Ready to dive into the latest developments in competition law?

Join us at the 8th Competition Law & Policy Conference, organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki on October 17th and 18th, at the Wyndham Grand Athens Hotel.

Our Senior Associate Maria Kallidopoulou will participate in the merger control panel on Friday, October 18th, sharing valuable insights on FDI and FSR, as well as their interaction with merger control, focusing on the latest developments and their implications for businesses operating both within and outside the EU.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/8th-international-competition-law-and-police-conf-info

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece in the disposal of an additional 10% stake in NBG by the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund.

The transaction was completed through (i) a concurrent FMO and a public offering to retail and institutional investors in Greece and (ii) a private placement to professional investors outside Greece, and was marked by an impressive interest of Greek and international investors with oversubscription exceeding 10 times overall and 12 times abroad.

Our core team comprised Partners Catherine Karatzas and Alexandra Kondyli, Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga, and Associate Dimitris Passas.

Sincere thanks to our client, for their trust and seamless collaboration on another milestone transaction for NBG and the Greek market.

We are thrilled to announce that Aspasia Stellakatou Loverdou and Vassiliki Papanastasiou, who started as Trainees in K&P, continue their professional journey as Associates in our firm.

Join our team and grow with us! Explore our job openings today: https://karatza-partners.gr/careers/

Yesterday, for the 6th consecutive year, our people came together for the Greece Race for the Cure 2024, which took place in Athens, organized by the Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer, Alma Zois!

We ran and walked together with thousands of participants celebrating the victory of survivors, supporting the fighters and commemorating those who passed away.

As tomorrow marks the beginning of October, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, join us to support the cause, to raise awareness, promote research, and contribute to a future without breast cancer.

We are proud for our people who once again embraced heartily the causes of the organization ‘One Child – One World’ by contributing school supplies for… “A Full Backpack for Every Child!”

This initiative, which is part of the organization’s “Embrace a Cause” program, aims to provide for children in need, living primarily in the center of Athens, and to support them to start the school year fully equipped.

Our people’s active participation and support evidences our ongoing commitment contributing to meaningful causes for our community and making a positive impact!

We’re very proud to share that our firm has once again been ranked as Tier 1 in the IFLR1000 EMEA 2024 rankings in Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, M&A, and Project Development.

Our partners Catherine Karatzas, Christina Faitakis, Vassiliki Salaka, Nikos Fragos, Alexandra Kondyli, Anna Manda and Valia Apostolopoulou, and our Senior Counsel Dionysis Flambouras have also been recognized for their outstanding work and contributions in their respective fields.

Find more information here: https://www.iflr1000.com/Jurisdiction/Greece/Rankings/160#rankings

For another consecutive year, we are delighted to be a contributor to the Chambers and Partners Corporate Governance Global Practice Guide for 2024.

Our Partner Alexandra Kondyli, together with Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga, Senior Associate Maria Chronaki and Associate Iliana Ioannou, provide in-depth insights into the complexities of the Greek corporate governance framework and the specific disclosure requirements for listed companies in Greece.

Find the chapter here: https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/corporate-governance-2024/greece

Our Senior Counsel, Sophia Mavridou, specialized in Public Procurement, provides her insights “In the Spotlight” column of LAWYER | The Business Magazine concerning “The allocation of risks in Public Private Partnerships and the maximization of the value of each partnership agreement” (content in Greek).

Interested in working on a diverse range of projects, including M&A transactions, collaborating with international teams, and gaining valuable expertise in a dynamic environment?

Join our Real Estate Team! We are looking for an experienced lawyer with a strong background in real estate, contract, and corporate law.

Apply now: https://apply.workable.com/karatza-partners/j/8644C6E4CF/

We are pleased to announce that our firm contributed to the book “The Société Anonyme in Practice” edited by Prof. Georgios Triantafyllakis and published by Nomiki Bibliothiki.

Our Partners Vassiliki Salaka and Georgios Minoudis, along with Senior Associate Olga Vinieri, and Associates Vassiliki Nikolaou and Konstantinos Bairaktaris, authored the 7th chapter concerning Corporate Transformations.

This chapter includes comprehensive templates of corporate documentation relating to mergers, demergers, and conversions, as well as of relevant lawsuits and petitions, all accompanied by thorough commentary.

More information: https://www.nb.org/i-anonymi-etairia-stin-praxi.html

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece throughout the joint tender offer process for the acquisition of the entire outstanding share capital of Epsilon Net S.A. (“Epsilon”). The completion of the tender offer was marked by the high acceptance rate and triggered the squeeze-out process that is expected to be completed by the end of September 2024.

Our team was led by our Managing Partner Catherine Karatzas, and assisted by our Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga, our Senior Associates Maria Chronaki and Olga Vinieri, our Associates Iliana Ioannou and Pinelopi Anyfanti. The finance aspects were dealt by our Partners Christina Faitakis and Nikos Fragos and our Associate Georgios Zervakis, the competition and FDI matters by our Senior Associate Maria Kallidopoulou and the tax aspects by our Partner George Minoudis and our Senior Associate Eleonora Ligoutsikou.

We are proud to share the announcement of our client GASTRADE S.A. for the imminent commencement of operations at the LNG Alexandroupolis Terminal consisting of an FSRU and onshore and offshore installations in the Thracian Sea off the coast of Alexandroupolis, Northern Greece.

The LNG Alexandroupolis Terminal’s commercial operation marks the completion of a crucial project for Greece and Europe enhancing energy security and supply in the wider region.

We are honored to have contributed to this project with our team led by Partner Christina Faitakis and Senior Counsel Dionysis Flambouras.

You can read the full announcement here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gastrade-s-a_lng-naturalgas-fsru-activity-7236297563966976000-2okp/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

For more information: https://www.gastrade.gr/en/2024/09/01/commercial-operations-of-the-alexandroupolis-lng-terminal/

Law 5104/2024 aims to modernize tax processes, introducing digital communication between taxpayers and authorities, and automating annual returns for individuals. It updates deadlines for submissions and revises audit initiation criteria. It also adds a new basis for extending the 5-year statute of limitations. These and other changes are explored in this article written by Eleonora Ligoutsikou, Senior Associate and member of our tax team, and published in the digital issue 217/2024 of Epixeirisi by Nomiki Bibliothiki.

Read the full article here: https://knowledgeportal.karatza-partners.gr/the-new-tax-procedure-code-a-comparative-study-of-the-significant-changes-enacted-by-law-5104-2024-in-greek/

Join our Knowledge Portal for more insights and stay informed on the latest updates!

Our firm continues to serve as the exclusive contributor for the Greek Chapter in the Lexology Panoramic Public M&A 2024 Guide.

Authored by our Managing Partner Catherine Karatzas, our partner Alexandra Kondyli, our Senior Counsel, Eleana Rouga, and our Associate Iliana Ioannou, this chapter offers in-depth analysis of the essential structural, corporate, and procedural elements of public M&As in Greece.

Read our contribution below.

We are very happy to announce that our firm has acted as external Greek law counsel to Citigroup Global Markets Limited and Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE in their capacity as Global Coordinators and Physical Joint Bookrunners., HSBC Continental Europe S.A. as a Joint Bookrunner and Alpha Bank S.A., Eurobank S.A, National Bank of Greece S.A. and Piraeus Bank S.A., in their capacity as Co-Lead Managers in connection to HELLENiQ ENERGY Finance PLC’s offering of €450 million new notes due in July 2029 and a concurrent voluntary tender offer to purchase certain of its outstanding €599.9 million existing notes due in October 2024.

The new notes are guaranteed by HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings S.A. and HELLENIC PETROLEUM R.S.S.O.P.P. S.A., and they were listed on the Euro MTF market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

The issuance attracted interest from a geographically diverse group of investors, demonstrating a significant vote of confidence in the HELLENiQ ENERGY Group.

Our team consisted of Catherine Karatzas, Alexandra Kondyli, Partners and Olga Vinieri, Senior Associate. Tax law matters were dealt by Eleonora Ligoutsikou, Senior Associate.

We are proud to advise Juwi Hellas Renewable Energy Sources Single Member S.A. (Juwi), one of the leading experts in renewable energy, in a landmark and complex transaction, involving acquisition, transfer, construction, operation & maintenance of a portfolio of six photovoltaic (PV) projects, located in the regions of Central Greece and Thessaly, with a total installed capacity of 267 MW, being the largest PV project in Juwi’s history.

The projects were acquired by Juwi from Hive Energy Limited and transferred to Domokos Solar Holding S.A., a company held 50/50 by Foresight Group and Mirova, while Juwi undertook the construction, operation and maintenance of the portfolio.

Our core team comprised of Vassiliki Salaka and Valia Apostolopoulou, Partners, Nikolaos Zachos, Senior Counsel, Stergios Zygouras, Senior Associate and Pantelis Zalokostas, Associate.

Congratulations Juwi and to all teams involved and sincere thanks to our colleagues at Reed Smith LLP and Zepos & Yannopoulos for the excellent cooperation.

For more information: https://www.juwi.com/news/press-releases/articles/largest-pv-project-in-the-juwi-history 

Over the course of 3 weeks, we had the pleasure of welcoming six enthusiastic law students for their internship at our firm: Anna Anastasia Boutou, Vasiliki Christofilopoulou, Ifigeneia Papagiannopoulou, Rafaela Tsotra, Mary Tziora and Flora Xirouchaki! As their internship concludes, we are confident in the comprehensive understanding they have developed of the dynamic operations within a law firm.

Our dedicated Trainee Lawyers coordinated a detailed program filled with engaging presentations and interactive activities, allowing the interns to delve into a variety of legal practice areas and also explore the functions of different departments, including HR, Marketing, IT, and more. Our goal was to provide a meaningful and enjoyable experience, equipping them with practical knowledge and igniting their passion for the legal profession.

Moving forward, we are certain that the experiences and insights they’ve gained will significantly contribute to their future careers.

