Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC specializes in various areas of Corporate and Commercial Law with main focus in Aviation Law, Banking and Finance Law, Competition Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Employment Law, Insurance Law, Media Law, Litigation and Arbitration and other related fields.
The firm has an extensive and powerful network of correspondent law firms abroad, which includes some of the world's leading firms allowing its team to provide effective and efficient advice and support to its clients worldwide.
Aviation Law
Our Firm is the leading Firm in Aviation Law in Cyprus. Amongst others, we represent Cyprus Airways Ltd and Etihad Airways.
Our Senior Partner P.G. Polyviou has taken part in the reconstruction and reorganization of companies operating in the aviation industry, including Cyprus’ national air carrier, Cyprus Airways Ltd. Our Firm handles numerous cases in respect of Aviation Law before Courts in Cyprus.
Banking & Finance Law
The Firm has a long reputation in the areas of Banking and Finance Law. This area has been one of the main specializations of our Firm for decades.
Our Firm has long acted as the legal adviser to a number of local and international banking/finance institutions.
Our long experience with Cyprus and International Banking and Finance Law, Rules and Regulations and relevant EU Directives has enabled our team of lawyers to provide extensive legal support on the entire spectrum of Banking Law and Finance related issues.
Our Firm follows closely new developments in the Banking and Finance areas, both locally in Cyprus as well as in Europe and has considerable expertise in the regulatory framework.
Our Senior Partner P.G. Polyviou has unrivalled experience in Banking and his advice is constantly sought with regards to all aspects of Banking Law and Finance. Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC’s Litigation Department also has extensive experience and specialization in debt collection cases, and any type of Banking Law and Finance disputes before all Courts of the Republic of Cyprus under the leadership and expertise of Stella Polyviou.
Competition Law
The Firm's Litigation Team advise clients from all industries on all matters of Competition Law.
The Firm's Litigation Team also adviced clients in Mergers & Acquisitions and on whether the requirement for notification to the Cyprus Commission for the Protection of Competition (“Commission”) is required.
The Firm has also represented clients before the Commission in investigations regarding anticompetitive practices and/or abuses of dominant positions.
The Firm has also successfully appeared before the Supreme Court in Recourses against administrative Decisions of the Commission. >
Constitutional and Administrative Law
Our Firm has a considerable practice in Public Law (Constitutional, Administrative and Regulatory Law).
Our Senior Partner P.G. Polyviou has written a number of books on Constitutional Law and has acted as the adviser of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus with regard to a number of issues in the Public Law.
P.G. Polyviou regularly handles important constitutional and administrative law cases before the Supreme Court of Cyprus. He has also represented the Republic of Cyprus in a number of important cases before the European Court of Human Rights.
Members of Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC also represent clients in Recourses under Article 146 of the Constitution before the Supreme Court of Cyprus (in its administrative law jurisdiction). .
Corporate and Commercial Law
On the corporate front the Firm is an aggressive competitor in both the local and international sector in the incorporation, registration and administration of Cyprus companies in light of its strong network worldwide and the attractive Cyprus tax regime. At the same time its qualified team of lawyers provides to its corporate clients all the required legal advice and support in re-structuring and re-organizations, corporate finance and re-domiciliation and assists in escrow, fiduciary and trust agreements. The services extend to drafting and registration, if required, of any security documentation, liaising directly with banks and finance institutions, issuing legal opinions and carrying out legal due diligence checks.
• Incorporation of companies
• Any corporated law related agreement
• Corporate governance issues
• Corporate Management and Annual Operations services
• Internal Corporate Procedures
• Legal Due Diligence
• Corporate reorganization and reconstruction
• Regulatory Issues
• Opening and administration of bank accounts
The International Corporate Law Department is headed by Mrs. Stella Kammitsi, who has long experience in handling international and Cyprus corporate issues.
Our Firm also provides nominee shareholders, directors, company secretaries and all related corporate services, including registered office and related matters. The wide network of Double Taxation Treaties in conjunction with the comparatively low corporate tax of 10% has made Cyprus an attractive jurisdiction for international tax structures and deals.
After Cyprus joined the European Union on 1st May 2004 the new tax regime has even been more attractive for international tax planning through Cyprus.
Employment Law
The Firm has wide experience in the drafting of employment agreements as well as in advising clients on issues regarding the termination of employment, redundancy and related matters. Added to the above, members of our Firm have advised on numerous occasions on matters of pension funding and employee share option schemes.
European Union Law Law
Ever since Cyprus’s formal accession to the European Union, on May 1st 2004, Cyprus law has been harmonized with the European acquis and as a result there have been significant amendments to the Laws of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Firm has extensive experience in European Union Law matters and advises clients on a daily basis both in the public and private sectors.
Insurance Law
Our Litigation Department advises and represents (in claims before the Courts of the Republic) on all aspect of the insurance industry. In general, members of Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC advise and represent clients in all areas of insurance including life, non-life policies and personal accidents.
Litigation & Arbitration
The Firm is perhaps the most active in litigation matters in Cyprus. The Litigation Department is headed by our Senior Partner Stella Polyviou. The Firm’s experienced litigation team handles a wide variety of general, civil and commercial litigation in the fields of corporate, banking, insurance and employment as well as civil and commercial law issues.
P.G. Polyviou also handles complex cases before all District Courts of the Republic as well as the Supreme Court of Cyprus and European Tribunals where he has appeared in a number of important cases. He has also appeared, both as a litigant and as an arbitrator in arbitration proceedings in Cyprus and abroad, regarding both local and international disputes.
Media Law
Members of Chryssafinis & Polyviou LLC have long represented corporations operating in the Broadcasting and Media Sectors.
Members of our Firm regularly handle before the Courts all types of cases and disputes concerning defamation, data protection and other related services. Members of our Firm also regularly attend meetings and sessions of the European Broadcasting Union.
Trusts
Our Firm has both the expertise and the knowledge to advise on various trust structures and on the different kinds of trusts that may be adopted. Two of its lawyers are also members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Stella Kammitsi is a member of the board of Directors of the Cyprus Branch of STEP.
With the enactment of the International Trust Law (Law 69(I) of 1992) Cyprus trusts have become very popular for international tax planning purposes. Of course, the concept of trusts has long been recognized in Cyprus. The said law is currently under discussions before Parliament for its amendment in order to render Cyprus Trusts even more attractive.
At present, to satisfy the conditions of the Cyprus International Trusts Law:
• The settlor must not be a permanent resident of Cyprus; • At least one of the trustees is a permanent resident of Cyprus; • No beneficiary is a permanent resident of Cyprus (unless it is charity); • The trust property does not include any immovable property situated in Cyprus.
Winding Up / Liquidation
This is an area of Cyprus law in which our firm has extensive local experience for both private and public companies as well as for listed ones.
Unfortunately due to the economic crisis of the last years a few of our clients have to undergo insolvent liquidation on which our consulting team members mainly Polivios G. Poliviou, Michalis Kramvis and Stella Kammitsi have to provide extensive advice and support to which great publicity was given to the local press.
