Leveraging its strong overarching banking and capital markets credentials, Koutalidis Law Firm is best-known for its work on behalf of creditors and debtors in relation to out-of-court restructurings. This manifests itself in relation to a variety of different workstreams, with project finance head Ioannis Kaptanis being very active of late advising on high value and complex refinancing mandates across a range of infrastructure/transport projects; including his high-profile work for a syndicate of Greek systemic banks on the refinancing of existing debt to Athens International Airport through its issuance of an up to €1.07bn bond loan. In her role as head of corporate finance, Effie Papoutsi leverages her strong ties with banking clients - many of which she advised on the originating loan - which she then advises on subsequent refinancing work in the context of acquisition and project finance mandates, in particular. In addition she also has excellent credentials among investors in relation to NPL securitisation matters. Managing partner Nikos Koritsas co-heads the multi-disciplinary team alongside Papoutsi and Kaptanis.

Abreast of the rapidly evolving legislative/procedural landscape in the insolvency field since the Greek debt crisis of 2008, the ‘collaborative, diligent and client oriented’ team at Platis – Anastassiadis & Associates Law Partnership is well-positioned to advise debtors, creditors and officeholders across the full scope of mandates, whether in a formal procedure or in out-of-court restructuring. As well as being very active constructing and implementing rehabilitation proceedings to enable the continued survival of a distressed company as a going concern, the team also advises stakeholders in relation to special administration proceedings. Recognised as  ‘an authority on restructuring and insolvency matters under Greek law’, Eirinikos Platis has a versatile practice that frequently sees him advising officeholders in relation to special administration proceedings (an area he is understandably particularly skilled at since he had a role in drafting the new insolvency code in an ERB-funded project). check ‘A strong litigation-focused restructuring lawyer’,  Vassileios Mavrommatis has been involved in many of the biggest liability restructurings in the country and is appreciated for his ‘unique ability to parse through complex fact patterns and legal analyses to get to the right answer’. The ‘extremely knowledgeable and experienced’ Marina-Eleni Theodorou  co-heads the team alongside Platis and Mavrommatis and is particularly noted for her work on behalf of special administrators.

The ‘very well-rounded’ team at POTAMITISVEKRIS provides ‘skilled and efficient’ advice to stakeholders across the gamut of restructuring and insolvency matters. Having been involved in almost every strategically important restructuring in Greece during the past decade, the team is able to leverage a significant amount of institutional know-how, and is consequently able to provide best practice advice, both in the context of out-of-court restructurings as well as those requiring judicial input. Drawing upon ‘an in-depth knowledge of the law’, in part due to his integral role (alongside Alexander Metallinos) in drafting the Greek Bankruptcy Code, team head Stathis Potamitis provides ‘very insightful’ advice to debtors seeking to successfully restructure, including through the execution and implementation of a rehabilitation agreement. Vassilis Stergiou  is ‘extremely knowledgeable’ and also has a focus on advising debtors and creditors on restructuring and refinancing plans and negotiations. At associate level, Konstantinos Rachianiotis has ‘deep legal knowledge’ across a range of pre-insolvency and insolvency proceedings and regularly works with Potamatis and Stergiou in rehabilitation proceedings.

Combining ‘very strong academic credentials and a pragmatic approach of the Court’s practice’, AKL Law Firm is well-positioned to provide ‘exceptional’ advice to creditors/investors, in particular, seeking to maximise their returns, including through enforcement proceedings. As well as frequently advising banks as creditors, the team also represents servicers, including those acting on behalf of NPL investors. The ‘responsive and helpful’ Sotiris Foteas takes the lead on the majority of the mandates and is noted for his ‘outstanding’ courtroom skills. Foteas heads up the multi-disciplinary team alongside litigator Constantine Alexiou and banking and finance expert Alexandros Kosmopoulos.

Primarily drawing from the firm’s banking and M&A offerings, the transactional-focused multi-disciplinary team at Bernitsas Law provides ‘excellent and customer-oriented advice’ to creditors, debtors and investors across a myriad balance sheet restructurings and distressed M&A, in particular. Athanasia Tsene provides ‘accurate, succinct and business-oriented advice’, including to stakeholders (on the buy/servicer and sell side) in relation to the secondary market for NPLs. Lambros Belessis co-heads the team alongside Tsene.

Afforded greater strength in the area following the arrival of the 'vastly experienced' George Zacharopoulos  from a local boutique law firm, KBVL is increasingly well-placed to advise stakeholders throughout the full scope of their restructuring and insolvency needs, from strategic planning through to work involving the judicial system. Zachropoulos now heads the team, providing core niche expertise to funds and servicers in relation to work in the secondary NPL market, as well as for creditors, officeholders, and debtors across a myriad of restructuring/insolvency circumstances. Michalis Pattakos and Ilias Koimtzoglou, whose corporate/M&A transactional practices frequently spill over to restructuring mandates are also key.

With a strong core restructuring/insolvency practice and also able to effectively leverage the expertise of complementary firmwide practice areas, including corporate, finance, tax and employment, Kyriakides Georgopoulos Law Firm is well-positioned to handle large-scale debtor and creditor/investor-side mandates. This cross-disciplinary approach was recently showcased by the firm's high-profile work for Greek-listed company Frigoglass on its restructuring (this was a complex mandates which involved cross-border considerations and interim financing from existing holders of senior secured notes). Theodore Rakintzis  led on the aforementioned matter and is a key member of the team also includes practice head Konstantinos Issaias.

With strong core restructuring/insolvency law expertise and displaying 'excellent co-ordination' between connected practice areas, including M&A and banking, Lambadarios Law Firm provides a 'flexible and commercial approach' to debtors, creditors and investors across a range of restructuring and insolvency matters. The team is now headed by Manos Mastromanolis, following his arrival from the Greek Ministry of Finance in October 2023, providing additional credibility to work in the space, including with regard to restructuring/insolvencies with a public sector element. Praised for their ability to provide 'to-the-point, clear and concise' advice, Prokopis Dimitriadis and Constantinos Lambadarios are key members of the multi-disciplinary offering, particularly for buy and sell-side participants in the NPL space, where the firm has been noticeably active of late.

Led by Greek and UK-qualified partner Yianni Cheilas, Norton Rose Fulbright is best-suited to handling cross-border restructuring mandates for a creditor-focused client base. Often working closely with the firm's London office, the team is particularly skilled at advising lending syndicates as creditors of shipping companies, where clients also benefit not only from the team's banking acumen but also its institutional maritime sectoral knowledge.