Our firm advised as Greek law transaction counsel in the issue of a €130 million bond by LR Health & Beauty SE with Nordic Trustee & Agency AB (publ) as trustee. The bond has been issued in “Nordic bond format”, placed on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and planned to be placed, within twelve months, on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Herbert Smith Freehills acted as German transaction counsel and Gernandt & Danielsson as Swedish transaction counsel. LR Global Holding GmbH is Europe’s leading digital social selling platform in the area of high-quality health and beauty products.

Our team consisted of Nikos Fragos, Partner, Dionysis Flambouras, Senior Counsel, Eleonora Ligoutsikou, Senior Associate, and Magdalini Komi, Trainee Lawyer.

We are proud to once again support ELSA Athens and the 9th Summer Law School on International Investment Law 2024, taking place from July 14th to July 21st.

This intensive 7-day program offers students from Europe and beyond the chance to explore one of the fastest-growing areas of International Law. The program features renowned professors and experts who share their insights, providing participants with a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of International Investment Law.

We are excited to continue our commitment to the next generation of lawyers and to be part of this valuable initiative!

Our firm has successfully advised on the sale of a 70% majority stake of Middle Office Services S.A. to Qualco Group.

Middle Office Services was established in 2022 and is a market leader in offering management and monitoring services for wholesale portfolios to a variety of financial industry clients.

The K&P team was led by Nikos Fragos, Partner, assisted by Georgios Zervakis, Associate. Employment law issues were handled by Aggeliki Tsatsi, Partner, assisted by Anna Pechlivanidi, Associate, and Sotirios Goulas, Associate, while data protection issues were handled by Panagiotis Kontizas, Associate.

Congratulations to all teams involved!

We are happy to announce that our firm is the exclusive contributor to the Chambers Global Practice Guide on Cartels for 2024.

Our partner Anna Manda, senior associate Maria Kallidopoulou and associate Maria-Christina Raptopoulou contributed to the Greek chapter of Cartels Law and Practice.

This engaging guide provides expert insights in Q&A format on the basic legal framework for cartels in Greece, cartel enforcement, leniency programs, commitments, dawn raids, liabilities, sanctions, remedies, and civil litigation.

Read our chapter below.

Our firm is once again a contributor of the Lexology Panoramic – Structured Finance & Securitization 2024.

Our Associates Anastasia Mourmouti and Georgios Zervakis provide a presentation of the general framework of securitisation transactions in Greece and a comprehensive analysis on securities, bankruptcy, tax law and transactional considerations of implementing and closing securitisation transactions in Greece.

Read our contribution by clicking on the Continue Reading button below.

We are proud to announce that our firm has earned two significant distinctions!

Our partner, Christina Faitakis received the Banking & Finance Lawyer of the Year award, and our firm the South-East Europe Firm of the Year award at the Women in Business Law Awards 2024 EMEA.

Congratulations to Christina Faitakis and our entire team for these remarkable achievements!

More information: https://awards.womeninbusinesslaw.com/EMEA-winners?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=WIBLEMEA

Greek Law 5113/2024 (the DLT Securities Law) explicitly recognises that Greek sociétés anonymes can issue digital securities through the blockchain technology, which can be listed on a stock exchange or other relevant trading venue. This innovative legislation is designed to ensure that Greek corporate and securities law keeps pace with the digital transformation (which promises operational efficiency and resilience), while ensuring technological neutrality.

Read here our full article below on the “Continue Reading” button.

We recently had the honor of hosting the winning team of the 17th International Roman Law Moot Court Competition: Danae Argyropoulou, Rodanthi Karavasili, Maria Fefe and Maria Margariti, from Athens Law School. Ms. Maria Margariti was also awarded the second prize for best oration.

For over a decade, our firm has been proudly supporting the moot court teams of Athens Law School, highlighting our commitment to fostering the next generation of legal professionals.

Congratulations to the team for their remarkable achievements and for demonstrating exceptional dedication and skill!

A few days ago, we had the honor of receiving the Best Workplaces 2024 Αward at the ceremony hosted by Great Place To Work® Hellas, where we were recognized in the category of 50-250 employees.

We look forward to building on this achievement and to maintain our leading position in workplace excellence!

In honor of World Blood Donor Day on June 14th, our firm, alongside our neighbors at The Orbit, Diageo and Ticketmaster, contributed to this essential cause by organizing another one blood donation drive at our office.

Voluntary blood donation is vital as it ensures a safe and sufficient blood supply for patients in need, saves countless lives and contributes to the overall health and resilience of our community.

We would like to sincerely thank our people and the medical professionals for their commitment to the cause.

This initiative not only underscores our dedication to social responsibility but also fosters a spirit of unity and compassion among our team.

The need of meaningful leadership, talent attraction and retention strategies, and the critical role of internal training and coaching of the future leaders were among the topics of the parallel session “Leading the future: the future of leadership,” hosted by our firm during the 16th National Conference of Corporate In-House Counsel by Nomiki Bibliothiki.

Our Partner Christina Faitakis directed a dynamic discussion between Catherine Karatzas, our Managing Partner, Maria Giarmeniti, HR Advisor/Head of Talent Management at AIMS International Hellas, Melina Angelides, Legal Counsel at Fraport, and Andreas Stavropoulos, Partner at Threshold Ventures and Member of the Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence in Greece,  on the  challenges  that leadership faces in legal departments and law firms. The panel emphasized on the challenges and necessity for adaptability, resilience, inclusivity and the importance of embracing progressive practices.

Special thanks to our guests and our vibrant audience.

The Skouries Project financing won the Best Natural Resources Deal for Central and Eastern Europe award at the 2023 EMEA Finance Project Finance Awards, marking it as the largest financing endeavor of its kind in Greece.

As Greek law legal advisor to Hellas Gold S.A., we are proud and honored to be part of a successful joint effort.

Congratulations to the internal teams of Eldorado Gold / Hellas Gold S.A., of National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank and legal advisors Bracewell LLP, Milbank LLP and Lambadarios Law Firm!

What is the impact of the new global order, the technological advancements, and the shifting in social values on leadership and management practices?

Gain valuable insights into leadership changes at the 16th National Conference of Corporate In House Counsel organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki, where our Partner, Christina Faitakis, will moderate a panel discussion featuring our Managing Partner, Catherine Karatzas, along with Maria Giarmeniti, HR Advisor/ Head of Talent Management at AIMS International Hellas, Melina Angelides, Legal Counsel at Fraport, and Andreas Stavropoulos, Partner at Threshold Ventures and Member of the Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence in Greece.

Together, they will explore the skills and strategies necessary for effective leadership in the coming decades.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/16o-synedrio-dikogorwn-nomikwn-yphresiwn-info

We are very proud and happy to act as sole transaction legal counsel on the initial public offering (IPO) and listing on Athens Exchange Group of the shares of Noval Property.

The IPO of Noval Property is a milestone for Noval Property and a strong vote of confidence in the Greek real estate market, which is expected to create new investment opportunities for the company.

Noval Property IPO has been supported by EBRD, 87 Greek and foreign institutional investors and 4,752 Greek private investors who have trusted Noval Property and become its new shareholder. The public offer of the newly issued shares was oversubscribed 2.3 times.

Our core team comprised of Alexandra Kondyli, Partner, Maria Chronaki and Argiro Vagia, Senior Associates and Dimitris Passas, Associate.

Sincere thanks to our clients, for their trust and smooth collaboration on another landmark transaction! Congratulations to all teams involved!

Our firm advised ELPEDISON S.A. and its shareholders on the extension of a c.€81m bond loan with Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., UniCredit S.p.A. and Pancreta Bank S.A., a c.€81m bond loan with Eurobank S.A., Piraeus Bank S.A. and Alpha Bank S.A. and a c.€51m bond loan with Eurobank S.A., Piraeus Bank S.A. and Alpha Bank Cyprus Limited.

Our team was led by our Partner Christina Faitakis and our Senior Counsel Dr. Dionysis P. Flambouras and assisted by our Associate Georgios Zervakis and our Trainee Lawyer Angeliki Michalopoulou.

Νavigate the intricate dynamics of entrepreneurship and innovation, as they intertwine with the tax law at the upcoming GC Summit hosted by The Legal 500.

Our Senior Associate, Eleonora Ligoutsikou, along with legal experts Kyriaki Tzemou, General Counsel at Prodea Investments, and Katerina Patsantara, General Counsel at Gastrade, will engage in a panel discussion focusing on effective approaches for addressing tax and compliance challenges and opportunities both locally and globally.

Join us on Wednesday May 29th, at King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel for this insightful event.

For further information and registration, please visit: https://www.legal500.com/events/gc-summit-greece-2024/#overview

With great pleasure, we once again accepted the invitation for the 2nd Job Fair, organized by ELSA Athens, the European Law Students’ Association.

Over the course of the two-day event, law students had the chance to gain insights into our firm’s activities, culture and values, engaging in meaningful discussions and exploring internship and traineeship opportunities.

Representing our firm, Partners Vassiliki Salaka and Nikos Fragos, Senior Counsel Sophia Mavridou, HR Manager Aimilia Antonopoulou, and trainee lawyers Thanasis Christou, Natalia Angelou, Michalis Chatzakis and Dimitris Sfyris shared their personal experiences as part of our team.

We would like to extend our congratulations to ELSA Athens for organizing this successful event, and we look forward to joining next year!

Karatzas & Partners advised National Bank of Greece in a joint tender offer for the acquisition of the entire outstanding share capital of Epsilon Net S.A. (“Epsilon”). The tender offer was launched alongside the majority shareholder of Epsilon and General Atlantic, a financial sponsor. The transaction was valued at c. €241 mln and constitutes one of the largest investments in the Greek tech and General Atlantic’s first investment in Greece. The tender offer is subject to the approval of the information circular by the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission and receipt of relevant regulatory clearances.

The Karatzas & Partners team was led by Catherine Karatzas and Senior Associates Maria Chronaki and Olga Vinieri. The finance aspects were dealt by Christina Faitakis, Nikos Fragos and Georgios Zervakis and the competition and FDI matters by Senior Associate Maria Kallidopoulou.

