Frangos Law

Managing Partner Mr. Iosif Frangos explains how the firm is evolving to meet clients’ rapidly changing corporate and regulatory needs.   What do you see as the main points that differentiate Frangos Law from your competitors? If I had to identify one word that captures what differentiates us, it would be trust. Over the past 25 years, we have built trust within our organisation, among our people, and most importantly with our clients and the market. For me, that has been the foundation of the firm’s journey and development. Beyond that, I believe clients value the fact that we combine legal knowledge with commercial awareness and a practical approach. The market no longer looks only for a technically correct legal opinion; it looks for lawyers who understand the broader business, regulatory and strategic context and can help clients move matters forward with confidence. We have adapted to that reality by developing a broad and well-coordinated service offering, supported by a team that can respond to increasingly complex and cross-disciplinary matters. In the end, what matters is not simply knowing the law, but being able to guide the client through complexity in a way that is reliable, responsive and commercially sensible.   Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that? I expect the strongest growth to come from areas where transactional activity and regulation now intersect. In practical terms, that means corporate and M&A work with a stronger regulatory overlay, compliance and investigations, technology and data-related advisory work, and project-driven mandates in sectors attracting strategic investment. A particularly important development for Cyprus is the new foreign direct investment screening regime, which comes into force on 2 April 2026. I believe this will generate a new layer of legal work around deal structuring, transaction timing, regulatory analysis and investment planning, especially where sensitive sectors or strategic assets are involved. At the same time, the rapid expansion of the digital economy is creating demand well beyond traditional TMT work. The staged implementation of the EU AI Act, the application of DORA, and the wider EU digital finance framework, including MiCA, are pushing businesses to seek advice not only on compliance, but also on governance, contracting, outsourcing, operational resilience and risk allocation. More broadly, Cyprus is increasingly positioning itself as a technology and investment hub, and that is likely to drive legal work in areas such as fintech, digital infrastructure, data protection, cybersecurity, energy, and strategic cross-border investment. So, in my view, the real growth story is not in isolated practice areas, but in legal work arising from the increasing convergence of investment, regulation and technology.   What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients? One of the most important changes we have made has been to build the firm in a way that is less dependent on personalities and more grounded in structure, depth and continuity. I believe that is essential if a law firm is to serve clients properly in today’s environment. The profession has become more specialised, more regulated and more demanding, and that requires more than legal knowledge alone. It requires the right infrastructure, the right internal organisation, and a team that can operate with consistency and confidence. Over time, we have invested in exactly that: stronger systems, clearer internal coordination, a more robust compliance framework and a broader institutional capability. The benefit for clients is a more resilient, better organised and more future-ready firm, capable of delivering reliable support not only today, but over the long term.   Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them? Yes, undoubtedly. Technology is changing not only the way law firms communicate with clients, but also the nature of the services clients expect to receive. Clients today expect speed, accessibility, efficiency and better visibility over the progress of their matters, and technology plays a central role in meeting those expectations. The most significant development, of course, is AI. Although its long-term impact is still unfolding, it is already clear that it will reshape parts of the legal profession. I am optimistic about that. I believe lawyers and law firms should embrace AI as an opportunity to improve efficiency, strengthen internal capabilities and deliver more value-driven services. At the same time, the essence of the lawyer’s role remains unchanged. Clients will continue to rely on lawyers for judgment, perspective, strategic direction and the confidence that comes from trusted advice. Technology can enhance the way we work, but it cannot replace those qualities.   Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business? A practical example would be assisting an international investor in establishing, acquiring or developing a business presence in Cyprus. In such matters, the challenge is rarely limited to the transaction itself. The client is often faced with a puzzle of interdependent legal, regulatory, financial and commercial considerations, including structuring, due diligence, tax, financing, licensing, contractual arrangements and implementation matters. The value we add lies in adopting a holistic approach and helping the client view the matter as a whole rather than as a series of isolated steps. By bringing the different moving parts together in a coordinated and commercially sensible way, we help the client identify issues early, align decisions across the various phases of the process, and reduce the risk of one step undermining another. That, in my view, is where real value is created: not simply in answering a legal question or preparing a document, but in helping the client navigate complexity and make better decisions throughout the lifecycle of the investment.   Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years’ time? In a complex and constantly changing environment, clients are looking for more than legal knowledge alone. They are looking for stability, judgment and strategic direction from advisers they trust. In three years’ time, I would like to see the firm continuing to enjoy the respect and recognition it has today, and hopefully enhancing them even further. At the same time, I would expect us to have continued adapting to the rapid pace of technological change and to have developed the appropriate infrastructure, systems and capabilities that will allow the organisation to move confidently into its next era. More broadly, I see the firm evolving in a way that preserves the values on which it has been built, with trust at the centre, while becoming even stronger as an organisation. The objective is to ensure continuity, resilience and progress, so that the firm remains well placed to support clients at the highest level in the years ahead.