The Legal 500

We are pleased to announce and share with you all; clients, associates, our members of staff and friends the award in the category of “Services”, awarded by the INBUSINESS magazine and supported by the Hellenic Bank.

In the newly-released PLC Which lawyer? rankings for private client work, Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC remains the only Cyprus firm listed in the "leading" category, reflecting the firm's expertise and preeminence in this field. PLC Which lawyer? is one of the world's leading independent researchers into lawyers and law firms, providing independently researched market intelligence on lawyers in more than 110 countries based on their track records, competitors' assessments and client feedback.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC believes strongly in giving back to the community, and during 2011 the firm has sponsored or otherwise contributed to a wide range of cultural and professional events including performances by the world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet and Terem Quartet. We end the year by sponsoring the exhibition in Cyprus of the Complete Sculptures of Edgar Degas, which will run from December 2011 to mid-February 2012.

For a second successive year, Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC is the only Cyprus law firm to be selected for Legal Week's "Independent Law Firms in Europe" survey, which identifies the leading firms in 29 European jurisdictions.  Legal Week is a specialist magazine aimed at commercial lawyers in the UK and major international jurisdictions, and one of the leading legal titles.

On 10 November HE Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, chaired a session on the establishment and functioning of the Euro-Mediterranean Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in Limassol.

Limassol-based real estate specialist Christos Vezouvios and Anna Makeeva of our Moscow office teamed up with Antonis Loizou and Associates, Cyprus's leading real estate agents, KPMG, and Hellenic Bank to promote "Real Estate and Doing Business in Cyprus" at the Moscow International Investment Show held on 14-16 October 2011 and at the St. Petersburg International Property Show on 28-30 October 2011.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC hosted the biannual meeting of the Cicero League of International Lawyers which was held in Limassol between 17 and 19 November 2011. CICERO is an established network of more than 30 international independent law firms providing high-quality service in the corporate, commercial and property sectors.

Limassol litigation partner Costas Stamatiou was among the speakers at the recent international conference of the Ukrainian Bar Association held in Limassol. The theme of the conference was “Beneficial business structuring. Best legal advice on tax and commercial advantages in popular jurisdictions”.

Limassol litigation partner Costas Stamatiou represented Cyprus at the recent Fraudnet conference and meeting which took place in Dubai at the same time as the Annual Meeting of the International Bar Association during late October.

Cyprus Weekly, the island's leading English-language weekly newspaper, recently published an open letter from the chairman of our firm, Andreas Neocleous, making a number of recommendations to streamline and modernise legislation in order to improve Cyprus's attractiveness as an international financial centre in an increasingly competitive world.

Philippos Aristotelous, a senior associate in our firm, represented Cyprus at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the International Bar Association (IBA) in his capacity as National Reporter to the Taxes Committee of the IBA.

Maria Kyriacou, partner and head of our Nicosia office, was among the speakers at a conference organised jointly by the British High Commission in Cyprus and the Cyprus-UK Business Association. The conference, held on 2 November, was aimed at informing participants about the main features of anti-corruption legislation in the UK, particularly the Bribery Act 2010, which came into force on 1 July 2011.

Elias Neocleous, head of the corporate and commercial department of Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC, was among a distinguished panel of speakers at the second Limassol Economic Forum, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Limassol on 19 October 2011. Other speakers included Dr Linda  Yueh, Director of the China Growth Centre (CGC) at St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, Tony Barber, Europe Editor of the Financial Times, Peter Ayliffe, President and CEO of Visa Europe and Efthimios Bouloutas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Marfin Popular Bank. 

The launch of the third edition of "Neocleous's Introduction to Cyprus Law" took place in Moscow on 6 October, within the context of a seminar given by our firm and Bank of Cyprus aimed at enhancing awareness of doing business in and through Cyprus.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC has teamed up with Bank of Cyprus, the leader in Cyprus's banking sector, to present a seminar in Moscow on aimed at enhancing awareness of doing business in and through Cyprus.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC is supporting the Sixth International Conference on Legal, Security, and Privacy Issues in IT Law, which will be held in Nicosia under the auspices of the International Association of IT Lawyers, an organization devoted to promoting research and development in the field of law with members throughout the world.

The recently-published PLC Which Lawyer? ratings for dispute resolution show Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC as the sole firm in the "leading" category on the island.

On 29 April 2011, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released a discussion draft on the meaning of "beneficial owner" in the OECD Model Tax Convention.

Gold magazine, the first English-language international, investment, business and finance magazine in Cyprus, recently published a wide-ranging interview with Elias Neocleous, head of the corporate and commercial department of Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC, about recent changes to the firm's management structure and the future of the firm.

In accordance with its commitment to support the community and cultural life of Cyprus, Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC sponsored two performances by the world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet.