Explore the impact of the Pay Transparency Directive on workforce dynamics and employer duties at the 2nd Conference on Contemporary Employment Relations: Where HR meets LEGAL.

Our partner and Head of the Employment Department, Angeliki Tsatsi will moderate a panel discussion centered around workplace equality between women and men, together with:
– Aris Dimitriadis, Executive Director of Compliance, Risk & Insurance at OTE Group
– Deta Petroglou, Attorney at Law, Member of the Legal Experts Network of the European Equality Law Network (EELN)
– George Soumelas, Legal Team Leader at Alpha Bank
– Sotiris Stamatiou, Group Human Resources Director at the Onassis Foundation, President of the Board of SDADE

Τhe conference is organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki and will take place on Thursday, May 16th at Wyndham Grand Athens, offering both in-person attendance and live streaming options.

For additional details and registration: https://www.nb.org/catalog/product/view/id/66558/s/2o-sinedrio-sigxrones-ergasiakes-sxeseis/

We are thrilled to announce that our firm has been named Best Workplace for 2024 by Great Place To Work® Hellas!

This recognition underlines our collective efforts and dedication to creating a workplace culture that values and respects the uniqueness of each individual, embraces growth, and leaves a positive impact to our society.

Our firm contributed to issue no. 3/2024 of “Theory and Practice of Administrative Law” (in Greek, Θεωρία και Πράξη Διοικητικού Δικαίου) law journal (see p. 266 et seq.), published by Nomiki Bibliothiki (content in Greek).

Our Senior Cοunsel Sophia Mavridou, specialized in Public Procurement, shares her thoughts and comments on judgement no. 1638/2023 of the Court of Auditors under the subject “An economic operator lending technical and professional capacity is not necessarily a subcontractor”.

Join us at the 2nd Women in Law Conference, where our Senior Counsel Nikolaos Zachos, will participate as a speaker in the panel “Women’s Leadership Seen Through the Male Perspective”, sharing his insights on how men perceive and contribute to female leadership in the legal profession, fostering a more inclusive and diverse environment.

The conference is organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki and will take place on Tuesday, May 14th at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation.

For additional details and registration: https://www.nb.org/2o-synedrio-women-in-law.html

Another wonderful Easter charity bazaar has successfully come to an end!

With great joy we share moments from this year’s Easter bazaar, as our firm for another year hosted four charitable organizations and their beautiful Easter creations.

Make-A-Wish Greece, the Hatzikyriakio Foundation, the THEOTOKOS Foundation, and the vocational training center Margarita accepted our invitation and joined us, offering our people and neighbors at The Orbit the opportunity to contribute to their admirable causes.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter filled with love and happiness!

We are delighted to announce that in the Women in Business Law Awards 2024 EMEA our partner Christina Faitakis has been shortlisted in two practice areas, Banking & Finance and Project Finance and our firm has been nominated for the jurisdiction award in South-East Europe.

The Women in Business Law Awards recognize women who excel at working in their practice areas and reflect their outstanding achievements and innovative approaches.

Congratulations to all shortlisted firms and female lawyers.

Learn more here:
https://awards.womeninbusinesslaw.com/EMEA-shortlist#Practice-area

https://awards.womeninbusinesslaw.com/EMEA-shortlist#Jurisdiction-awards

We are so proud to share that our firm has once again been named National Law Firm of the Year for Greece at the IFLR Europe Awards 2024!

We extend our sincere thanks to our valued clients for their precious support and recognition.

Congratulations to all our partners, associates and staff for their hard work and commitment for this achievement. This award reflects years of dedication to delivering high quality legal service to our clients and highlights our market-leading presence in Greece.

Our Managing Partner, Catherine Karatzas, joined Babis Papadimitriou on Talk Radio 98.9 to discuss the Athens Law School team’s win in the 17th International Roman Law Moot Court Competition and the importance of law firms supporting such initiatives.

Catherine commented that “At Karatzas & Partners, we believe in offering students opportunities outside of traditional academic settings to develop the skills that are necessary to become an effective and trusted advisor to clients. Our firm has been supporting the Athens Law School moot court teams for more than a decade and will continue to do so in the future. By supporting these endeavors, we are not just offering financial support. We are investing in Greek legal talent and ensuring Greek law students have the same enriching experiences and opportunities as they would abroad.”

Listen to their discussion here: https://soundcloud.com/user-665020045/22-04-24a-1

Our partner and Head of the Employment Department, Angeliki Tsatsi, will be offering her insights and expertise, while exploring the groundbreaking law on whistleblower protection (Law 4990/2022), in the upcoming cycle of the educational program Whistleblowing 360ᵒ, hosted by Nomiki Bibliothiki.

Join us on April 22nd & 23rd at Nomiki Bibliothiki’s headquarters for this enlightening event. Live streaming option is also available.

Secure your spot and find more information: https://www.nb.org/whistleblowing-360-ekp-programma-2024-2o.html

We are thrilled for the Athens Law School team achieving first place in the 17th International Roman Law Moot Court Competition and student Maria Margariti, receiving the 2nd prize for best oration. The competition took place in Vienna from April 3rd to April 6th, 2024 with the participation of all the major European law schools. Representing the Athens Law School were students Danae Argyropoulou, Rodanthi Karavasili, Maria Fefe and Maria Margariti, under the academic supervision of Professor Athena Dimopoulou.

We are proud to have supported their efforts and commit to continue assisting initiatives which build our country’s future legal professionals!

Congratulations to Professor Athena Dimopoulou and the entire team for their hard work and outstanding performance!

Our partner Anna Manda, Head of our TMT and Competition Law teams, stated “Having an ability to foresee future needs of an evolving business, we, as legal advisors are able to provide our clients with all necessary tools ensuring adaptability of the business in time”, while speaking in the panel discussion “The M&A Mosaic: Building an ecosystem for collaborative and impactful deals”, at the Delphi Economic Forum IX.

We are pleased to share that our partner, Nikos Askotiris, will be participating in the 1st Listed Companies Conference, organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki on Friday, April 19th.

Nikos will engage in a fireside chat regarding the stimulating topic of new technologies as a driver for capital market growth and the example of Blockchain.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/1o-synedrio-eisigmenes-etairies.html

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of K&P Knowledge Portal!

Committed to keeping you informed and equipped with the latest legal insights and resources, so that you stay ahead in the ever-evolving legal landscape, we’ve created Knowledge Portal, your go-to destination for:

Insights from legal experts
Analysis on legislative developments
Meticulously crafted and original articles delivering essential legal updates

We therefore invite you to visit our website and sign up today!
Gain access to K&P Knowledge Portal’s full content: https://knowledgeportal.karatza-partners.gr/

Our firm will be present again this year in the Delphi Economic Forum IX. The highly anticipated annual meeting will take place from Wednesday, April 10th to Saturday, April 13th, 2024 and is expected once again to bring together industry leaders and decision-makers in alive and creative exchange of insights.

Our partner Anna Manda, Head of our TMT and Competition Law teams, will participate in an expert panel discussion and will share her insights and experience on the topic of “The M&A Mosaic: Building an ecosystem for collaborative and impactful deals”. The discussion will take place on Friday, April 12th in the Konstantinos Karamanlis Hall, situated at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.

For more information & the agenda: https://def-ix.delphiforum.gr/agenda

We are happy to announce the successful completion of the voluntary cash tender offer by National Bank of Greece (the Bank or NBG) of its €400,000,000 Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Tier 2 Notes due 2029 (the Notes) and the successful completion of the new issuance of €500 million Subordinated Tier 2 Notes due 2035 (the New Notes) on which the tender offer was conditional.

NBG accepted all validly tendered Notes, which will be cancelled, and the issuance of the New Notes was successfully placed with the international markets with a yield of 5.875%.

Our firm acted as external legal advisor to NBG on all Greek law aspects of the Tender Offer and the issuance of the New Notes.

Our team consisted of our Partner Alexandra Kondyli, our Senior Associate Maria Chronaki and our Associate Dimitris Passas; Greek tax law issues were handled by our tax team, Partner Georgios Minoudis and Associate Katerina Stathakarou.

Congratulations once again to our client and sincere thanks for the excellent cooperation and trust all these years.

For more information: https://www.nbg.gr/en/group/press-office/articles/R-27-03-24-exagora-omologiwn?_gl=1*ip1v6n*_ga*MjEwMjM1Njc4NC4xNzExOTYxODA2*_up*MQ and
https://www.nbg.gr/en/group/press-office/articles/r-20-03-24-t2-500m-en?_gl=1*18f204*_ga*MjEwMjM1Njc4NC4xNzExOTYxODA2*_up*MQ

We are delighted to announce our participation in the 4th Energy Law Conference, by Nomiki Bibliothiki on Wednesday, April 3rd.

Our Partner & Head of Energy, Valia Apostolopoulou, will be contributing to a panel discussion centered around the critical topic of greenhouse gas emissions and sanctions, offering valuable perspectives on navigating the complex landscape of energy law and environmental regulations.

For more information & registration: https://www.nb.org/4o-synedrio-to-dikaio-tis-energeias.html 

We’re proud to announce that our firm has been awarded as Best Workplace for Women 2024 by Great Place to Work Hellas!

This award underlines our efforts through the years to create an inclusive workplace culture where all individuals can thrive and succeed, regardless of their gender or other characteristics in all levels of the workforce – from entry level, right the way up to the senior leadership team.
We pledge to our people and our community to continue to foster an environment and culture of open communication, empowerment and equal opportunities.

Interested in joining our incredible team? Explore our latest job openings and join us in our mission to champion diversity and inclusion in every aspect of our work: https://karatza-partners.gr/careers/

We’re proud to announce that once again our firm has been ranked as Top Tier firm in 5 practice areas and received recommendations in additional 5 practice areas in The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 edition!

Our firm has attained Tier 1 status in the following key practices:

➡ Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
➡ Commercial, Corporate and M&A
➡ Energy
➡ Real Estate & Construction
➡ TMT

Additionally, we have received top rankings in EU & Competition, Projects & Privatisation, Restructuring & Insolvency, Dispute Resolution and notably, for the first time, our Employment practice stands out prominently!

