Over the course of our seven years, CEE Legal Matters has interviewed most of the British lawyers working on the ground in Central and Eastern Europe as part of our recurring “Expat on the Market” feature. We reached out to them recently and asked them to bring us up to speed on what they’re doing and/or share their thoughts on the ramifications of Brexit or the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Bernitsas Law has advised CVC on the acquisition of a controlling stake in Vivartia Holdings SA. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

Anagnostopoulos has successfully defended former Siemens executive Dionysios Dendrinos in a criminal case regarding alleged bribery and money laundering.

Greece's KLC Law Firm has assisted Italy's Edison on the sale of its Edison Exploration & Production subsidiary to Greece's Energean — a deal that closed on December 17, 2020. 

“Things are pretty steady,” says Drakopoulos Senior Partner Panagiotis Drakopoulos, speaking about the current political climate of Greece. “The past few months have seen no major changes or updates, so there is nothing special to report on.” He says that, as most efforts have been focused on the pandemic, little room is left for anything else. 

Greece's KLC Law Firm has advised National Energy Holdings in its first investment in Greece — the acquisition and construction of five solar parks to be constructed in Central Greece, with a total capacity of 24 MW, for which it secured financing of EUR 22 million from Piraeus Bank.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised the Generali Group on the acquisition of an office building in Athens from Panterra.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has assisted Globecast France throughout an international open tender procedure for the provision of global signal transmission by the Hellenic Broadcasting Organization

Allen & Overy has advised Lamda Hellix on its sale to Digital Realty subsidiary Interxion. Linklaters advised the buyer on the deal. 

White & Case and Zepos & Yannopoulos have advised the EIF and the EBRD on a EUR 130 million securitization of automotive leases originated by Olympic Commercial and Tourist Enterprises S.A., a car leasing company in Greece and master franchisee of the Avis Budget Group. Avis was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright and, reportedly, Kyriakides Georgopoulos, while Hogan Lovells and, reportedly, M&P Bernitsas, advised lead manager and sole arranger Citi and co-lead manager Piraeus Bank.

Greece's KG Law Firm has entered into what it calls "a new, pioneering collaboration" with the ArtSecure boutique, which specializes in advising on art, intellectual property, and cultural property matters.

The SEE Legal law firm alliance has announced the formal launch of two new practice groups, one dedicated to Employment and Immigration, headed by Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli Counsel Maral Minasyan, and one dedicated to Intellectual Property, headed by Selih & Partnerji Partner Natasa Pipan Nahtigal.

“The past few months were hard on us,” says Stathis Mihos, Pfizer’s Legal Director for Greece, Israel, Malta, and Cyprus.

Former Kelemenis & Co Partner Ioanna Lazaridou has joined the KLC Law Firm in Greece.

Kambourov & Partners has advised Bulgartransgaz EAD on its acquisition of a 20% stake in Gastrade S.A.

The novel coronavirus has sent markets into a tailspin and forced the scrapping of many plans for this business year. Commercial law firms, their businesses closely tied to the way economies ebb and flow, have been forced to adapt. This global phenomenon is in some ways particularly poignant in Greece, which was finally, after a decade of darkness, showing signs of returning to the light. Commercial Greek law firms, excited about the prospects of a highly-anticipated economic recovery, have discovered they’ll have to wait just a little bit longer. Still, they insist, good times are just around the corner.

Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised Pancreta Bank on its transformation from a cooperative bank into a "societe anonyme."

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Admie, the owner and operator of the Greek electricity transmission grid, on the concession for the Crete-Attica high-voltage direct current interconnection project, granted to Admie’s subsidiary Ariadne Interconnection.