Banking

Banking

Our banking practice helps our clients navigate the complex banking legal framework and advises them on how to adapt to every changing economic, political and regulatory condition. Our team has intimate knowledge and experience of the Cyprus banking sector and on a wide variety of economic activity, providing services across the full spectrum of banking and financial matters.

Our team is a balanced mix of lawyers with contentious experience and lawyers who specialise in non-contentious work. Through the extensive collaboration with the Property, Corporate, Commercial and Regulatory Department, the team’s expertise covers retail and corporate banking activity, large scale and detailed NPL portfolio due diligence, and in general a broad range of transactional, contentious, and non-contentious matters, ranging from debt recovery and day-to-day banking issues to bank resolution and debtor restructuring, as well as from the provision of legal opinions to in-house redocumentation projects.

The team provides ongoing legal support to international banks, most of Cyprus’ banks, including two of the systemic banks, and a significant number of Credit Acquiring Companies licensed by the Central Bank of Cyprus, as well as individual and corporate clients.

Our Services

  • Advising on loan restructurings (including debt-for-asset swaps and debt-for-equity swaps)
  • Advising on loan originations and drafting agreements for, and perfecting, related security
  • Advising credit acquiring companies on acquisition of non-performing loans and set up of company in accordance with applicable law
  • Advising credit acquiring companies on work-out strategies for loan portfolio and bringing legal proceedings where required including enforcement procedures in relation to security
  • Drafting legal opinions on novel/complex matters of Cypriot banking legislation and the regulatory framework affecting financial institutions
  • Drafting complex commercial agreements involving banking institutions as contracting parties
  • Redocumentation projects for banking institutions
  • Providing advice on contentious banking matters and representing clients before the Cypriot courts
  • Advising on various compliance issues and providing guidance on best market practice
  • Advising on the Initial Public Offering (IPO) for financial institutions
  • Due diligence projects for large corporate groups

Resources

Key contact

Angelina Koura

Partner - Head of Banking

Marina K. Vassiliou

Senior Lawyer