Congratulations to our Partners Catherine Karatzas, Christina Faitakis, Anna Manda, Alexandra Kondyli, Nikos Fragos, VALIA APOSTOLOPOULOU, Vassiliki Salaka, Georgios Minoudis, Angeliki Tsatsi and Nikos Askotiris, as well as to our Senior Counsel, Dr. Dionysis P. Flambouras, Sophia Mavridou, Katerina Dalamara, Eleana Rouga and Alexandros Anagnostopoulos who are ranked among the top lawyers once again and we are proud for the recognition of our Senior Associates, Athena Economou, Argyro Vagia, Maria Chronaki, Vassilis Goulielmos, Marina Chronaki, Olga Vinieri, Maria Kallidopoulou and Associates, Anastasia Petta and Anna Pechlivanidi.

We express our deep gratitude to our valued clients and peers. Their steadfast support and recognition over the years has played a pivotal role in sustaining our ongoing success and expand our rankings.

For further details on our firm’s rankings: https://www.legal500.com/firms/11850-karatzas-partners/12925-athens-greece/?layout=emea&token=9c0f3b4d5132703e70f7778c74fee798 

A few days ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming to our firm a group of bright young law students from ELSA Athens as part of the initiative “Lawyers at Work”.

Our visitors had the opportunity to gain a firsthand glimpse into the inner workings of our firm and to explore our diverse practice areas and daily operations. They met with a team of associates and trainee lawyers who shared with them invaluable insights of the day-to-day functions and life in our firm.

Our HR Manager, Aimilia Antonopoulou, presented to them our firm’s company culture, along with the special benefits and incentives we offer to our people, while our personnel partners, Vassiliki Salaka and Nikos Fragos, addressed their queries and discussed experiences and visions of the future in the legal profession.

Our ongoing collaboration with ELSA Athens underscores our commitment to nurturing the next generation of legal talent and fostering learning and growth within the legal community.

Here’s to empowering future legal stars!

We proudly announce that K&P has once again been recognized as a Leading Firm in the Chambers and Partners Europe Guide 2024!

We’re honored to have achieved this recognition for:

➡️ Banking & Finance
➡️ Corporate/Commercial
➡️ Competition/European Law
➡️ Energy
➡️ Real Estate
➡️ TMT
➡️ Employment

Congratulations to our Managing Partner, Catherine Karatzas, named for the fourth consecutive year as “Eminent Practitioner”, our Partners Christina Faitakis, Vassiliki Salaka, Anna Manda, Valia Apostolopoulou, Alexandra Kondyli, Nikos Fragos and Senior Counsel Dionysis Flambouras, ranked in Banking & Finance, Corporate/Commercial, Capital Markets, Real Estate, Competition/ European law, Energy and TMT. We also proudly announce, the entry of our Partner Angeliki Tsatsi, Head of our Employment team, in the Employment practice rankings.

A heartfelt thank you to our clients and peers for their continued support and acknowledgment of the outstanding work of our lawyers.

This achievement is a testament to the dedication and forward-thinking of our hardworking people who are the driving force behind our success. Congratulations to all!

Our firm advised the International Managers (Bank of America Securities Europe SA, acting as Lead Global Coordinator, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE and UBS Europe SE, acting as Joint Global Coordinators; Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, BNP Paribas, HSBC Continental Europe, J.P. Morgan SE, and Morgan Stanley Europe SE, acting as Joint Bookrunners, AXIA Ventures Group Ltd and Euroxx Securities SA, acting as Co-Lead Managers) and the Greek Underwriters (Euroxx Securities SA, acting as Greek Public Offering Advisor, Greek Public Offering Coordinator and Lead Underwriter, and Piraeus Bank S.A., acting as Greek Public Offering Coordinator and Lead Underwriter) in the disposal of the 27% stake in Piraeus Financial Holdings S.A. by the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, valued at approximately €1.35 billion; an unprecedented, landmark transaction in Europe.

The transaction was significantly oversubscribed (approximately 9x and 4x for the International and Greek books, respectively) and was completed through (i) a concurrent FMO and a public offering to retail and institutional investors in Greece and (ii) a private placement to professional investors outside Greece.

Our core team comprised Partners Catherine Karatzas and Alexandra Kondyli, Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga, Senior Associate Maria Chronaki and Associates Iliana Ioannou and Dimitris Passas.

Sincere thanks to all syndicate teams for their trust and to all business and legal teams for the excellent cooperation.

In honor of the International Women’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to equality and inclusivity and for the third consecutive year, we stand with Diotima Centre, a non-profit organization which provides a series of services aimed at supporting and empowering women. Our donation supports their critical program of legal aid to low-income women survivors of gender-based violence.

K&P fosters for a diverse and discrimination-free environment. Let’s strive for a gender balance in the work environment and a world of equal opportunities and treatment.

To find out more about Diotima Centre: https://diotima.org.gr/en/

We are proud to announce another transaction, underscoring our dedication to supporting the green transition and fostering sustainable growth within our economy.

Our firm advised Eurobank and Piraeus Bank in the financing of the development of one of the largest PV-solar projects in Greece (with a total capacity of 550 MW) through the issue of a co-financed loan by Phoebe Energy Single-Member S.A., a 100% subsidiary of PPC Renewables – ΔΕΗ Ανανεώσιμες. This financing includes funds sourced from the “Greece 2.0” National Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRF), seamlessly blended with Eurobank’s and Piraeus’s resources to further support the private investment in the RES sector.

Our team was led by our Partner & Head of Energy Dpt. VALIA APOSTOLOPOULOU, assisted by Associate Anastasia Petta, Associate Konstantina Meletiadou, Associate Sophia Papasimakopoulou, Associate Eleni Ioannidou, Associate Mara Skiada, Senior Associate AIKATERINI TOUMPANOU, Associate Nikos Kazantzidis and Trainee Lawyer, Tina Sofianou.

We are glad to announce that our firm has acted as counsel to Cadence Design Systems, on all Greek law matters relating to the signing of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of BETA CAE Systems International AG, a leading system analysis platform provider of multi-domain, engineering simulation solutions operating its primary R&D center in Thessaloniki, Greece for a purchase price of approximately US$1.24 billion. 60 percent of the consideration will be paid in cash and 40 percent will be paid through the issuance of Cadence common stock to current BETA CAE shareholders.

Initially established in Thessaloniki, Greece, BETA CAE, incorporated in Switzerland, has expanded worldwide with 13 offices and has become a highly respected industry leader, well-known for its groundbreaking, innovative, high-performance simulation software and best-in-class services.

This is one of the most significant transactions in the country’s technology sector and one of the largest M&A transactions in Greece in recent years.

Our team was led by Partner, Catherine Karatzas with Senior Associate Vassilis Goulielmos, assisted by Associates Katerina Stathakarou and Apostolos Latsonas. Our team was further assisted on employment matters by Partner, Angeliki Tsatsi, Senior Associate AIKATERINI TOUMPANOU and Associates, Sotiris Goulas and Anna Pechlivanidi, on Real Estate matters by Senior Associate, Argyro Vagia and Associate Mara Skiada, on Intellectual Property and Data Protection matters by Associate, Dimitra Karampela, Associate Panagiotis Kontizas and Trainee Lawyer, Thanasis Christou and on Tax matters by Partner, Georgios Minoudis.

For more information: https://www.cadence.com/en_US/home/company/newsroom/press-releases/pr/2024/cadence-to-acquire-beta-cae-expanding-into-structural-analysis.html

As a recognition of our firm’s dedication to sustainability, green culture and energy transition over the years we have now been included as a recommended firm in the distinguished The Legal 500’s Green Guide for 2024!

The Legal 500’s Green Guide, as an acknowledgment of a firm’s contribution to ‘Green Change’ and ESG, identifies top law firms around the world adopting best practices towards a green future and advising on issues around climate change, governance, and sustainability.

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our people whose dedication and innovative spirit have been instrumental in this accomplishment.

For more information: https://www.legal500.com/editions/green-guide-emea-2024/featured-firms/?_gl=1*ctns18*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQ3Nzc4NjMwNy4xNzA5MjEzMTc5*_ga_JFNJC5V947*MTcwOTIxMzE3OS4xLjAuMTcwOTIxMzE3OS4wLjAuMA..

We advised Piraeus Bank and Alpha Bank, in their capacity as Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners for the successful offering of a €130 million bond loan issued by Intralot S.A. and listed on the Athens Exchange Group.

The offering was oversubscribed by 1.55 times at appx. €202 million with a total participation of 5,467 investors, and priced at 6%, at the lowest end of the interest range.

Capital markets issues were handled by partner Alexandra Kondyli and senior counsel Eleana Rouga while partner Christina Faitakis assisted by associate Iliana Ioannou advised on the finance aspects of the issuance.

Congratulations to all the teams for the successful transaction!

We are delighted to announce our firm’s involvement in a landmark transaction contributing to Greece’s energy transition and progressing our green future!

We advised Eurobank, Alpha Bank and National Bank of Greece in the financing of a 940MWp portfolio of solar farms in Amyntaio, Western Macedonia developed by PPC Renewables – ΔΕΗ Ανανεώσιμες and RWE Renewables through their joint venture company Meton S.A. The projects were eligible to use funds form the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) – “Greece 2.0” National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Our team was led by our Partner Christina Faitakis and Partner & Head of Energy Dpt. Valia Apostolopoulou, our Senior Counsel Katerina Dalamara and assisted by our Associates Angeliki Saringala, Konstantina Meletiadou, Eleni Ioannidou, Maria Vamvaka and Trainee Lawyers Thanasis Christou, Aspasia Stellakatou Loverdou, Magdalini Komi and Dimitris Sfyris, while real estate issues were handled by Senior Associate, Argyro Vagia and Associates Mara Skiada, Christina Zevla and Nikos Kazantzidis and corporate issues by Associate Maria-Christina Raptopoulou.

