Bernitsas

Bernitsas

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Greece

Projects and Privatisation

Panayotis Bernitsas

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.
Yannis Seiradakis

Yannis Seiradakis

Partner Yannis has a wide-ranging transactional practice which encompasses significant experience in acting in complex privatisations, public and private projects and mergers and acquisitions. He has a particular expertise in the energy, infrastructure, utilities and transport sectors. Yannis' vast experience in privatisations reaches back to his time as Special Secretary for Privatisations at the Ministry of Finance, in which capacity he managed the sale of numerous State owned companies, notably public utilities. Since joining the Firm in 2004, he has been involved in high profile privatisations of grid operators, motorways, ports, airports and railways. Yannis is an expert in energy law, advising on the structuring, development, financing and implementation of transactions and projects in the conventional and renewable energy sectors. He advises extensively on legislative risk and compliance and counts leading energy companies, international investors, financiers and Government bodies among his clients. Yannis advises both privately and State owned entities and consortiums on project financings and public private partnerships, with a specialisation in documenting and negotiating concession contracts. He also advises on the regulatory framework for the assignment of public contracts by way of tenders and for developing projects and public private partnerships. Yannis advises public and private companies, investors and financial advisors in mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and divestments of primarily distressed assets. Much of his work in this area is cross-border and takes place in highly regulated sectors.
Eleni Stazilova

Eleni Stazilova

Counsel Eleni is a Counsel at the Firm which she joined in 2017. She is specialised in major project infrastructure development and energy law, including M&A transactions in these areas. Eleni has substantial expertise in the structuring, drafting and negotiation of commercial, agreements of any type with a focus on the infrastructure, energy, commodities, transport and telecoms industries. She assists clients across a wide range of sectors, including renewable energy, utilities, oil and gas, and transportation infrastructure. With expertise in both domestic and international transactions, Eleni specializes in drafting, negotiating, and structuring complex contracts related to acquisitions, project development, financing, construction and operational agreements. reporting and implementation of regulations and leading complex due diligence reviews. Her track record in commercial contracts includes drafting and negotiating construction, supply agreements, operation and maintenance contracts, and energy procurement in general. Eleni has acted on behalf of investors, developers, government entities, and financial institutions in the context of greenfield projects development and M&A transactions. She also advises on regulatory and compliance matters in the field of energy law, leveraging the client’s ability to implement their business models. Prior to joining the Firm, Eleni worked as corporate counsel in the architectural and construction sectors in Greece and abroad. Eleni holds a Degree in Law and an LLM in Civil Law from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and an MOOC (Coursera) Introduction to European Business Law from Lund University. She is admitted to the Piraeus Bar (2016).
Nikos Papachristopoulos

Nikos Papachristopoulos

Partner Nikos is a leading practitioner in capital markets and corporate and M&A, with a specialisation in primary listings and secondary offerings of securities and acquisitions and takeovers of listed companies. He has been heavily involved in numerous privatizations of State-owned companies and the recapitalization of the Greek systemic banks since 2012. Nikos has vast experience advising on the structuring and financing of mergers and acquisitions, including take-over bids, corporate reorganisations and restructurings and equity and debt offerings.
Stella Papakosta

Stella Papakosta

CounselStella is a Counsel at the Firm which she joined in 2010. Her practice involves assisting both private and State owned entities and consortiums in project development, project financing and public private partnerships, with a specialization in the documentation and negotiation of concession contracts. Stella has substantial experience in privatizations and has been involved in a number of high profile projects across various industry sectors, representing clients in their participation in tenders for the acquisition of State-owned enterprises and advising on the regulatory framework for the award of public contracts. She also advises clients on disputes arising from public tenders and the performance of public contracts, and petitions the Court of Audits in relation to compliance with the prevailing legislative framework. Prior to joining the Firm, Stella worked as an attorney in the Litigation Department of the Hellenic Public Real Estate Corporation (KED SA).
Melina Kolovetsiou

Melina Kolovetsiou

Associate Melina is an associate with the Firm and a member of the Energy and Project Development, Finance & PPPs teams. She advises on a broad range of transactions in the conventional and renewable energy sectors including the financing, construction and operation of energy projects. Melina has experience in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, conducting due diligence exercises and ensuring compliance with regulatory and environmental requirements. Melina has experience in privatisations of state-owned companies and provides regulatory advice, particularly in the context of public procurement and concession law.
Evdokia Priovoulou

Evdokia Priovoulou

Associate Evdokia is an associate with the Firm and a member of the Energy and Project Development, Finance & PPPs teams. She advises on energy and infrastructure projects including project structuring, regulatory issues and contract frameworks across the energy value chain. Evdokia assists clients on energy operational, licensing and other compliance issues. She also advises on concession matters arising in large scale projects and has worked on interdisciplinary mandates. She has experience in complex disputes arising from power supply arrangements, post M&A issues and project development agreements.  Prior to joining the Firm, she worked with leading law firms in Germany.

Deals

  • - General Secretariat of Infrastructure We are advising Aktor Group in their capacity as preferred bidder in relation to the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of a new building to accommodate the General Secretariat of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport on Piraeus Street through a Public Private Partnership.
  • - Police Stations We are advising Piraeus Bank acting as lender, in relation to the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of 5 new police stations in Greece through a Public Private Partnership.
  • - Attica Motorway Concession Agreement We advised a consortium in their participation in the tender launched by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, for the award of a new services concession agreement in relation to financing, operation, maintenance and exploitation of Attica Motorway, one of the most important road infrastructures in Greece, for a duration of twenty-five years.

Team Services

Project Development, Finance & PPPs

Our practice is a market leader. We have acted in most of the large-scale projects to have taken place in Greece since the concessions market opened in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

We advise all market participants and count the international financing institutions, major lending banks, commercial financiers, consortia, project sponsors, construction companies, bidders and contractors with an active presence in Greece among our clients. We act for the European Investment Bank, the European Bank of Restructuring and Development and the State. Our aim is to provide creative solutions which cater to the needs of our clients, their concerns and priorities.

  • Project Development & Finance
  • Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)

Privatisations

Our participation in landmark deals marking the privatisation of major State-owned operators is unparalleled.

Many of these transactions have involved sales to international investors and listings on the Athens Exchange, and our clients include domestic and international investors and public bodies in the ongoing privatisation programme. Over the years, we have acted in numerous ground-breaking privatisations of high-profile companies operating in core industries.