Sarantitis

Firm overview:

For more than six decades, SARANTITIS Law Firm has been established as a leading law firm, trusted by major corporate groups, banks, enterprises and high-net-worth individuals for our depth of expertise, integrity, and commitment to excellence.

With offices in Athens and Piraeus, SARANTITIS Law Firm provides a wide range of specialized and integrated legal services to corporate clients across a range of sectors, including industrial sector, banking and capital markets, real estate, shipping and energy. SARANTITIS Law Firm supports businesses and entrepreneurs in critical corporate activities, such as investments, transactions, mergers & acquisitions and asset management, while assisting them in resolving complex disputes involving equity interests, corporate structures, and other proprietary or high-value assets, including ownership stakes in companies, groups, or related entities.

Together with its network across Greece, Cyprus, and the Balkans, SARANTITIS Law Firm collaborates closely with distinguished law firms in international business hubs, such as New York, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Milan, Hong Kong, Brussels, and Tokyo, delivering integrated, cross-border legal solutions aligned with our clients’ business requirements.

From the beginning, the firm's story has been built of steady evolution, bold decisions, and a clear vision: to stand at the forefront of business, law, and industry, guiding our clients guiding our clients through every chapter of their growth and success. Established in 1965 in Piraeus, focusing on maritime law and global transactions, in parallel with the evolving field of banking law during a period of intense economic and financial restructuring in post 1950 Greece, the firm played a significant role in transforming the legal and business framework in shipping, and therefore, in the country’s business development. In 1996, the firm launched its offices in Athens, determined to strengthen our footprint in the country’s most vibing economic hub. In 2004, the Firm relocated its headquarters to Athens as “SARANTITIS Law Firm” and has been established among the major business law firms in Athens, operating as a full spectrum business law firm, while maintaining strong roots in shipping and the financial hub of Piraeus. The new era of SARANTITIS Law Firm was built on two foundational practice areas: The first one was “Corporate & Commercial – M&A,” dedicated to commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and the restructuring and reorganization of companies. The second was “Banking & Finance”, and “Capital Markets”, with a strong focus on supporting credit institutions in financings and guiding listed companies through an increasingly complex regulatory and commercial environment. Throughout its evolution, SARANTITIS Law Firm went beyond standard advising on smooth commercial dealings. Their team of experienced litigators has been bringing deep experience in civil, commercial, administrative and labor law, competition law, and in criminal matters linked to corporate activity, commonly known as “white collar crime”.

Capabilities:

Mergers and Acquisitions
SARANTITIS Law Firm Mergers & Acquisitions practice is founded on more than 28 years of experience, advising major domestic and international clients across a broad range of industry sectors, including military and defense, media, telecommunications and other key industries. The firm provides comprehensive legal support on complex corporate transactions and on all aspects of clients’ business operations and activities in Greece.

The team has particular expertise in the sale and acquisition of shareholdings, mergers and acquisitions transactions, related contractual arrangements and due diligence assessments. SARANTITIS Law Firm regularly advises domestic and international companies, as well as investment funds, on strategic transactions, private equity investments and other high-value corporate mandates, offering a fully integrated approach from transaction structuring to execution and post-closing support.

In addition to M&A transactions, the practice has a strong track record in complex corporate restructurings, including the restructuring of distressed targets. The firm designs and implements sophisticated debt acquisition and debt-to-equity conversion schemes, alongside management and operational reorganizations. SARANTITIS Law Firm also advises on privatization projects in the Greek public sector and in other Balkan jurisdictions.

Complementing its transactional expertise, the firm assists clients with the establishment of Greek companies, day-to-day corporate compliance and ongoing corporate governance matters. Its capital markets and securities law team brings extensive experience in high-profile IPOs, private equity transactions and listed companies’ regulatory and compliance obligations.

Corporate & Commercial
SARANTITIS Law Firm’s Corporate and Commercial – M&A department takes pride of more than 28-years of experience of advising major foreign and local clients in every industry sector, from military and defense to media and telecoms, on complex corporate transactions and on all aspects of their business operation and activities in Greece.

In addition to its corporate work, Corporate & Commercial M&A team is also advising and assisting with major corporate restructuring transactions. In the context of complex corporate restructurings, we are implementing sophisticated debt purchase and conversions to equity schemes, as well as management reorganizations.

Banking and Finance
SARANTITIS Law Firm is a pioneer Greek law firm in the field of banking and finance, collaborating with major international banking institutions. SARANTITIS’ banking practice takes also pride in its flawless track record in complex banking litigation, as well as of its specialized banking regulatory expertise.