For more information: https://www.rwe.com/en/press/rwe-renewables-europe-australia/2024-02-08-rwe-and-ppc-to-accelerate-greek-energy-transition/

Our people participated in the “Lawyers Run for Children 2024” race, organized for the first time by The Association of Law Firms of Greece (SDEE / Σ.Δ.Ε.Ε. (ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΩΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ). The event was held at the Athens Olympic Sports Center (OAKA) on Sunday, February 25th and aimed to raise awareness and support the non-profit Associations “Together For Children NGO (Mazi gia to Paidi)” and “Floga – Parents’ Association of Children with Cancer”.

Congratulations to everyone involved in making this event a success and looking forward to the 2025 race!

We have advised National Bank of Greece on the closing of Project Frontier II, a multi-asset securitization of NPEs with a gross book value of c. €1 billion. 95% of the Mezzanine and Junior notes were sold to investment funds managed by Bracebridge Capital, LLC. National Bank of Greece retained 100% of the Senior notes, utilizing the provisions of the Hellenic Asset Protection Scheme (”Hercules”) and 5% of the Mezzanine and Junior notes.

Our team was led by our Partner Catherine Karatzas, assisted by our Senior Counsel Katerina Dalamara, our Associates Stavroula Simitzi and Pinelopi Anyfanti and our trainee Aspasia Stellakatou Loverdou.

We are honored to have worked for our client on this complex and value adding transaction.

For more information: https://www.nbg.gr/el/omilos/grafeio-tupou/arthra/R-20-02-24-FrontierII 

We are glad to announce that our firm advised Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabia’s leading generator and electricity provider, in relation to the formation, through its subsidiary, National Grid S.A., of a strategic partnership with the IPTO-Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO). Our firm also advised and assisted with the incorporation of the special purpose company ‘Saudi Greek Interconnection S.A.’ between the two parties with the view to conducting the viability study for the implementation of the Greece – Saudi Arabia electricity interconnection.

The partnership between National Grid and IPTO reflects the strategic cooperation between Greece and Saudi Arabia in the energy sector, which was agreed at the highest level between the two countries in the summer of 2022 and was culminated in the adoption of a shareholders’ agreement in September 2023.

The partnership of the two power transmission operators through ‘Saudi Greek Interconnection’ marks a significant step towards the energy transition in Middle East and Europe.

Our team was led by our Partner and Head of Energy Dpt. Valia Apostolopoulou, our Senior Counsel Sophia Mavridou and assisted by our Associate Katerina Stathakarou and our Trainee Lawyer Michalis Chatzakis.

We are excited to announce that Karatzas & Partners has been nominated for the National Firm of the Year award, and 4 Deal of the Year Awards at the IFLR Europe Awards 2024!

In addition, we are the only Greek law firm shortlisted for the Net Zero Transition Firm award for our commitment to sustainability and the environment.

These nominations are a recognition of our firm’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the legal industry. It is a privilege to be considered among the best in these categories, and we are excited to continue delivering exceptional service to our clients.

To our valued clients, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support and collaboration, which has been an integral part of our firm’s recognition as a finalist in the esteemed IFLR Europe Awards 2024.
A huge congratulations and thank you to our people for their hard work and dedication!

We’re thrilled to announce that Karatzas & Partners has once again been shortlisted as Greece Law Firm of the Year at the Chambers Europe Awards 2024.

In addition, we are the only Greek law firm shortlisted for the Diversity and Inclusion Firm of the Year Award!

These important recognitions reaffirm our steadfast dedication to delivering unparalleled legal services to our clients and cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace environment for our people.

Our firm advised PRODEA Investments in the acquisition of an additional 55% stake in MHV GROUP, a leading hospitality platform in the Mediterranean, for a total consideration of €254 million.

Our team comprised Partner Vassiliki Salaka, Senior Associate Athena Economou and trainee lawyer Michalis Chatzakis for corporate, commercial and real estate law matters, and Partner Anna Manda, Senior Associate Maria Kallidopoulou and Associate Maria-Christina Raptopoulou for competition law matters.

For more information: https://prodea.gr/cms/uploads/2024/01/Prodea-Investments_Press-Release-Announcement-vf.pdf

We are proud to have advised our long-standing client, Autohellas S.A, in connection with the issuance of €200 million bond Loan publicly offered and listed on the Athens Exchange.

The offering received an outstanding positive response with the participation of 8,253 investors, overall offers of c. €455 million, an oversubscription by 2.3 times and priced at 4.25%, at the lowest end of the interest range.

The capital markets law issues were handled by Partner Alexandra Kondyli and Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga and the finance law matters were handled by Partner Christina Faitakis and Associate Iliana Ioannou. The team was also supported by Senior Associate AIKATERINI TOUMPANOU while Associates Dimitra Karampela and Katerina Stathakarou provided the advice on GDPR and tax matters.

Congratulations Autohellas for completing another landmark transaction and thank you for the trust and cooperation.

We are delighted to announce that our firm has been certified as Great Place to Work!

This achievement underscores our commitment to fostering a collaborative, genuine and inclusive workplace where teamwork, innovation, and professional growth, are valued.

We extend our sincere appreciation to our people whose collective efforts have made this possible.

We are thrilled to announce that once again, our competition team, led by our Partner Anna Manda, has earned acknowledgment as a Recommended law firm in the Global Competition Review 100 2024 rankings, a recognition and ranking reserved only for the top few competition law practices in Greece.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our clients for their continuous trust and support. We want to emphasize our dedication to maintaining the exceptional level of service they have come to expect from our practice.

Additionally, we would like to express appreciation for our talented people who have played a crucial role in our success. Their hard work and exceptional efforts throughout 2023 have been instrumental in achieving this recognition.

The GCR 100 is a comprehensive directory that has been consistently offering both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the top-performing law firms and economic consultancies in the field of competition law for over two decades and with the most pageviews. It signifies the preeminent directory for competition law which is widely accessed and frequented with a ranking system that provides an insightful overview of entities actively involved in significant antitrust work globally.

This holiday season our firm embarked on a heartwarming journey, starting with organizing a 4-day Christmas charity bazaar held at our offices building, at The Orbit. Each of the participating charity organizations Amimoni, Margarita Vocational Training Center, Hatzikiriakio Child Care Institution and Make-A-Wish Greece had a full day to propose presents and ornaments dedicated to offer support to their causes. The atmosphere was filled with warmth as our people and our neighbours in the building warmly welcomed and actively supported our initiative. It was a true celebration of community spirit and generosity.

We continued our journey as Santa’s elves: our people went above and beyond, offering more than 130 gifts for the children supported by “Ena Paidi – Enas Kosmos”, bringing Santa’s magic and smiles to their faces for another year.

For the 5th year in a row, we offered Greek traditional Christmas sweets, to our people from “The Workshop – Lilian Voudouri”, an Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of Disabled People.

Reaching our “final destination” for this year we contributed to the Christmas dinner for 60 protected families of Hatzikiriakio Child Care Institution and made sure that each young woman had her “Christmas Wish” waiting under the institution’s tree on the dawn of the New Year.

We are proud and thankful to our people who went above and beyond into making this holiday season a little brighter for those in need.

A new Ministerial Decision by the Minister of Labor and Social Security provides for the extension of the business sectors that fall into the scope of the Digital Work Card scheme, the modification of requirements for managerial employees and the necessary implementing details regarding the provisions of Law 5053/2023 was published on the Government Gazette recently.

Read here our full article below on the “Continue Reading” button.

As we’re approaching the end of 2023, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all our valued clients for their ongoing support and trust, as well as our great appreciation to our people, whose tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to delivering for our clients have led to another successful year for K&P.

Throughout the year, our firm advised on some of the most high-value and transformative transactions, that helped drive innovation and further boosted the Greek economy. In order to view our firm’s highlights for 2023, please click on the “Continue Reading” button below.

Looking ahead, our new year’s resolution for 2024 is to continue our steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation.

Wishing all a happy and prosperous New Year!

Our firm advised Astir Palace Vouliagmenis on the issue of a €350m bond loan for the refinancing of its existing bank debt. Alpha Bank acted as arranger, bondholder agent, facility agent and bondholder.

Astir Palace Vouliagmenis is a hospitality market leader with a long and remarkable history during which it became a world renowned luxury destination resting on a peninsula along the Athens Riviera and currently operates one of the most iconic Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in the world and Matsuhisa and BeefBar, two of the top restaurants in Attica.

Our core team comprised Senior Counsel Dr. Dionysis P. Flambouras, Associate Georgios Zervakis and Trainee Lawyer Magdalini Komi, while our Partner Nikos Fragos provided expert advice on the transaction structure and our Partner Nikos Askotiris on insurance matters.

As the year draws to a close, we want to spread some festive cheer with our annual Christmas card!

Click on the following link to view our warmest wishes: https://karatza-partners.gr/xmas-our-people/

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with love, laughter, and cherished moments. May the coming year bring peace, health, happiness, and prosperity.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year to all!

Our firm has advised National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank and Eurobank, in their capacity as Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners, in connection with the offering of €100 million bonds issued by Ideal Holdings S.A. and listed on the Athens Exchange.

The offering received an outstanding positive response with a total participation of 3,559 investors, was oversubscribed by 1.89 times, and priced at 5.50%, at the lowest end of the interest range.

The transaction signals the dynamics of the Greek capital market, marked by the participation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with an investment of €15 mln.

The finance law issues were handled by Nikos Fragos, Partner and Georgios Zervakis, Associate and the capital markets law issues were handled by Alexandra Kondyli, Partner, Eleana Rouga, Senior Counsel, Iliana Ioannou, Associate and Dimitris Passas, Associate.

We thank all teams for their excellent cooperation.

Our team advised Bain Capital in the sale and transfer to Trastor REIC of the strategic office spaces with total surface of 7,261 sq.m., including storage and parking facilities, in the landmark Athens building Politeia Business Center (109-111, Mesogeion Avenue).

The transaction took place in the form of a share deal for a total consideration of € 20.4 million.

Our team was led by our Partner Nikos Fragos, assisted by associate Anastasia Mourmouti and trainee lawyer Tina Sofianou.

