Dryllerakis & Associates

The firm: Dryllerakis & Associates, established in 1971, is one of the leading and steadily expanding Greek law firms, offering a comprehensive range of legal services across all fields of business law. The firm started as a partnership between four lawyers, has developed over the years to a large law firm numbering 38 lawyers and is also the exclusive Greek member of Terralex leading international network of independent law firms. With a calibrated strategy and in depth understanding of business needs, Dryllerakis & Associates offers clients a unique combination of experience and efficiency. To this end, the firm is organised in specially dedicated teams covering its core practice areas of corporate law and M&A, competition law, dispute resolution and tax law. Clients of the firm benefit from partner-led services as well as from top-quality, tailored advice as a result of its lawyers’ extensive experience and high skill level. The structure of the firm secures the best possible organisation and quality of services needed in high-value and complex disputes and transactions.

A significant number of the firm’s clients are foreign-based. Given its international orientation, the firm has developed particular expertise in advising international clients with respect to the specificities of the Greek business, judicial, and legal/regulatory framework.

Areas of practice: In the area of corporate/M&A the firm deals with the establishment and transformation of enterprises, complex M&As and JV cases, conduct of legal due diligence, corporate governance compliance, stock option schemes, representation of clients in general meetings of shareholders, and handling disputes between shareholders, among others.

In competition law it has developed an experienced team with extensive involvement in most antitrust cases brought before the Hellenic Competition Commission (cartels, abuse of dominance, vertical agreements). Within the framework of antitrust compliance programmes it undertakes internal training and auditing for several multinational clients.

The firm is active in civil/commercial litigation and arbitration defending its clients’ interests in respect of issues concerning companies and individuals conducting business in Greece or involved in international transactions. It represents clients before Greek courts of all instances, before the General Court and the Court of the European Union, and before Arbitral Tribunals national or international. It has particular experience in cases involving corporate law disputes, breaches of contract, issues arising out of agency and distribution agreements, enforcement in Greece of foreign court judgments and arbitral awards, civil claims arising from antitrust or unfair competition cases, product liability, employment, intellectual and industrial property, data protection, real estate and tort.

In the field of tax the firm delivers comprehensive advice across the full spectrum of international and domestic tax issues of all kinds. Its focus ranges from individuals’ tax planning up to tax structuring M&A and financing transaction as well as all aspects of Transfer Pricing issues, such as compliance, requirements, preparation of TP reports and legal assistance during tax audits. It is also very active in litigation before tax authorities, competent Administrative Courts and the Supreme Administrative Court (Conseil d’ Etat), with an impressive track record of success. Recent highlights include cases of ‘disqualification of books’ of multinational companies, assessment of fines of excessive amounts, VAT exemptions in relation with EU legislation, income tax cases and municipal taxation, among others.