Cyprus > Banking and finance > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Antis Triantafyllides & Sons LLC is ‘frequently involved in the most significant deals’ and has a ‘first-rate team that is technically strong’ and acts for international lenders, borrowers and security providers. Highlights included advising Barclays on the Cypriot law aspects of a $100m facility to a large private investment company in Russia. Practice head Stelios Triantafyllides and senior managing associate Marios Hadjigavriel are recommended.

Andreas Christofides and Elias Neocleous at Elias Neocleous & Co LLC are ‘excellent’ and Costas Stamatiou is ‘very commercial’. The group routinely advises local and foreign banks on complex transactions and frequently receives referrals from international law firms. It advised VTB Bank on the Cypriot law aspects of a credit facility to Russian electric utility company SUEK.

FIRMS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Antonis Paschalides & Co LLC

The involvement of Cyprus companies in such a large number of cross border transactions have created a significant market for banking services in which Antonis Paschalides & Co LLC has been actively involved, advising corporate clients, local banks and overseas banks on specific projects or just on the general principles of Cyprus banking law.

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FIRMS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC

Limassol Nicosia

The banking and finance team at Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC is ranked in the top tier for Cyprus, duly acknowledged for delivering outstanding legal services to its clients. With a 52-year experience in the legal market and the international culture, the lawyers and legal consultants of the Firm successfully handle challenging cross-border corporate finance transactions and banking projects.

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Harneys’ ‘excellent’ team routinely handles cross-border financings, capital market listings and restructurings. It advised Standard Chartered Bank on a loan to Max Group for the purchase of various properties in the UK. Other clients include Deutsche Bank. Pavlos Aristodemou heads the group and Nancy Erotocritou is ‘outstanding’.

‘Really great firm’ Dr K Chrysostomides & Co LLC also fields an ‘efficient’ banking and finance team which recently advised RCB Bank on various aspects of the financing of a Cypriot holding company. Chryso Pitsilli-Dekatris heads the practice; Pavlos Symeonides ‘quickly gets to the nub of the problem’; and senior associate Artemis Amalia Metaxa ‘provides assistance 24/7’.

Patrikios Pavlou & Associates LLC’s team ‘does not overly complicate things’ and is skilled at handling multijurisdictional projects: it recently advised an international bank on an amendment agreement to a €260m facility agreement. Stella Louca Pavlou is ‘vastly experienced’ and Lia Iordanou Theodoulou ‘keeps an active involvement in any matter that she is instructed on’. The ‘commercially astute’ Stavros Pavlou and the ‘precise’ Stella Strati are also recommended.

‘The professionalism and exceptional quality of service is what makes Chrysses Demetriades & Co Law Officestand out’. The ‘responsive and client-focused’ Demosthenes Mavrellis recently led advice to Capita Asset Services regarding the parallel listing of Bank of Cyprus on the London Stock Exchange and the Cypriot Stock Exchange.

George Y Yiangou LLC is often involved in high-value and complex cross-border transactions. In a notable highlight, the group acted as Cypriot counsel to the senior lenders in a major restructuring that spanned twelve jurisdictions and involved multiple lenders. Key members of the ‘strong team’ include practice head Chris Yiangou and international projects manager Lory Cirstea.

Michael Kyprianou & Co. LLC fields a large team that has extensive experience in complex domestic and cross-border transactions. The group was engaged by a major international law firm to act for Sberbank of Russia in connection with a $100m facility agreement. Tonia Antoniou heads the department.

Ioannides Demetriou LLC’s ‘good all-round team’ is well versed at handling complex banking mandates and syndicated financings for clients such as Eurobank Cyprus. Pambos Ioannides is ‘knowledgeable’ and Christina Ioannidou is a ‘top lawyer’.

Mouaimis & Mouaimis LLC’s banking and finance department is headed by the ‘very precise’ Panayotis Mouaimis and frequently acts for international banks and groups of investors. It has extensive experience in bond issue transactions. Michalis Mouaimis is ‘very responsive’.

AGP Law Firm | A.G. Paphitis & Co. LLC routinely represents clients before the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and regularly advises foreign banks on large credit facilities. Angelos Paphitis and George Paphitis are recommended.

Athos Demetriou Associates LLC recently provided a legal opinion to a major international law firm on an $80m debt financing. Athos Demetriou is a primary contact.

Effie Anastasiou heads the ‘experienced’ banking and finance team at Clerides, Anastassiou, Neophytou LLC. The group regularly advises high-net-worth individuals, financial institutions and large corporate and institutional clients such as Credit Agricole on bi-currency financing transactions and routinely provides legal opinions on local law aspects of these deals.

Kinanis LLC Lawyers' Limited Company acted as leading Cypriot counsel to the lenders on a €90m syndicated loan facility. Christos Kinanis is ‘commercially aware’.

Koushos Korfiotis Papacharalambous LLC continues to advise Societe Generale Bank Cyprus on its documentation to ensure compliance with the European Directive on credit agreements for consumers on residential immovable property. Loizos Papacharalambous provides ‘very clear advice’.

Stelios Americanos & Co LLC recently advised Eurobank on a large financing of a Greek real estate company. Stelios Americanos is recommended.

A.G Erotocritou LLC has ‘all the professionalism you would expect from a large firm’. Alexis Erotocritou is ‘very methodical’ and regularly acts for both borrowers and financial institutions on the full range of banking and security matters. Key clients include Unicredit and Cyprus Shipping Association.

Alexandros Economou LLC has a ‘very commercially aware team’ including the ‘highly efficient’ Alexandros Economou and ‘hardworking’ associate Maria Katsikidou. Highlights included acting as local counsel to a large Russian bank on the financing aspects of the acquisition of a major hotel.

Dimitria Coucouni Andreou heads the team at Andreas Coucounis & Co LLC that has considerable experience in advising on the restructuring of loans by means of debt to asset swaps.

Christos Patsalides L.L.C.’s ‘dynamic team’ includes the ‘attentive’ Christos Patsalides. Bank of Singapore is a key client.

Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC has particular expertise in advising on financial aspects of major restructurings. George Middleton is recommended.

Alexandros Tsirides is a key contact at ‘progressive firm’ Costas Tsirides & Co LLC. The group regularly advises leading banks in Cyprus and Russia on financings and securities.

Kypros Ioannides heads the ‘very responsive’ team at Deloitte Legal | Hadjianastassiou, Ioannides LLC. Highlights included advising an English bank on a significant amendment and restatement of a term loan facility to various Cypriot companies. Senior associate Natalie Sepou is ‘excellent’.

Michael Damianos at Michael Damianos & Co LLC is ‘available 24/7’ and frequently receives referrals from international law firms to advise on mergers and acquisitions, energy related projects and public offerings in overseas markets.

Papadopoulos, Lycourgos & Co LLC recently advised foreign investors on their bid to acquire a controlling stake in a Cypriot bank. Doros Lycourgos is recommended.

Pyrgou Vakis Law Firm acted as the bank’s counsel in the debt restructuring of a major hotel. Melina Pyrgou is a primary contact.

Tornaritis Law Firm’s ‘very professional’ team continues to act for Cyprus Popular Bank and its new special administrator on a broad range of banking and finance matters. Alexandros Alexandrou is ‘very accurate’ and Criton Tornaritis has ‘excellent experience of the banking and finance sector’.