We are pleased to announce that our Senior Associate, Eleonora Ligoutsikou is participating in the 5th Tax Law Conference by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI on Tuesday, December 19th.

In addressing tax issues arising from national and cross-border corporate transformations, Eleonora will discuss how tax legislation can leverage economic growth and development.

For more information & registration here.

We are delighted to announce that our firm has acted as Greek counsel to Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF / ΤΑΙΠΕΔ) and Paneuropean Oil and Industrial Holdings S.A. (POIH) in connection with the sale of 11% in HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings S.A.

In total, 33.619.870 shares were sold at a price of €7 per share, through an international accelerated book building process. The private placement was oversubscribed more than three times.

This transaction is a milestone for increasing the free float of HELLENiQ Energy, paving the way for a more realistic depiction of its value, and signaling a further vote of confidence in the Greek economy.

Our team was led by our Partner, Nikos Askotiris, assisted by our associates Stavroula Simitzi and Iliana Ioannou.

Reflecting on a meaningful evening dedicated to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The recent film screening of “Zografia tou Theou” (Η ζωγραφιά του Θεού) at DANAOS Cinema, which was sponsored by our firm, not only showcased the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities but also provided a unique opportunity for us to explore and appreciate their resilience and strength.

After the end of the film’s screening, Maria Christina Tzavara, an inspirational individual with disabilities and the film’s protagonist, shared touching reflections on what motivated her participation in the movie. She underscored the driving force behind her involvement and emphasized the need for a society where people with disabilities are not just acknowledged for their unique skills but are also provided opportunities to actively contribute and enhance our community.

Our sincere thanks to all who joined, contributing to a more informed and inclusive society.

We are pleased to announce that our Senior Counsel Sophia Mavridou is participating in a panel discussion at the 3rd Panhellenic Conference about Public Contracts organized by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI on Friday, 15th December.

Sophia will elaborate on the relation between subcontracting and reliance on the capacities of other entities in the light of the recent judgments of the Council of State and the EU Court of Justice.

In honour of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is commemorated on December 3rd, our firm is pleased to invite you to a unique movie night, highlighting the incredible strength and resilience of individuals with disabilities.

The movie “Zografia tou Theou” (“Η ζωγραφιά του Θεού”) is an opportunity for us to come together and reflect on the importance of supporting and promoting inclusivity in our community.

🗓 Date: Thursday, December 7th
🕖 Time: 19:00
📍 Venue: DANAOS Cinema
🎬 Featured Film: “Zografia tou Theou” (“Η ζωγραφιά του Θεού”)
Free entrance, upon availability

The intent behind this initiative is rooted in our firm’s commitment to fostering understanding and empathy for the unique obstacles confronted by persons with disabilities.

We encourage your attendance as we collectively contribute to a more informed and inclusive society.

For more information: https://www.kathimerini.gr/culture/562763461/i-zografia-toy-theoy-me-eleytheri-eisodo-gia-to-koino/

Join us at the 3rd Energy Law Forum hosted by CLEON Conferences & Communications on Tuesday, December 5th!

Our Partner and Head of Energy Dpt., Valia Apostolopoulou, will participate in an interesting discussion focusing on “Current Energy Issues.” Valia, will share insights on the pressing challenges associated with the financing of Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities of Corporate PPAs.

For more detailed information and registration, click here: https://cleon.gr/conferences/3rd-energy-law-forum/ 

In honour of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women which is commemorated on the 25th of November, our firm proudly shares a successful book drive initiative that our people brought to life.

Over 400 books were generously donated to the Book Garden, a very special bookstore whose proceeds are channeled to organizations aiding women affected by abuse and violence.

We express our heartfelt appreciation to each member of our team for actively participating and making this initiative a reality.

Together, we strive for a safer, more compassionate world.

If you want to support the Book Garden: https://www.bookgardenathens.com/el

We are pleased to announce that our Partner & Head of Real Estate, Vassiliki Salaka is participating in the 1st Real Estate Conference organised by Capital.gr and Forbes in a panel discussion about “The importance and contribution of Real Estate Investment Companies in the creation of a modern product & the necessary tools for the RE market development. Requested changes in the institutional and tax framework and the digitisation path of properties for their optimal operation”.

For more information & registration: https://www.eventora.com/el/Events/forbes-1st-real-estate-conference

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece in the disposal of a 22% stake in NBG by the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, valued at approximately €1.1 billion; the largest Greek Equity Capital Market transaction in the last two years and the largest secondary placement in Greece since 2005.

The transaction was significantly oversubscribed (8.9x and 2.9x for the international and Greek books, respectively) and was completed through (i) a concurrent FMO and a public offering to retail and institutional investors in Greece and (ii) a private placement to professional investors outside Greece.

Our core team comprised Partners Catherine Karatzas and Alexandra Kondyli, Senior Associate Maria Chronaki and Associate Dimitris Passas.

Sincere thanks to our client, for their trust and seamless collaboration on a landmark transaction for NBG and the Greek market.

Our firm is sponsoring the 1st INVEST in GREECE Conference organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki on Tuesday, 21st November.

Our Partner and Head of Real Estate, Vassiliki Salaka, is participating as a moderator in a roundtable discussion about the “Characteristics of Investments in Tourism and Real Estate” together with the esteemed professionals Myron Flouris, Secretary General of Tourism Policy and Development, Ministry of Tourism, Ioanna Dretta, President, Marketing Greece, Helen Alexiou, Managing Partner, AKL Law Firm, Alex Pipilis, Head of Hospitality & Business Development, Prodea Investments and Yiannis Sourlas, Senior Legal Director, The Ellinikon.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/1o-invest-greece-conference.html

Our firm has proudly advised Lazard Frères SAS, the disposal advisor of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, in connection with the acquisition of the entire stake of HFSF in Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. (Alpha) by UniCredit S.p.A. (UniCredit). A competitive process has been triggered by a binding offer from UniCredit, resulting in Unicredit purchasing HFSF’s stake, representing approx. 8.98% of Alpha’s share capital.

The investment of UniCredit in Alpha forms part of a wider strategic partnership between them, including the merger of subsidiaries of Romania. It is a milestone and clear signal for the return of the Greek banking sector to sustainable growth and a reflection of the regained trust in the Greek economy, which is expected to create new investment opportunities.

Our team was led by our Partner, Nikos Askotiris.

We are very proud to announce that our firm advised our longstanding client Pharmathen, a leading European complex drug delivery and formulation developer, and its shareholder, Partners Group, in connection with the acquisition of CBL Patras S.A., a leading vertically integrated and FDA-approved peptide manufacturer and supplier in Europe. This milestone transaction will allow Pharmathen to strengthen its position in the global peptide therapeutics market.

The acquisition of CBL by Pharmathen marks the conclusion of yet another seminal transaction for our Corporate and M&A practice group this year.

Our team was led by Anna Manda, assisted by our Senior Associate Marina Chronaki and our Associates Aris – Nikolaos Papadopoulos and Matina Xirogianni.

Our team also included:
For corporate, commercial law and other matters: Tina Sofianou, Apostolos Latsonas, Maria-Christina Raptopoulou and Katerina Basta
For employment law: Angeliki Tsatsi
For real estate: Christina Zevla
For litigation: AIKATERINI TOUMPANOU and Konstantinos G. Bairaktaris
For GDPR issues: Dimitra Karampela and Panagiotis Kontizas

More information: https://www.pharmathen.com/sites/default/files/2023-11/Pharmathen-acquires-CBL%20Patras-Press-Release-EN.pdf

We are very excited to announce that our firm advises Currys plc, a company listed in the LSE, in connection with the sale of Dixons South East Europe A.E.V.E., the company responsible for Currys’ retail operations in Greece and Cyprus operating under the name Kotsovolos, to PPC S.A. Kotsovolos is a leading retailer in Greece, offering a diverse mix of products and services with a large nationwide network and strong brand awareness.

This sale will allow Currys plc to strengthen its balance sheet and simplify its operations.

Closing is subject to receipt of merger clearance and shareholder approval.

Our core team was led by Catherine Karatzas, assisted by our Senior Associate Vassilis Goulielmos and our Associates Aris – Nikolaos Papadopoulos and Isidora Vythoulka.

Out team also included:
For corporate, commercial law and other matters: Pinelopi Anyfanti, Vasiliki Maria Papanastasiou, Panagiotis Kontizas and Michalis Chatzakis
For employment law: Angeliki Tsatsi and Katerina Basta
For competition law: Anna Manda, Maria Kallidopoulou and Maria-Christina Raptopoulou,
For real estate: Christina Zevla
For Litigation: AIKATERINI TOUMPANOU
For GDPR issues: Dimitra Karampela

Our firm represented jointly National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank and Eurobank in entering into a binding agreement with Waterwheel Capital Management on Project Solar, involving the securitization of a portfolio of SMEs and corporate NPLs with a total GBV of ca. €1.2bn, with a single servicing strategy and arrangements, and the parallel sale and transfer to Waterwheel Capital of 95% of the mezzanine notes and 95% of the junior notes issued under the agreed structure. The Solar transaction is expected to close within Q1 2024, subject to customary conditions for similar transactions.

Project Solar is breaking ground in the Greek market as the first multi-seller, single-SPV, HAPS and SRT compliant securitization to be performed, rated and marketed jointly by all four Greek systemic banks.

Our team was led by our Partner Nikos Fragos, assisted by Associates Anastasia Mourmouti, Evi Dimou and Georgios Zervakis and our Trainee Lawyer Tina Sofianou on all transaction matters and Associate Dimitra Karampela on data protection issues.

We are happy to announce our participation in the 6th Compliance Conference, “Focusing on the core to approach the future”, organized by the Association of Compliance Officers in Greece – ASCO Greece and Nomiki Bibliothiki on November 2.

Our partner Nikos Askotiris will participate in a panel discussion on the ESG landscape, and will focus on the practical relevance of most recent legislative initiatives.

