DISPUTE RESOLUTION

The department has many years of experience appearing before the Admiralty Courts. Its experienced advocates, with the support of the Shipping Department, are capable of handling all aspects of admiralty litigation, including proceedings to obtain orders for the arrest or release of vessels plying their trade in Cypriot waters or for the forced sale for execution purposes.

The department routinely pursues, defends and advises on every type of admiralty matter, including employment-related claims, claims for collision or salvage and claims based on bills of lading or charter parties.

Over the years, the department has represented the interests of banks in mortgage enforcement actions, international and domestic vessel owners and operators, and members of P&I clubs and insurers.

The department is well-placed to advise and act in all forms of alternative dispute resolution and arbitration services.

Our expertise covers international, domestic and commercial arbitrations in a wide range of industries, seated in Cyprus but also abroad. Our experience covers both ad hoc and administered arbitrations, including those under the UNCITRAL, LCIA, ICC, SCC, CAS and ICSID rules.

We also have experience with locally administered specialized arbitrations, such as those related to the construction industry.

We can assist at every stage of the arbitration process and advise in drafting an arbitration agreement.
Our team’s counsels are often called upon to act as arbitrators or to provide expert advice on Cyprus law for arbitrations seated abroad.

We also have a very strong track record in proceedings dealing with the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Cyprus. In addition, we often receive instructions to act in court applications relevant to ongoing or completed arbitral proceedings and are very familiar with such processes.

We have been advising the largest banks in Cyprus in major disputes.

We assist in debt recovery proceedings, which frequently require the enforcement of collaterals, such as mortgages, guarantees and floating and fixed charges.

We have significant experience in dealing with Competition & EU law litigation, including in relation to:

• Investigations and hearings before the Cypriot Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) and European Competition authorities on all aspects of anti-competitive behavior;
• Proceedings before Cypriot and EU courts in challenges of decisions of competition authorities and in Actions for Damages for competition violations;
• Investigations by the Cypriot Consumer, Financial and Data Protection regulators;
• Proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, such as in actions for damages against the EU Institutions pursuant to Article 340 TFEU;
• Jurisdictional challenges and enforcement of judgments on the basis of the Brussels Regulation and other EU instruments providing for the mutual recognition of judgments and orders;
• Dealing with contentious EU public procurement matters before the Tender Review Authority, the Administrative Court and in related appeals before the Supreme Court.

The department’s advocates possess significant experience in handling all types of corporate and commercial disputes. Our cases focus on shareholder disputes, related company law applications and disputes arising from contractual or other commercial relationships.

We pride ourselves on our experience acting as counsel in some of the most complex and high-value disputes tried before the Cypriot Courts.

We have acted in many cases involving interim proceedings to obtain or set aside interim freezing orders and other protective measures, as well as orders for disclosure in aid of either Cypriot or foreign proceedings.

An important part of our caseload includes cross-border cases, often in cooperation with large international law firms.

We are also well placed to enforce foreign judgements in Cyprus, including by securing interim measures.

We represent complainants and defendants in criminal prosecutions, ranging from serious criminal offences and economic crimes to road traffic offences. We can also advise at an early stage of an investigation.

We also have extensive experience in white-collar crime investigations and prosecutions. We regularly appear as counsel in extradition and European Arrest Warrant requests, as well as in Mutual Legal Assistance matters.

We also represent corporate entities and company officers in regulatory prosecutions, such as those involving accidents at work and regulatory violations by fuel companies.

We are often also instructed to undertake regulatory prosecutions on behalf of public authorities and can assist in securing interim orders in support of such prosecutions.

The department represents public and private employers in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship.

Our services also include preparing employment contracts, advice on social insurance and other employment law matters, such as claims for unlawful termination, breach of contract and discrimination.

Our team deals with all legal procedures relating to family relationships, including divorce, alimony, parental custody and care, property disputes and settlements. We are also well placed to act in settlement negotiations for such matters. In many cases, we have dealt with the international aspects of such relationships, often in cooperation with counsel in other jurisdictions.

We have extensive experience in asset tracing and fraud cases, such as white-collar crimes, often with a foreign jurisdiction nexus.

Our team is capable of assisting with complex financial investigations and with securing Court orders urgently to trace and preserve assets. Our recent experience extends to cryptocurrency fraud and disappearance cases, in which we have acted in some of the first cases of this nature to reach the Cyprus Courts.

We have the expertise to efficiently resolve practical and commercial disputes arising from corporate failures. Our department is experienced in working for a broad range of clients, such as creditors, debtors and insolvency practitioners in Cyprus and other jurisdictions.

The department has successfully represented many insurance companies in a wide variety of insurance law matters. It provides opinions with respect to the nature and extent of insurance coverage available and counselling in settlement negotiations. The department’s experience in insurance coverage matters includes issues arising from personal liability claims, arising from both road traffic and employer’s liability, products liability claims and professional liability claims, and interpretations of policies covering general liability and motor vehicle liability.

Our team often deals with intellectual property disputes, such as claims for violation of trademarks, copyright and other IP rights and passing of claims. Our recent experience includes disputes relating to online services, gaming, websites and domain names.

The department defends and prosecutes a wide range of professional malpractice claimants and defendants, including doctors, accountants, architects and engineers. Private hospitals and insurance companies trust our team to defend them in serious medical negligence and road traffic accident claims.

We represent clients in disputes arising from Contracts of Sale and from Lease Agreements. We have dealt with various cases relating to the specific performance of contracts and cases relating to the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants, either for eviction or rent increase orders.

The department acts for several public authorities, advising them on the extent of their powers and judicial review.