Artemis Papatheodorou & Associates

We provide practical and professional advice on contractual issues, covering all the trading activities of a business. Our approach is to constantly cultivate a deep understanding of how businesses work and comprehend the key business drivers applicable to our clients’ sectors. This enables us to address the diverse situations and business needs of our clients, thereby providing a comprehensive service whether it be on strategic transactions or on a more day-to-day level.

We strive to provide the best possible advice on negotiating and drafting business contracts with suppliers, distributors, customers or collaborators. Our practice ensures that all contracts are clear and unambiguous, suitable for the purpose intended, compliant with the law and water-tight to protect our clients from commercial risks. We ensure that all contracts cover the unexpected, whether it is a one-page letter with contractual effect or a complex business arrangement.

We act on behalf of domestic and international companies, providing skilled services to our clients, whether in the startup of new businesses or support of established businesses. Whether our clients’ strategy is to raise private or public finance or to expand through merger, acquisition or joint venture, we are able to help them realize their objectives.

We get involved in numerous corporate matters, including incorporations, registrations, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, conversions, and dissolutions in numerous jurisdictions. To this effect, we draft and prepare all the necessary corporate documents on behalf of our clients, including articles of incorporation, bylaws, minutes of the general meetings of shareholders and directors.

We perform legal due diligence and draft relevant legal documents, letters of intent, contracts of sale and purchase, memoranda of understanding, management and operating agreements, shareholder agreements, joint venture contracts, agency, supply, distribution and other trade agreements.

We also advise corporations or other entities in distress by, among other things, assisting them in negotiations, settlements, judicial reorganization procedures, asset liquidation, and insolvency.

Our Energy practice covers a wide range of energy related work, advising on numerous aspects of investments and developments in both the renewable and mainstream energy markets.

We represent clients in many types of energy projects and advise electricity supply and trading companies, project developers, investors, emerging businesses, and other energy industry participants in important aspects of their business.

We have been advising in the waste management and bioenergy industries for many years with a particular focus on the prevention of pollution from ships and green energy from waste.

Recognizing the vital importance of intellectual property in a complex and fast-moving global marketplace, we strive to provide the best legal support to our clients in the protection of their intellectual property portfolio. We help protect, exploit, manage and litigate IP rights by advising on trademarks, patents, and designs.

The scope of our work includes, drafting intellectual and industrial property license agreements, filling and registration of patents, trademarks, industrial designs, domain names, conducting searches, monitoring renewal procedures and filings at a national, European and international level. Furthermore, we focus on providing our clients protection of their IP rights arising from licenses and their transfers.

We assist clients with the purchase, sale and development of real property, leasing transactions and all types of real estate financing. We represent clients in matters involving traditional private income properties as well as special use business properties such as office, retail and industrial properties.

Our services include structuring, negotiating and executing real estate developments, purchases, sales, financings, and registrations. We regularly negotiate and review contracts and deeds for the conveyancing of real estate on behalf of our clients.

CHARTERPARTIES, BILLS OF LADING AND CARGO CLAIMS

One of our main core practice areas deals with “dry” shipping issues arising in the context of the carriage of goods by sea, as well as, with all aspects pertaining to the employment, operation and management of a ship, her crew and all ancillary aspects of a shipping business.

Typically we deal with a wide variety of issues and disputes arising under time or voyage charters, other contracts of affreightment, or bills of lading, ranging from the description of the vessel, performance, slow steaming, fuel consumption, trade areas, unsafe ports through to payment of hire, off hire incidents, loading and discharging operations, damage to cargo or the vessel by stevedores or dangerous cargo, as well as, the wrongful termination of charters and withdrawal or deviation of the vessel.

We also deal with cargo claims brought in various jurisdictions under contracts for the carriage of goods evidenced by a bill of lading or other cargo document, such as waybills or charter agreements.

SHIP SALE, PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION

We handle the sale and purchase of all types of second hand tonnage for trading or scrap including bulk carriers, tankers, general cargo ships and yachts.

We advise our clients in relation to standard sales forms and MOA’s and assist in the identification of any key issues and pitfalls attached to such documentation. Additionally, when required we assist with the negotiating and drafting of bespoke individual contracts. We also provide support on the practical elements of such transactions in order to ensure documentary compliance and vessel readiness.

Our goal is to assist with the mechanics of payment in order to allow the concurrent financial closing and technical acceptance and delivery of the vessel regardless of her location, including the registration and de-registration of the ship. In this respect we provide our clients with advice as to the most suitable registry for their vessel and company.

SHIP BUILDING, REPAIR AND CONVERSION CONTRACTS

In an increasingly complex business environment our goal is to provide first class advice to owners, shipyards and operators on all aspects of shipbuilding, conversion and repair contracts.

All ships require drydockings and repairs, some are planned while others are required on short notice, following damage or a technical failure or a salvage operation. As such, efficient contract management of ship repair is vital to commercial success and this is what we do our best to deliver to our clients.

However, as disputes arising from such contracts can be complex and costly for all parties involved we work with our clients to resolve disputes whether through mediation, arbitration or litigation, depending on what is deemed to be the most appropriate course of action.

We advise clients on the financing of the construction of newbuildings and the acquisition of second-hand commercial vessels of all types and characteristics as well as private yachts.

We assist with advising on, negotiating and drafting transactions that range from straightforward bi-lateral loan agreements to more complex syndicated loan transactions, in addition to the re-structuring of existing loan facilities.

As loan agreements go hand in hand with the necessary security documentation we advise our clients on guarantees, pledge agreements, mortgages and the registration of these in various jurisdictions, as well as, the assignment of insurances and earnings.

We act for national and international clients on issues of corporate taxation. In a constantly changing environment we strive to assist our clients in dealing with the complexities of the Greek tax regime.

Our tax practice provides advice in relation to, the structuring of company sales, acquisitions and resulting reorganisations; corporate tax planning and structuring of investments, including holding company structures, joint ventures or similar arrangements and reorganizations; tax advice on real estate transactions of domestic and foreign investors and the application and interpretation of double taxation treaties.