Join us as we dive into the challenges of compliance in an evolving business and regulatory environment, and network with industry leaders.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/nb-ekpedeysi/sinedria/6th-compliance-conference.html 

Last Friday, our firm participated in the “Pink at Work” initiative, demonstrating once again our commitment to supporting the great cause of Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer, Alma Zois.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Let’s work towards a world where early detection and education about breast cancer become a priority.

Our firm is for the fifth consecutive year,  the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter of the Lexology Getting The Deal Through Private Mergers & Acquisitions 2024 guide.

The authors of the chapter Catherine Karatzas, Partner, Anna Manda, Partner and Olga Vinieri, Senior Associate, provide their insights into the legal framework for Private M&A in Greece, including structural considerations, filing and consent requirements, as well as legal and market practice developments and trends in M&A transactions.

Read our contribution by clicking on the Continue Reading button below.

The EU legislation is making steps forward in combatting the misuse of crypto-assets, especially for money laundering purposes.

Our Partner Nikos Askotiris provides a succinct overview of the most relevant developments in the below article (in Greek) from LAWYER | The Business Magazine.

We are very happy to have advised Noval Property REIC in relation to the issuance of €10.5 million pre-IPO mandatorily convertible bond loan to be fully subscribed by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Proceeds of the loan will be directed towards Noval’s strategic investment plan focusing on the acquisition and development of sustainable “green” and environmentally certified assets, with sustainable development being also a core part of EBRD’s financing strategies.

The pre-IPO financing structure combined with EBRD’s commitment to participate as a shareholder in Noval Property marks a positive signal to the prospects of Noval’s investment plan and value proposition.

Our team was led by Partner Alexandra Kondyli, assisted by Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga and Associate Iliana Ioannou.

Our client has been also supported for English law matters by Allen & Overy, Milan, led by Partner, Craig Byrne and Senior Associate Sarah Capella, assisted by Associate Edoardo Brugnoli, with the support of Counsel Frederic Demeulenaere.

Congratulations to our client and many thanks for the excellent cooperation and trust all these years.

Law 5053/2023, which entered into force on 26.09.2023, introduces important reforms regarding employment relationships under Greek law, including the transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions, on-demand employment, probation period, parallel employment, work on Saturdays and seniority-linked salary increases.

Read below our full article.

We are pleased to announce that Nikolaos Zachos, Senior Counsel of our Corporate and M&As practice, is participating in the 1st Conference of the Legal Council OF SAE|E on Thursday, October 12th.

Nikolaos will participate as a moderator in the panel: “Liability of business executives against the company and its shareholders”.

For more information & registration: https://sae-epe.gr/1o-synedrio-nomikou-symvouliou-saee/

We are pleased to announce that our Senior Associate, Maria Kallidopoulou, is participating as a speaker in the 7th International Competition Law Conference organized by Nomiki Bibliothiki , on 11-12 October 2023, and will present all the latest developments and key trends on Telecommunications network sharing.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/nb-ekpedeysi/sinedria/7th-international-conference-competition-law-policy.html

We are happy to have advised National Bank of Greece in relation to the very successful issuance of €500 million Subordinated Tier II bonds with a yield of 8% and its placement in the international capital markets. The bonds issued mature in 10,25 years and are callable in 5,25 years.

The issuance is part of the Bank’s strategy to optimize its capital structure and increase its Minimum Required Eligible Liabilities (MREL), in the context of the supervisory requirement which applies to all systemic banks.

The transaction attracted interest in excess of €1,3 billion, with the participation of more than 100 institutional investors. Approximately 75% of the bond was allocated to international institutional investors. Barclays, Citi, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, Morgan Stanley, Nomura and Société Générale acted as joint bookrunners of the issuance.

Our team was led by Partner Alexandra Kondyli and Senior Associate Maria Chronaki.

Congratulations to our client and many thanks for the excellent cooperation and trust all these years.

For more information: https://www.nbg.gr/en/group/press-office/articles/r-26-9-23-nbg-500mn-t2

Οur firm participated in the 15th Greece Race for the Cure 2023, organised by the Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer, Alma Zois, making once again a powerful statement of solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.

Our people joined hands and also extended a warm welcome to some of our valued clients and alumni who kindly accepted our invitation to run alongside us.

Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and cheered us on. Your energy and enthusiasm are truly inspiring!

On a few days from now, and specifically on 12 October 2023, the filing obligations under the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) will start to apply. The impact of the FSR is expected to be significant, in particular for M&A transactions, given that it will result in a substantial burden for businesses.

For an overview of the basic concepts of the FSR, the notification thresholds as well as its implications, read our below.

Exciting Times at K&P!

A few days ago, we had the pleasure of hosting a special “Kids at Work” event at our office, and it was an absolute blast!

Our little visitors had the opportunity to explore our workspace and make new friends by taking part in fun and educational activities, sparking their creativity and curiosity.

And what’s a memorable day without a sweet treat? At the end of the event, we delighted our young guests with ice cream, adding that extra sprinkle of joy to their day!

We believe in fostering a family-friendly work environment, and events like these are just one way we express that commitment. Here’s to building connections, inspiring young minds, and creating unforgettable memories!

We are delighted to announce that Dionysis Flambouras has joined our firm’s banking and finance group as a Senior Counsel!

Dionysis has extensive experience in the finance and debt markets, having advised numerous national and international investors and financial institutions on a wide range of complex and innovative transactions.

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Dionysis and look forward to his invaluable contribution to our team and clients.

We are very proud to once again be ranked as Top Tier in the IFLR1000 2023 Europe Rankings and for the areas of Banking & Finance, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Project Development.

We are thankful to our clients and our peers who recognize the excellence of our lawyers and endorse our leading position.

Congratulations to our hardworking teams, their forefront thinking and on-going commitment is the key to our success.

Celebrating Energy Excellence!

We are thrilled to announce that our Partners, Christina Faitakis and Valia Apostolopoulou, have been recognized by Business Today as two of the Top 10 Most Influential Energy Lawyers actively shaping the energy legal landscape in Greece!

Their remarkable dedication, paired with their legal acumen, has not only earned them this prestigious honor but has also accelerated our company’s mission to drive a sustainable energy future.

This acknowledgment underscores their exceptional legal expertise, their profound understanding of the regulatory landscape along with the complexities of the energy sector project financing, driving progress across a broad spectrum of energy sources and industries.

Congratulations to all other recognized peers!

We are delighted to announce our official participation in this year’s Chambers & Partners Global Practice Guide on Merger Control for 2023.

Within the guide’s Greek chapter on Mergers Control Law and Practice, our partner, Anna Manda, along with Senior Associate Maria Kallidopoulou and Associate Maria-Christina Raptopoulou, have made significant contributions.

This stimulating guide provides expert insights on the basic legal framework for mergers in Greece, the jurisdictional thresholds and the notification procedure, gun-jumping, review powers of the Hellenic Competition Commission, remedies, and FDI/ foreign subsidies control.

Read our chapter by clicking on the Continue Reading button below.

Navigating Corporate Governance: We are pleased to share that our firm is once again the exclusive contributor to the Chambers and Partners Corporate Governance Global Practice Guide for 2023.

Our partner Alexandra Kondyli, along with our Senior Counsel Eleana Rouga and Senior Associate Maria Chronaki, have made significant contributions to the Greek chapter of this comprehensive guide.

Within its pages, you’ll find a wealth of insights into the intricacies of the Greek corporate governance framework and the specific disclosure requirements that hold relevance for listed companies in Greece.

Read our chapter below.

We are delighted to share that during the past month our firm had the pleasure of hosting a team of 5 law students, from Greek and international law schools, who attended an enriching internship program.

During this period, our interns were fully integrated into the daily operations of our firm and had the invaluable opportunity to gain insights into the inner workings of various departments including IT, Marketing, and HR, enhancing their understanding of our organization.

They worked side by side with our lawyers and trainee lawyers, gaining hands-on experience across various legal practice areas and also had the opportunity to participate in an original K&P moot court competition, which was held in our offices. The fictitious case, based on the current cinematic landscape, focused on the divorce between Ken and Barbie and the complaints she faces from their neighbor Oppenheimer for causing noise nuisance by playing music boisterously.

Their unwavering enthusiasm, dedication, and remarkable teamwork left a lasting impression on our firm’s culture, and we are confident that they have a promising future ahead as outstanding legal professionals.

Stella-Eleni Christoforidou, Anna Kordellidou, Charis Mitrelia, Rafaela Tsotra and Athina Vyrgioti we want to express our deepest appreciation for choosing our law firm for your internship journey. We are excited to remain connected and witness your continued growth and success!

For aspiring legal professionals, we encourage you to keep an eye out for future internship opportunities at K&P!

We are honored to have advised HELLENiQ ENERGY in a groundbreaking transaction for the financing of Renewable Energy investments: HELLENiQ ENERGY, through its 100% subsidiary HELLENiQ Renewables, National Bank of Greece S.A., and Eurobank S.A. have forged a pioneering financing framework agreement of up to €766 million one of the largest long-term financing agreements for RES in Europe. The financing will contribute significantly to HELLENiQ ENERGY’s growth in green energy and support the national effort to meet climate targets.

At K&P, we are wholeheartedly committed to partnering with our clients in shaping a cleaner, greener future for generations to come!

Congratulation to all teams involved HELLENiQ ENERGY, National Bank of Greece S.A., Eurobank S.A., Koutalidis Law Firm.

For more information: https://www.helleniqenergy.gr/en/media/press-releases/pioneering-financing-framework-agreement-eu766-million-between-helleniq-energy

The European Commission has recently adopted a new Adequacy Decision on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) in relation to data transfers to the US. The adoption of this Adequacy Decision follows years of negotiations between the EU and the US, after the invalidation of the Privacy Shield. For the new provisions of the EU-US DPF and its implementation, read our article by clicking on the Continue Reading button below:

We are delighted to announce that Nikos Askotiris has been named our newest partner.

In the past 4 years with the firm, Nikos’ talent, expertise, tireless work ethic, and commitment to excellence have made him an invaluable member of our team, trusted by clients and colleagues alike.

We would like to congratulate him on this well-deserved promotion and look forward to continuing to work together in this new role.

