Tapping into experts from banking, capital markets and project finance, the multidisciplinary team at Koutalidis Law Firm has considerable experience handling distressed finance mandates, from balance sheet restructurings and liability management exercises, through to processes under the Greek Insolvency Code. Leveraging its strong ties with Greek banks, much of the work is on the creditor front, often where the firm has handled the original financing. The banking head Nikos Salakas plays a central role, drawing upon knowledge of the underlying finance documents and with deep expertise across a myriad finance products. Corporate finance head Effie Papoutsi is also pivotal to the firm’s restructuring prowess, regularly advising on bank refinancing loans and bonds for corporates, as well as advising Greek banks and investors in relation to the sale and purchase of NPL portfolios.

Platis – Anastassiadis & Associates Law Partnership provides ‘high quality and cost-effective advice’ to stakeholders engaged in big-ticket insolvency and restructuring mandates, with clients appreciative of its ability to provide ‘innovative solutions’. Eirinikos Platis, who was involved in the drafting of the new Insolvency Code, assists clients throughout the life-cycle of a mandate on both contentious and non-contentious situations. Platis has successfully concluded many restructuring projects for the Greek State, and has been appointed as legal counsel of the Special Administrators to debtors in a number of formal pre-bankruptcy procedures. Vassileios Mavrommatis is adept at handling both formal insolvency procedures as well as more transactional restructuring work, regularly acts for bank side clients helping to secure significant returns as creditors while Marina-Eleni Theodorou  is also a key member of the team for corporate restructurings.

Leveraging extensive knowledge of Greek insolvency legislative changes, POTAMITISVEKRIS combines an 'innovative' approach with strong advisory skills, ensuring that both creditors and debtors are well supported across both formal insolvencies as well as restructuring processes. Group head Stathis Potamitis‘ insolvency expertise encompasses domestic and cross-border matters, and as well as his role as one of the key architects helping to draft the newly reformed insolvency code in Greece, he is also currently part of a European Commission expert group on the preparation of an insolvency and restructuring directive. This level of insight ensures that Potamitis is a popular choice for clients, including a number of debtors, who are well protected in relation to the negotiation of rehabilitation agreements. Vassilis Stergiou  ‘excels in providing out-of-the box solutions’ to banks and funds as creditors and has ‘gained valuable experience by working on some of the largest and most difficult restructurings in Greece'. Much of this work has been handled alongside associate Konstantinos Rachianiotis, with one client lauding the pair as ‘two of the best legal advisors one can have not only in Greece but throughout the SEE region’. 

The ‘proactive, tech savvy, collaborative and extremely resourceful’ team at AKL Law Firm is valued for its 'realistic' approach to court practices - resulting in it being a popular choice on behalf of stakeholders in contentious insolvency matters. Sotiris Foteas is at the forefront of many of the most significant mandates handled by the team and senior partner Constantine Alexiou is also recommended for his wide-ranging commercial litigation expertise. The third of the lead lawyers, Alexandros Kosmopoulos, who heads the banking and finance group, brings this expertise to restructuring cases.

The ‘sharp and responsive’ team at Bernitsas Law provides ‘very accessible and customised advice’ to lenders and borrowers across a range of restructuring and insolvency matters, running the gamut from balance sheet restructurings and distressed M&A through to advice on administrations, workouts and receiverships. Under the guidance of the ‘exceptional’ Athanasia Tsene, and Lambros Belessis the team remains a prominent player in the secondary market for NPLs - whether acting as Greek counsel to an investor, the originator bank, the arranger or the note and security trustee. As part of her broad corporate and commercial expertise, Evi Kitsou regularly provides ‘succinct and on-point advice’ to clients on refinancing matters.

Leveraging the skills of a number of ‘highly specialized and skilled attorneys with expertise in restructuring and insolvency’, and also leaning into complementary practice areas including M&A, banking and tax, Karatzas & Partners has the critical mass and skill to handle a significant range and volume of high-quality mandates. The firm has strong lender ties, as well as also handling work for funds as bondholders. Team head Vassiliki Salaka  has a multi-faceted approach that is particularly well-suited to restructuring and including workouts relating to NPL portfolios. Dionysis Flambouras joined the firm in September 2023 from Bernitsas Law.

Under the guidance of Ilias Koimtzoglou and Michalis Pattakos, KBVL delivers ‘a results-focused offering’ to corporates and funds across a range of restructuring matters. The team is also well-positioned to advise distressed corporates as debtors on large-scale restructurings, where it is able to draw upon full-service expertise within the team including tax and financial advisory services provided through the firm’s association with Deloitte.

Deploying a multidisciplinary approach which leans into broader finance, corporate and tax capabilities, Lambadarios Law Firm excels in providing ‘pragmatic and strategic’ advice to lenders and borrowers across complex restructurings and special situations. The firm’s strong ties with the four domestic systemic banks account for a significant volume of work both in the context as creditors refinancing loans, as well as on the disposal of NPLs. Prokopios Dimitriadis is key to the firm’s success in the NPL space both for banks, as well as funds acquiring portfolios. M&A partner Melina Katsimi regularly handles due diligence associated with NPL work, and also regularly assists Baker McKenzie LLP‘s London office on the local law aspects of cross-border restructuring mandates. Dimitriadis co-heads the team alongside managing partner Constantinos Lambadarios.

Acting alone or in collaboration with lawyers throughout its network of offices, including London, Norton Rose Fulbright is particularly effective at advising banks as creditors in domestic and cross-border restructurings. Although the firm is active in distressed mandates across a range of sectors, it is particularly well-placed to advise on mandates within the maritime sector, a core firmwide area of strength. Greek and UK-qualified team head Yianni Cheilas  has deep underlying knowledge of financial products, and is at the forefront of the highest-profile restructuring work handled by the office.