Ioannis Th. Iriotis Law Firm

Criminal Law & Litigation

Managing Partner

Ioannis Iriotis is the Managing Partner & Founder of the Firm. He graduated from the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (LL.B.) and was admitted to Piraeus Bar Association in 1982. Since 2013, he has been the Vice-President of the Hellenic Criminal Bar Association and is regularly elected in the Board. He has also been elected in the Board of the Piraeus Bar Association twice (in 1987 and 1993) and is a member of the Hellenic Association of Penal Law.

He has renowned expertise in criminal defence law with a forty-two years practice in criminal litigation, having handled some of the most high-profile cases in Greece. He specialises in white-collar criminal cases, i.e. financial crimes, naval accidents, maritime criminal cases, maritime financial crimes, corruption cases, money laundering cases, fraud against the interests of the E.U. etc.

His long-standing presence in the legal profession as well as his proven track record in handling complex criminal cases, have attracted media attention and made him one of the lawyers of choice of the business community in Greece.

He represents companies and individuals in sensitive investigations and prosecutions involving accounting fraud, securities fraud, wire and mail fraud, commodities fraud, embezzlement, blackmail, bribery, money laundering, tax evasion, regulatory offences, public corruption, antitrust, perjury, false statements and other white collar cases. Furthermore, he is highly experienced in criminal matters regarding medical malpractice that caused the injury or death of a patient, as well as cases of criminal negligence resulting in accidents (industrial, shipyard, workplace, traffic, as well as land, air and marine pollution etc.).

He has participated in many major financial crime trials (market manipulation in the Athens Stock Exchange 2010), major corruption and money laundering cases (Siemens case, ex minister’s defense), important extradition procedures of prominent foreigners and many other “white collar” criminal procedures and trials (frauds, embezzlements, fiscal crimes, disputes arising from shipping financing and chartering activities).

He is also an expert in handling criminal proceedings in the aftermath of marine accidents, having successfully represented clients in all major maritime accidents in Greece since 1985. Cases such as M/V CHRISTINAKI, M/V IRON ANTONIS and M/V MARIKA in 1994, M/V PARIS, M/V PEL HUNTER in 1995, M/V DYSTOS in 1996, C-P/F EXPRESS SAMINA in 2000, C/L SEA DIAMOND in 2007 and MS NORMAN ATLANTIC in 2014 are only a few of the iconic trials brought before the Greek criminal Courts, in which he participated as defense attorney.

He also represented the main defendants in many comparatively less important naval accidents (deadly or not) of vessels in Greece or of Greek interests across the globe (M/V LEADER L, M/V EUROBULKER X, M/V AEGEAN WIND, F/B LYBERIOS).

Moreover, he has been a leading defence lawyer in the criminal investigation and trial of the latest major air disaster in Greece (flight 522 of Helios Airways).

His clientele includes:

Prominent persons and legal entities of domestic and international shipping as well as other various business sectors. Most high profile domestic and international law firms based in Greece (and their offices abroad). Multinational and international corporations and business entities from various sectors. Major Classification Societies (IACS members included).

In addition to extensive criminal litigation experience, Ioannis is a regular speaker in criminal law conferences and has published several articles in prestigious Greek criminal law journals.

His publications in respect to several issues of both criminal law and criminal procedure include the following:

Iriotis I., “Collection and use of evidence in the digital age – The footprint of technology in the criminal evidentiary process”, 9th Conference of the Hellenic Criminal Bar Association in Thessaloniki, Nomiki Vivliothiki, 2024 (under publication). Iriotis I., Presentation on the bill submitted by the Ministry of Justice titled: “Amendment of the Penal Code & the Code of Criminal Procedure & Dealing with Domestic Violence”, Conference held by the Piraeus Bar Association, 2024. Iriotis I., “Contemporary Issues in Maritime Criminal Law - Marine Pollution - Criminal liability”, Peiraiki Nomologia, 2023. Iriotis I., “The issue of the delimitation between the concepts of “conditional intent” and “recklessness” in the crime of manslaughter”, Poiniki Dikaiosini, 2023. Iriotis I. (Co), “Violation of the confidentiality of telephone communication and oral conversation under Greek law”, Lexology, 2022. Iriotis I. (Co), “Criminal protection of the environment under Greek law”, Lexology, 2022. Iriotis I. (Co), “Protection of information systems and computer programs under Greek law – article 370D of Greek Criminal Code”, Lexology, 2022. Iriotis I. (Co), “The European Investigation Order and its application under Greek Law 4489/2017”, Lexology, 2021. Iriotis I. (Co), “Liability of legal persons under Greek law”, Lexology, 2021. Iriotis I., “Criminal Liability of Medical Professionals in the pandemic era”, Nova Criminalia, vol. 10, 2020. Iriotis I. in Androulakis N., Margaritis L., Farsedakis I., “Dictionary of Legal Terms – Criminal Law and Criminology”, Nomiki Bibliothiki, 2018, entries: “Indictment”, p. 389 – 390, “Summoning to a hearing”, p. 393 – 395, “Causing a shipwreck”, p. 527 – 528. Iriotis I., “The Right to Defense: Contradictory Trends”, in “The Right to Defense in the Criminal Trial: Aspects and Limitations”, 7th Annual Conference of the Hellenic Criminal Bar Association in Patras, Nomiki Bibliothiki, 2016, p. 310 – 330. Iriotis I., “Restoration of the victim in crimes against property (Article 406a of the Penal Code) and the Institution of Plea Bargaining (Article 308B Code of Penal Procedure)”, in “Current Issues in Property Criminal Law”, including the speeches given at the Conference of Criminal Law in memory of Prof. Ioannis Manoledakis with subject “Property Criminal Law: Topic Issues” on 02-03.12.2011, Nomiki Bibliothiki, 2012, p. 123 – 163. Iriotis I., “Recent case law of the Supreme Court with regard to substantive and procedural criminal law”, Praxi & Logos, 2010, p. 689 – 710. Iriotis I., “Pre-trial detention: Procedural measure or sentence in advance?”, Nomiko Vima, 2009, p. 1592 – 1619. Iriotis I., “Disturbance of transport safety”, Nomiko Vima, 2008, p. 1764 – 1787. Iriotis I., “Comments – Proposals on the new Bill on Acceleration of Proceedings in the Criminal Courts and Other Provisions”, Poiniki Dikaiosini, 2005, p. 209 – 219. Iriotis I., The felony of false attestation – smuggling, true or apparent concurrence? (in reference to the series of “Petroleum Trials” before Piraeus Courts), Praxi & Logos 2000, p. 205 – 207.

Greek, English

Piraeus Bar (Member) Hellenic Criminal Bar Association (Vice-President) Hellenic Association of Penal Law (Member)

LL.B. from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Law School