Real Estate and Construction
Panayotis Bernitsas
Managing Partner
Panayotis is the Managing Partner of the Firm and a leading legal practitioner, with an active, broad-based commercial practice incorporating more than 35 years of experience in transactional, advisory and litigation work.
Panayotis is an authority in EU, competition and antitrust law and has represented clients in prominent cartel cases before the Hellenic Competition Commission. He is a senior litigator, with vast experience in all types of dispute resolution, and represents clients in complex, high stake civil and administrative actions before the high courts and arbitration boards. He has also acted as arbitrator at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Panayotis is an expert in concession projects and privatisations, with an unsurpassed track record of playing a key role in many of the pioneering, ground breaking transactions to have taken place in Greece. He advises extensively on major renewable and conventional energy and infrastructure projects and investments in energy property development companies. His real estate practice is focused on large scale developments and real property asset portfolio investments.
Within the framework of his private practice, Panayotis has acted on a number of occasions as advisor to the Government on European Union, State Aids and Privatisation issues. He also advises companies and individuals on complex tax structuring and wealth planning matters and has acted extensively in high stakes tax controversies.
Panayotis has been widely published in legal journals, books and other publications in his areas of expertise and is a participant in the annual Forum on International Wealth Disputes. He held the position of Associate Professor in International Economic Law, Law of International Business Transactions, European Community Law at the University of Thrace from 1983-2007.
Lambros Belessis
Partner
Lambros is an expert in private sector mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings of international companies with a presence in Greece.
He joined the Firm in 2000 and is specialised in structuring, documenting and negotiating commercial transactions, advising extensively on distribution networks, share-purchase agreements, joint venture partnerships and corporate structuring.
Lambros has extensive experience in real estate development and acquisition projects, advising on commercial agreements and corporate transactions in the hospitality, commercial, industrial and high-end residential markets.
He assists clients in the protection and exploitation of their intellectual and industrial property. He provides ongoing advice to companies from a highly diversified range of industries, including car manufacturing, private insurance, pharmaceuticals, software and IT, on the full range of issues arising in the course of their business operations, their entry into commercial agreements, company formation, corporate governance and risk management and compliance.
Christina Zakopoulou
Counsel
Christina is a Counsel at the Firm which she joined in 2000. She specialises in retail and commercial real estate and significant land development projects. Christina's extensive real estate experience encompasses advice on the acquisition and sale of real estate including commercial, residential, hotel and leisure developments and construction contracts.
In this context she has also advised on town planning and forestry issues. She acts for investors, private equity funds, developers and managers with respect to a variety of high end hotel projects and is active in teams working with real estate consultants, architects, engineers and other professionals. She handles both real estate asset transactions (asset deals) and corporate real estate transactions (share deals). She also advises high net worth individuals with respect to the sale and acquisition of real estate assets in Greece.
Christina has specific expertise in real estate privatisation tenders and the development of real estate assets by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) since it was established in 2011.
Christina has experience of acting in public and private mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence and share capital increases. She undertakes company structuring and formation and ongoing corporate governance and advises on regulatory compliance. She also structures, drafts and negotiates commercial agency, commercial lease, share sale and purchase, share contribution and other commercial agreements.
Elena Chatziioannidou
Associate
Elena advises on real estate matters, including drafting and reviewing of contracts, deeds and lease agreements. Elena has experience in negotiations related to property disputes and she participates in large scale due diligence processes, which involve conducting title searches, property assessments and regulatory compliance.
Konstantinos Flampouris
Associate
He advises on corporate and commercial law, including company establishment, corporate governance and ongoing compliance obligations, as well as issues arising in the course of everyday business. Konstantinos acts on real estate transactions, including acquisitions or disposals of real estate assets.
Konstantinos, who joined the Firm as a trainee, also assists in corporate and commercial transactions and participates in due diligence reviews.
Deals
- - Prima Hotels Acquisition of Hospitality Assets We advised Prima Hotels Israel on the acquisition of three boutique lifestyle hotels in Athens, a transaction which marks Prima Hotels’ entry into the Greek market. Our team advised in the entire lifecycle of the transaction.
- - Real Estate Aspects of the Acquisition of MAN Hellas We advised Kosmocar on the real estate aspects of its acquisition of MAN Hellas Truck & Bus SA, including property due diligence in Attica and coordination alongside competition clearance, supporting Kosmocar’s broader expansion strategy.
- - Leasing of High Profile Residences on the Athens Riviera We are advising a real estate investment company on the leasing of high profile residential properties on the Athens Riviera, including due diligence, drafting and negotiation of lease and ancillary documents, and coordination with counterparties and technical advisors.
Team Services
Our team has the expertise to guide our clients throughout the life cycle of their real property assets.
We have a history of advising on complex transactions, ownership structures, developments and financings involving significant properties. Our lawyers have advised government agencies and authorities and contributed to the drafting of the town planning and zoning regulatory framework and new laws and regulations in this sector.
We provide a cross-practice offering which encompasses the acquisition, development, commercialisation, management and disposal of residential, touristic, commercial and industrial assets. Our clients include investors, banks, financing institutions, public bodies, non-profit organisations, developers, construction companies, retailers, high-net-worth individuals and real estate trusts and funds. We have acted in major hospitality, secondary residential, touristic and office space development, cinema complex, mall and logistics center projects, as well as marina, renewable energy and other infrastructure projects.
- Corporate Real Estate
- Hospitality & Leisure
- Planning & Land Use
- Real Estate Development
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Tax