In the field of shipping finance practice, SARANTITIS Law Firm has been acting as external legal counsel of a number of Greek and foreign banks, in the context of a continuous inflow of mandates to handle ship finance transactions.

Restructuring & Insolvency
SARANTITIS Law Firm Restructuring & Insolvency team advises companies, financial institutions, investors, and stakeholders across the full spectrum of financial distress and special situations. The team combines technical expertise with a pragmatic, commercial approach, helping clients navigate complex challenges, while preserving value and managing risk.

SARANTITIS Law Firm acts in both contentious and non-contentious matters, advising on in-court and out-of-court restructurings, insolvency proceedings, debt reorganizations, and distressed transactions. The team’s work includes assisting boards and management with strategic decision-making in times of financial difficulty, advising creditors and investors on enforcement and recovery strategies, and representing insolvency practitioners throughout proceedings.

A key strength of the firm’s practice is the team’s experience in cross-border insolvency. SARANTITIS Law Firm has handled matters involving multiple jurisdictions, coordinating with foreign counsel and addressing issues such as jurisdictional conflicts, recognition of foreign proceedings, asset tracing, and cross-border enforcement. This allows them to deliver sensible solutions in international restructuring and insolvency scenarios.

Capital Markets
SARANTITIS Law Firm clientele includes a number of companies listed on the ASE as well as on foreign Stock Exchanges.

The firm's lawyers have acquired over the years, excellent knowledge of listed companies' obligations, under Greek law, advising companies and their shareholders on the required procedures, announcements and notifications connected to various types of transactions.

Competition
SARANTITIS Law Firm has extensive experience in a wide range of competition and merger control cases before the Greek Competition Commission, the Greek Administrative Courts and the European Commission, as well as in state aid cases.

SARANTITIS Law Firm is also highly specialized in cases of conclusion, operation and termination of exclusive, non-exclusive and selective distribution agreements, including legal advice on the drafting of distribution and agency agreements, the conformity of vertical restraints with Greek and EU competition law, the conformity of specific commercial policies with Greek and EU competition law, etc.

Dispute Resolution
Being a premier legal practice and a leading player in the field in Greece, SARANTITIS Law Firm is renowned for their expertise in litigation and international arbitration, including ICC arbitration. The firm has a long and impressively successful (in terms of favorable outcome for our clients) track record in litigation proceedings deriving from disputes in all market sectors and/or various fields of law before the Courts of all instances – including the (Greek) Supreme Court – representing prominent international and domestic clientele and creating, in many cases, “pioneer” jurisprudence.

The firm's team of skilled lawyers show deep understanding of legal processes and represent clients across various industries, providing strategic advice and strong representation in both domestic and international forums, handling a remarkable number of complex and high-stakes/sophisticated disputes effectively, including arbitration of commercial and corporate disputes with multi-jurisdictional aspects.

Shipping

Ship Finance

SARANTITIS Law Firm Piraeus Office has been serving in the shipping industry for over 40 years and has been recognized as a pre-eminent legal advisor with its integrated advice to shipping companies and financial institutions on all aspects of domestic and international transactions, including new building and second-hand acquisitions, sale and purchase contracts, structure financing, syndicated lending capital market products (both bond and equity), offshore matters, to mention just a few. Furthermore, the firm's specialized litigation team provides a full range of services in the context of mortgage enforcement covering the whole procedure from ship arrest to public auction. The team's ability to integrate sector knowledge with strategic thinking to deliver innovative and tailored solutions that address complex legal issues is what has earned them their reputation as highly regarded experts.

Shipping & Transport

Since the 1960’s SARANTITIS Law Firm has maintained a longstanding and significant presence in Piraeus, one of the world’s most important shipping and trading hubs, participating in legal developments and active involvement in this sector. The firm has a dynamic litigation practice before the Piraeus Courts of Maritime Disputes. They also follow financial matters concerning the taxation of shipping companies and overall shipping activity and it participates in several national and international fora for the maintenance of the special taxation status of vessels. Some of the firm's lawyers have participated in various legislative committees on issues related to maritime law.

The firm collaborates seamlessly with cross-counter practices and jurisdictions enabling them to provide comprehensive expertise, cross-border insights and enhanced client service.

Labor & Employment
With a strong track record in handling the employment aspects associated with M&A transactions, the advisory team offers revolves around employment contracts and Greek labor laws, complex issues of employment litigation, drafting of internal work regulations of large enterprises, negotiating collective employment agreements and assisting with regulatory compliance measures. Furthermore, the team has a deep knowledge of issues deriving from major reorganizations and restructuring schemes in international enterprises.

