experience in advising on proceedings appearing before the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. With the group based in Athens, Gerassimos Apergis is an expert litigator in civil law disputes, whilst Vassilis Constantinidis has a specialisation in business law matters. Manolis Zografakis focuses on general white-collar crime issues, and Panagiotis Kakaletris is knowledgeable in public procurement disputes.