Ioannides Demetriou LLC

The firm: Ioannides Demetriou LLC is a top-ranked, full-service commercial law firm at the forefront of the Cypriot legal services market. The firm has lawyers recognised as leading individuals in their chosen fields.

The corporate law team has unrivaled experience and has advised on some of Cyprus’ largest business deals to date.

Its lawyers are purebred litigators who advocate some of the most complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes heard before the Cypriot courts.

It acts as counsel to the largest private and public entities in Cyprus, including the Cyprus government.

Ioannides Demetriou LLC’s domestic client base includes some of the island’s largest corporations which operate and conduct business in all areas of the commercial spectrum, public and semi – public bodies, local banks, trade unions, public and private foundations, universities, the largest building contractors on the island, government concessionary holders and a host of local commercial enterprises considered leaders in their fields. The government of the Republic of Cyprus entrusts the firm’s lawyers to advise on international contracts, sit as arbitrators in disputes involving local government contracts and to head public enquiries.

The foreign client base is equally enviable. Many of the largest and most reputable international law firms choose Ioannides Demetriou LLC as their preferred firm to work with in Cyprus. Its foreign client base includes foreign governments, multinationals, large corporations and private individuals conducting business in multiple jurisdictions. It routinely handles high value international corporate disputes that contain a Cypriot element as well as enforcement proceedings in relation to foreign arbitral awards.

Due to the demands of the client base, which conducts business both domestically and internationally, it understands and places great emphasis on the need to foster strong and longstanding links with the world’s leading law firms. These range from the largest international law firms to independent law firms. These firms may differ in size but they share their commitment to quality, client care and the need to act in accordance to the highest ethical standards of the legal profession at all times.

The firm’s lawyers are members of the International Bar Association, the Cyprus Bar Association, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Institute of Directors. A number of their lawyers are qualified arbitrators, mediators and insolvency practitioners.

The firm works to strict quality control standards, evidenced by the fact it is the longest standing ISO certified law firm in Cyprus, holding the ISO 9001:2015 Standard for advocacy, legal advisors and legal consultancy in all fields of the legal profession.

There are established teams containing lawyers of all ranks, from Directors to Associates. They are also supported by a team of experienced paralegals. This allows the firm to work in an effective and cost-efficient manner for the benefit of its clients.

The approach to billing is flexible and totally transparent. Time spent on a case is meticulously recorded and clients have access to their time records upon demand. In many instances these accompany their invoices.

DNA: The firm’s “DNA” is a set of principles which form the basis of what it does and explains why it does it.

The firm goes deeper than providing the highest quality of legal services as it already take this as a given.

These principles are what the firm stands for, not only as Ioannides Demetriou LLC but also as individuals.

The DNA is made up of the following principles:

• To work with tenacity in getting results and to add value to its client’s business

• To be for the clients a sword as well as a shield and to afford them the confidence that comes with correct legal advice

• To amass knowledge and know-how and share it with clients

• To act with integrity in all dealings and to steer away from situations which may lead it to compromise its sense of morality and fairness

• To maintain a business model which is profitable, sustainable and which is capable of providing an exciting and fulfilling career

• To find and develop talent and to create a working environment in which talent is rewarded

• To use technology to increase efficiency

• To avoid remaining static

Areas of practice: The firm provides legal and advisory services to both public and private sector clients in the fields of litigation, dispute resolution, corporate law, banking, insurance, financing, mergers/acquisitions, taxation, energy, construction, competition, shipping, aviation law, litigation, ADR, BOT/PFI. Additionally, the firm’s prominent position and high level of contacts built through the excellent reputation and expertise of its partners enables it to provide invaluable assistance in the fields of public and government affairs and government relations.

Litigation/ADR: The firm’s civil and administrative law litigation lawyers provide the full range of civil and public/administrative law litigation services. The litigation team is renowned for its expertise in the fields of both international and local commercial litigation, including banking, financial disputes and public and administrative law recourses before the courts of Cyprus and administrative organs such as tender review authorities and competition tribunals and the full range of arbitration and ADR services. The firm has been involved in many of the largest civil litigation suits heard in Cyprus and regularly represents foreign governments and private clients before the courts of Cyprus.

Commercial and corporate law: The firm provides the full range of commercial law services to local and international businesses in all aspects of their activities ranging from establishment, structuring and advice on a daily basis in commercial transactions. The firm’s corporate lawyers handle, among others, corporate acquisitions, mergers, corporate finance agreements, corporate reorganisations and restructuring, corporate investigations, international corporate transactions, stock exchange listings and public offerings.

Private client services: Ioannides Demetriou LLC also offers private client services for high-net-worth individuals which adds both security and value to the private client to a fully legitimate international legal environment.

Tax advisory: The firm’s tax professionals provide tax advisory services to both local and international clients in the areas of corporate and personal taxation, asset and wealth management, international tax and estate planning and Value Added Tax. In addition, they can assist with the provision of tax opinions, tax rulings, representations at the tax office as well as tax disputes and litigation in co-operation with our litigation department.

Fiduciary services: The firm offers fully fledged fiduciary services, which include corporate administration, accounting, tax/VAT compliance services and other related management services via its specialised wholly owned subsidiary Nobel Trust Ltd.