The new Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) started its application on 12 July 2023. The FSR allows the European Commission to investigate financial contributions granted by non-EU countries to companies operating in the EU and establishes a new set of notification obligations to these companies when these are involved in concentrations or public tenders.

In light of these developments, our firm contributed with an article on the Lawyer legal magazine, authored by Partner, Anna Manda, and Associates Maria Kallidopoulou and Maria-Christina Raptopoulou.

The article provides an overview and practical considerations on key issues regarding inter alia the powers of the European Commission, the obligations of the companies to notify concentrations or their involvement in public procurement procedures, and the notification thresholds.

You can read the article (content in Greek) below.

Our firm has advised Eurobank, National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank, in their capacity as Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners, in connection with the offering of €500 million bonds issued by MYTILINEOS S.A. and listed on the Athens Exchange.

The offering received an outstanding positive response especially by retail investors with the overall offers reaching circa €1 billion, an oversubscription by 2.01 times, and priced at 4%, at the lowest end of the interest range.

The transaction signals the dynamics of the Greek capital market, marked by the remarkably swift process of the Prospectus review by the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission.

We thank all teams for their excellent cooperation and confidence shown to our firm.

The corporate and capital markets law issues were handled by Alexandra Kondyli, Partner, Eleana Rouga, Senior Associate, Iliana Ioannou, Associate and Dimitris Passas, Associate.

The finance law issues were handled by Nikos Fragos, Partner, Anastasia Mourmouti, Associate and Sergios Charalambous, Associate.

The energy law issues were handled by Valia Apostolopoulou, Partner, Anastasia Petta, Associate and Sophia Papasimakopoulou, Associate.

The tax law issues were handled by Georgios Minoudis, Partner, Eleonora Ligoutsikou, Senior Associate and Katerina Stathakarou, Trainee Lawyer.

The real estate law issues were handled by Athena Economou, Senior Associate and Alexandros Anagnostopoulos, Senior Associate.

Last week, we had the honor and the pleasure to host the first K&P Alumni event, at the amazing rooftop garden of our offices, at The Orbit.

Οur esteemed Alumni network came together to celebrate and reconnect, sharing memories and making new friends.

We would like to thank all who attended and promise to keep you connected with more exciting alumni initiatives on the horizon!

If you are one of K&P’s Alumni and haven’t registered yet in the K&P Alumni network, you can join here: https://alumni.karatza-partners.gr/ 

We are happy to announce that our firm is the exclusive contributor to the Chambers & Partners Global Practice Guide on Cartels for 2023.

Our partner Anna Manda, and associates Maria Kallidopoulou and Maria-Christina Raptopoulou contributed to the Greek chapter of Cartels Law and Practice

This stimulating guide provides expert insights in Q&A format on the basic legal framework for cartels in Greece, cartel enforcement, leniency programs, commitments, dawn raids, liabilities, sanctions, remedies, and civil litigation.

Read our chapter below.

In the general context of flexicurity in employment, the Supreme Court of Greece ruled in favor of the validity of an outsourcing contract, contributing key assumptions regarding the outsourcing practice.

Our firm contributed to issue no.156/2023 of “Sinigoros” Magazine by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI , where our Partner and Head of Employment dpt. Angeliki Tsatsi and Associate Anna Pechlivanidi share their thoughts and comments on judgement no. 2041/2022 of the Supreme Court of Greece.

Read below our contribution in Greek.

We are thrilled to share that our firm is continuing its successful initiative of Remote Working Fridays during summer for the second year in a row!

After the incredible response and positive feedback we received last year, we are delighted to offer our people this valuable opportunity again. As we prioritize work-life balance and flexibility, this initiative allows us to make the most of our summer while maintaining our productivity and dedication throughout the week.

Let’s embark on another incredible summer!

Our firm is the exclusive contributor of the Greek Chapter of Lexology getting the Deal Through Public M&A 2023 Guide.

The chapter authored by Catherine Karatzas Managing Partner, Alexandra Kondyli Partner, Eleana Rouga Senior Associate and Iliana Ioannou, Associate, shapes the key structural, corporate and procedural aspects of public M&As in Greece.

Read our contribution below.

Our firm sponsored the 15th National Conference of Corporate In-house Counsel by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI in collaboration with the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe (ACCE) and under the auspices of the Athens Bar Association. Our partners Anna Manda and Vassiliki Salaka together with Antigoni Papanikolaou, Legal & Corporate Affairs Director, Greece, Cyprus & Malta, Microsoft and Christos Paraskevopoulos, Senior Legal Manager, M&As and Strategic Projects, Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems, delved into the groundbreaking advancements of AI in the legal sector.

During our session, our speakers explored the tremendous potential that AI offers today, transforming the way legal professionals operate. From contract analysis to legal research, AI has revolutionized efficiency and accuracy in the legal landscape. They also highlighted the visible limits of AI, acknowledging that while it can handle routine tasks and data-driven analysis remarkably well, complex decision-making and nuanced legal judgment still require human expertise. Additionally, they discussed the impact of Generative AI on key categories of legal actions, emphasizing how this cutting-edge technology has enabled us to draft high-quality legal documents, automate document assembly, and generate personalized legal advice, thus empowering law firms’ clients with unprecedented speed and precision.

Congratulations to NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI for organizing such an interesting conference at the Zappeion Megaron and for curating a thought-provoking agenda that explored the possibilities and limitations of AI in legal services.

On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on the 14th of June, our law firm hosted a successful blood donation event, collaborating with Free Now and Diageo, our neighbors at the Orbit, to support this important cause.

Our goal was to raise awareness about blood donation and encourage our people to make a life-saving impact. The response was overwhelming, with numerous volunteers from all three organizations stepping forward to donate. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved, including the donors and medical professionals for their dedication.

This event exemplifies our commitment to social responsibility and inspires us to continue making a positive difference together.

Let’s unite in acts of kindness and create a better world!

View our video here.

What artificial intelligence can do today in relation to legal services, what are its visible limits and how key categories of legal actions are affected in the age of Generative AI?

Our Partners Anna Manda and Vassiliki Salaka are participating in the 15th National Conference of Corporate In house Counsel by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI , in a workshop about “Legal departments in the face of a Brave New World. Artificial Intelligence: Threat to the Legal Profession’s Survival or Means of Prosperity?” on Tuesday June 13th, together with Antigoni Papanikolaou, Legal & Corporate Affairs Director, Greece, Cyprus & Malta, Microsoft and Christos Paraskevopoulos, Senior Legal Manager, M&As and Strategic Projects, Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems.

For more information & registration: https://www.nb.org/15-panellinio-synedrio-dikigoron-nomikon-iperisiwn.html

A few days ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming Charalambos Vergadis, Anastasia Drosou, Akrivi Chrysi Oikonomou and Despina Polizoi from Athens Law School, who participated in the 16th International Roman Law Moot Court Competition, hosted by Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, under the supervision of Professor Athina Dimopoulou.
The team won the first award (Palma Victoriae) and Ms Anastasia Drosou won the 3rd prize for best orator.

Our firm once again proudly supported the Athens Law School as we believe in the importance of nurturing young legal minds.
Congratulations to the team for their excellent performance and for their dedication and hard work that set an inspiring benchmark for the future!

Our Partner, Nikos Fragos, is participating as a moderator in the NPL Greece conference by SmithNovak on June, 8th in the roundtable discussion: “The Secondary Market”, with the distinguished professionals Yiannis Sakarelis, Business Development Manager Greece/Cyprus, Debitos, Stamatis Foteinogiannopoulos, MBA, Operations Manager, Sioufas & Associates Law Firm, Paul Tzelepis, Head of Business Development, Copernicus Hellas, Panagiotis Gkioumes, Partner, Financial Services, Grant Thornton and Nikos Voudouris, Senior Partner, SME Remedium Capital.

For more information and registration: https://www.smithnovak.com/conferences/npl-greece-2023.html#register

Our firm is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter of Lexology – Getting the Deal Through, Fintech 2023 Guide.

Our core fintech team, including our Partner Aleka Kondyli, our Senior Counsel Nikos Askotiris, our Senior Associates Eleana Rouga and Maria Chronaki, and our Associate Dimitris Passas provide an overview on the Greek fintech landscape, with a particular focus on financial regulation and innovation in the areas of crypto-assets, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Our Associates Dimitra Karampela, Anna Pechlivanidi and Sergios Charalambous have also contributed to this chapter in relation to IP protection, employment law and investment funds law respectively.

Read below our firm’s contribution to the “Business Law Insights 2023” special edition, published yesterday in the newspaper Kathimerini, in cooperation with NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI .

More specifically:
✒ Real Estate Law: our article entitled “Property Management Companies: Challenges and Operating Framework”, written by our Senior Counsel Sophia Mavridou.

✒ Competition Law: our article entitled “Hellenic Competition Commission: Fines, powers and control tools”, written by our Partner Anna Manda, our Senior Associate Marina Chronaki and our Associate Maria-Christina Raptopoulou.

✒ Employment Law: our article entitled “Digital era obligations of the employer: the new violence and harassment regulation and the right to disconnect”, written by our Partner and Head of our Employment department Angeliki Tsatsi.

? all articles are in Greek.

Supporting Mental Health: Our Commitment to Well-being

May is Mental Health Month, and we stand united in advocating for mental well-being. At K&P we recognize the importance of Mental Health, and we take action to support and promote it throughout the year! As a result, not only have we established a staff welfare committee, but we also offer to our people and their families access to a Hotline for Psychological Support and Counseling.

Let’s join hands to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and prioritize mental well-being throughout the year.

What should employers do to comply with Law 4990/2022 on the protection of persons who report breaches of EU law? How will the new provisions affect employment relations?

Our Partner and Head of Employment Dpt., Angeliki Tsatsi will elaborate on the employment law aspects of the matter during the Whistleblowing 360ᵒ educational program organized by NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI .

The program will take place on June 6 & 7, at NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI ’s HQs. Live streaming is also available.

For more information and registration: https://www.nb.org/whistleblowing-360-ekp-programma.html