The firm’s experienced employment law team provides services to a wide range of clients, both domestic and international ones, in all business sectors/industries, including high profile enterprises activated in the area of commercial and production activities, hotelier business, logistics and transportation, information technology, energy, as well as the maritime/ freight transportation industry.

SARANTITIS Law Firm is constantly advising major enterprises in relation to matters deriving from the provisions and interpretation of the recent codification of the whole employment legislation effected as from 2022, affecting a wide range of employment relationships and initiating amendments in a number of previous labor laws, such as, indicatively, the violence and harassment, whistleblowing, teleworking as well as the application of the digital card in the workplaces. In particular, during the last years SARANTITIS Law Firm advised upon and drafted several policies regulating the matters of prevention of violence and harassment in the workplace on behalf of globally activated enterprises, as well as whistleblowing, in order to be in conformity with the Greek legal environment.

Energy
During the last twenty years, SARANTITIS Law Firm has been active in numerous projects in the Energy and Natural Resources Sector, by servicing major clients – both domestic and international ones, in their activities in Greece – providing legal services in the course of their business and operation as energy investors not only in energy regulatory matters but also in corporate, commercial, real estate, employment and tax issues as well.

SARANTITIS Law Firm is constantly active in numerous projects, especially in the field of renewable sources, providing legal due diligence services in the frame of acquisition of solar and wind farms projects as well as legal advice on the licensing procedures and any aspect of the operation of electricity producers and traders as well as suppliers which hold dominant position in the field.

The firm’s skilled team advises clients on the drafting and negotiating contracts offering strategic approaches in the development of projects as well as ensuing litigation services in the sector. SARANTITIS Law Firm involvement is based on a special insight into problems and opportunities faced by the energy and electricity utility industries. The team’s substantial legal resources in the field allows them to provide creative, comprehensive and effective legal solutions.

Real Estate, Hospitality & Construction

SARANTITIS Law Firm has long-standing experience in litigation concerning disputes deriving from the sector of constructions as well as in all forms of real estate transactions.

Furthermore, the firm advises on a daily basis its high-profile clientele on legal matters concerning constructions and real property development projects, as well as commercial lease agreements.

Intellectual Property
SARANTITIS Law Firm advises on the full spectrum of intellectual property matters, combining technical expertise with practical commercial insight. We have extensive experience in copyright and neighboring rights, trademarks, patents, utility models, industrial designs, computer software and database protection, domain names, know-how and franchising, as well as the drafting and negotiation of license and technology transfer agreements.

The IP practice is supported by a dedicated team of lawyers advising on both transactional and contentious matters, including intellectual property due diligence in the context of mergers, acquisitions and corporate transactions. SARANTITIS Law Firm represents leading Greek and international companies active in Greece and has a strong track record in intellectual property litigation, particularly in trademark disputes, infringement actions and enforcement proceedings.

The Firm has longstanding experience in the media sector and regularly advises television and radio broadcasters on intellectual property and related rights.

SARANTITIS Law Firm also acts as an agent for the registration and management of Greek, European and international trademarks and patents, as well as local (.gr) domain names, on behalf of local and foreign clients, ensuring efficient, cost-effective and user-friendly procedures, and coordinating protection strategies at both national and international level.

TMT
SARANTITIS Law Firm TMT department has a loyal customer base of major ICT services providers, advising them on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters, as well as with respect to their day-to-day operations and regulatory compliance. The team also undertakes regularly legal due diligence mandates within the context of M&A transactions and continues to be active in the area of data privacy, being regularly instructed by foreign law firms and private entities to advise on various aspects of data protection legislation and the implementation of the GDPR in Greece.

White-Collar Crime
Criminal process against corporations and their officers has increased notably over recent years.

SARANTITIS Law Firm has substantial experience and provides a wide range of services in defending individuals or companies against allegations of wrongdoing in a variety of complex criminal investigations and trials in substantive areas such as breaches of business trust, financial, employment, social security, claims, conspiracy, environmental offences, insurance fraud money laundering, negligence, bad faith and other allegations of criminal wrongdoing.

The team consists of experienced litigators, who are familiar with the handling of highly sensitive matters in the relevant field such as securities, finance, fair trade or tax. Several cases of such nature have ended in a successful result, without even becoming a matter of public knowledge. The team also advises on compliance with business ethics and oversight programs and, significantly, on the steps that a company needs to take in order to minimize the threat of criminal exposure.