As part of its commitment to the local and international community and to cultural life in Cyprus Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC is sponsoring this summer's festival of cultural events in Cyprus by performers from St Petersburg.

The current issue of "The Lawyer" features an extensive interview with Elias Neocleous, head of the firm's corporate and commercial department, on Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC's plans for expansion into China and mainland Europe.

Partner Nicolas Ktenas was among the speakers at the fifth annual European Data Protection Intensive organised by Dataguidance and held in London on 26 and 27 May.

"The Lawyer", the leading weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors, has published its second annual review of the top law firms in Europe. "The European 100 - The Continental Elite" examines the trends affecting law firms in Europe and identifies and analyses the leading firms.

Elias Neocleous, head of our corporate and commercial department, was among a distinguished panel of expert speakers at conferences on "Tax planning for Russian clients and investments in Russia" held in Zurich and Geneva on 2 and 3 February. The conferences were organised by Academy & Finance SA, who specialise in the organisation of conferences and seminars in the field of private wealth management and were both fully-booked.

Both Andreas Neocleous, chairman of our firm, and Elias Neocleous, head of the corporate and commercial department, are recognised as leaders in their field in the 2011 Guide to the World's Leading Tax Advisers, the international legal market's leading guide to the top legal practitioners advising on tax.

At the Annual General Assembly of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry held on 16 November this year our chairman, Andreas Neocleous, received the Chamber’s Honour Award on behalf of the firm. This award is made by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry to prominent businessmen for their business activity abroad and their overall contribution to the promotion of the economic development of Cyprus.

A number of new members of staff have joined us recently to further strengthen our resources.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC is continuing to develop avenues for cooperation with the Chinese business community. In October this year, Andreas Neocleous, Lefkios Tsikkinis and Vassilis Psyrras coordinated and led a visit to China by a Cyprus delegation of bankers and property specialists, with the support of the Ambassador of Cyprus in Beijing, HE Mr Marios Ieronymides.

Elias Neocleous, head of the corporate and commercial department of Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC, was among a distinguished panel of speakers at the first Limassol Economic Forum, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Limassol on 27 October 2010.

The second meeting of the General Assembly of Andreas Neocleous & Co International took place in Prague, Czech Republic, on 21 August. Andreas Neocleous & Co International is a Verein (association) organised under the Swiss Civil Code which acts as an “umbrella” organisation for our associated firms.

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC wins InterContinental Finance Magazine’s Full Service Law Firm of the Year award for 2010

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC was one of the sponsors of the Marfin Popular Bank EuroPro Tour Championship, which was held in Cyprus for the first time this year.

Our partner Nicolas Ktenas was the Cyprus country speaker at the DataGuidance Annual European Data Protection Intensive (EDPI) in London on 20 and 21 May 2010.

The April edition of the architecture and design magazine “Synthesis” showcased our new Limassol office as an example of effective innovation in building design.

Significant legal precedents in the making.

We are pleased to announce the election of three new partners and shareholders in Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC with effect from 1 January 2010

In September this year our chairman, Andreas Neocleous, presented a seminar in China concerning investment in Cyprus and the uses of Cyprus corporate structures for investment worldwide. The Ambassador of Cyprus in Beijing, Mr Marios Ieronymides, welcomed more than sixty prominent businessmen, professionals and officials to the event.

The official opening of our firm’s new Limassol headquarters took place on 30 October. More than 400 guests, including religious dignitaries, ambassadors and prominent figures from politics (among them two past Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus), business and the legal profession joined our partners and staff to see His Excellency Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, unveil a commemorative plaque and declare Neocleous House officially open.

Our firm took another step forward on its path to becoming a leading international firm on 31 October, when leaders of the firms using the “Neocleous” name in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine met to subscribe the incorporation documents of Andreas Neocleous & Co International, a Verein (association) organised under the Swiss Civil Code. Andreas Neocleous & Co International will promote and develop the international network of firms, acting as a forum for information exchange between them and setting and maintaining compliance with the highest international quality standards. Commenting on the establishment of Andreas Neocleous & Co International, Andreas Neocleous said, “Our international network has grown rapidly, thanks to the efforts of a talented and dedicated group of people. The incorporation of Andreas Neocleous & Co International is the next stage in our development into an international firm that is recognised throughout Europe and beyond.”

The 2010 edition of the IFLR1000, Euromoney’s guide to the world’s leading financial law firms, has been published and Andreas Neocleous & Co has maintained its leadership position among Cyprus law firms, recognised as, “the largest and most internationally focused firm in Cyprus, capable of handling numerous demanding mandates at a time”, and, according to client endorsements, “responsive and down to earth.” Both Elias Neocleous and Kyriacos Georgiades are praised by clients for their proactive approach and for giving “quick answers that are not half-answers.”

Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC offers its congratulations to the Cyprus Shipping Chamber on its twentieth anniversary, which coincides with Maritime Cyprus 2009. Established in 1989 as a trade association, the Cyprus Shipping Chamber has been active in promoting and developing Cyprus shipping, with great success, and we look forward to the continuation of our long-established cooperation with the Cyprus Shipping Chamber.

The Maritime Cyprus Conference, organised by the Department of Merchant Shipping in conjunction with the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, takes place every second year. Over the past twenty years it has become one of the world’s most significant shipping conferences, with a prominent position in the calendar of shipping executives, shipowners and managers as well as government officials.

As part of its corporate social responsibility programme, Andreas Neocleous & Co was one of the main sponsors of a musical concert by the leading Greek tenor Marios Frangoulis held in the Curium amphitheatre near Limassol on 4 August.

Stamatiou, a senior associate in our shipping department, has been appointed as a member of the Shipping Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association, which reviews and comments on proposed legislative instruments and government policies in the maritime field.

We have recently successfully acted for Tiffany and Company, the US-based international retailer of jewellery and luxury goods, to protect its investment in intellectual property. With a history of more than 170 years the “Tiffany” name has developed into one of the world’s leading and most recognised brands, protected worldwide in numerous countries and under international conventions. Working with partner Janet L. Hoffman of Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. (New York City), the leading US intellectual property firm, we took action to prevent misuse of the company’s name in Cyprus.

After a rigorous competitive selection procedure we were selected by the European Commission to advise on the implementation in Cyprus of the Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises Initiative, known by the acronym JEREMIE. Improving access to finance is a priority area of the Lisbon agenda for growth and JEREMIE is a key initiative in this strategy, and a flagship project of the EC.

Chairman of the firm Andreas Neocleous was one of the main speakers at the conference “International Corporate Solutions 2009” organised by Bosco Consulting of Ukraine, and held in Limassol on 29 and 30 April.

Mr. Elias Neocleous, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC, has been elected in the Board of Directors of the non-profit association “Friends of the Cyprus University of Technology”, during elections held on the 14th of January 2009 at the University’s lecture theatre “Pefkios Georghiades”. Our Firm has been providing its legal services to the association on a pro bono basis since its inception and throughout the acquisition of its legal personality as well as towards its current affairs, such as the first General Assembly held on the 14th of January.

It is often said that moving house is one of life’s most stressful experiences. After two years of anticipation and planning, Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC moved into its new home during the last weekend in November. Our new headquarters are within a stone’s throw of our previous office, but they are far ahead in terms of facilities, providing our staff and visiting clients with excellent working conditions, including advanced computer and telecommunications services, in a spacious, modern environment.

13.08.2008 - ANDREAS NEOCLEOUS & CO LLC would like to announce that it has been appointed Legal Advisors to the Limassol Tourism Company (“the Company”), to which it shall provide its legal services on a pro bono basis.

The high demand for residential property in Cyprus over the past few years, coupled with the activities of some unscrupulous developers and less than competent advisers, have created serious delays in the issue of title deeds to purchasers of property in Cyprus. For some time our real estate department has been advising the Cyprus Property Action Group, a group lobbying for action to deal with the problems.

20.10.2008 - Elias Neocleous, head of the company and commercial department of Andreas Neocleous & Co, was extensively featured in an in-depth analysis of offshore jurisdictions in the October 2008 issue of the leading professional magazine “Legal Business”.

For some time there has been a move towards greener, more energy-efficient homes and increased use of recycling. But what about the workplaces and offices where we also spend a large amount of our time? Some simple changes of habit can save significant amounts of energy and resources at the workplace. What is more, by adopting environmentally friendly policies, the organisation can often save money as well as the planet.

10.11.2008 - Nicolas Ktenas, a partner based in our Nicosia office, was one of the attendees at the ninth annual membership meeting of the Employment Law Alliance (“ELA”), which took place in Berlin in October. The meeting was attended by representatives of ELA firms from more than 80 jurisdictions, as far afield as Canada, Argentina and Australia, reflecting the ELA’s worldwide reach.

As part of a company wide expansion, ANDREAS NEOCLEOUS & CO LLC, Advocates & Legal Consultants, have moved to new premises at Neocleous House, 195 Makarios III Avenue, CY-3030 Limassol,

The partners of the Law Firm Andreas Neocleous & Co have incorporated a limited liability company under the name Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC pursuant to the provisions of The Advocates Law, Cap. 2 and The Companies Law, Cap. 113 of the Republic of Cyprus. 

 Read more...

 Read the full announcement