Litigation & Arbitration · Sub-Practice

Resolving commercial disputes
with your business objectives
as our compass.

Our aim is to resolve business disputes quickly and efficiently, while avoiding any disruption to your day-to-day operations. We achieve this by understanding your commercial objectives and scrutinising your legal position — before committing to any course of action.

Commercial objectives as our compass
We do not pursue litigation for its own sake. Every step is measured against your commercial goals — protecting your business, not just your legal position.
Facing a commercial dispute?
Initial consultation to assess your position, the legal merits and the realistic range of outcomes. Confidential and without obligation.
Request Consultation
What We Handle Our Approach Process Experience FAQ Related

Scope of Practice

The full range of
commercial litigation.

We undertake commercial litigation across the full spectrum of business disputes — from breach of contract to multi-party shareholder conflicts and civil fraud — at every instance of the Greek courts and before international arbitral tribunals; where a matter turns on English law, we advise on it directly in-house, with court appearances remaining in Greece. A commercial litigation lawyer in Athens starts there because limitation, once missed, ends the matter regardless of merits.

Breach of Contract
Contractual disputes of every kind — failure to perform, defective performance, termination disputes and damages claims. Commercial contracts, service agreements, supply arrangements and bespoke commercial documentation.
Shareholder & Partnership Disputes
Disputes between corporate shareholders and business partners — minority oppression, deadlock, breach of shareholders agreements, unfair prejudice and dissolution claims.
Civil Fraud & Misrepresentation
Civil fraud, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and asset recovery in fraud cases. We have handled complex fraud disputes with cross-border elements.
Franchise, Agency & Distribution
Disputes arising from franchise, agency and distribution agreements — wrongful termination, post-termination obligations, non-compete enforcement and compensation claims.
Investment Disputes
Investment disputes between companies and their investors, including disputes over valuation, exit rights, drag-along and tag-along provisions, and breach of investment agreements.
Professional Liability & Business Torts
Professional negligence claims against lawyers, accountants and other advisers. Business torts including inducing breach of contract, unlawful interference and passing off.

Our Approach

We think like judges.
We advise like commercial lawyers.

Our litigation practice was built by a former member of the Hellenic judiciary. That origin means we approach commercial disputes analytically — assessing each case the way a court will, identifying the arguments that will actually determine the outcome rather than simply building the strongest possible narrative. Where a settlement serves the business better than a judgment, a commercial litigation lawyer in Athens should say so plainly.

We are recognised for our commercial approach to disputes. We emphasise efficient dispute management and strategic planning — including forum selection and ADR — at every stage. It is our conviction that litigation should be the last resort, pursued only when your commercial objectives genuinely require it and cannot be achieved through negotiation or settlement. An early view on your position costs less than a late one.

"The client's business objectives are our compass. We do not resolve disputes in the abstract — we resolve them in the context of what you are trying to achieve commercially, and what the cost of fighting versus settling actually looks like."

Dionysios Pantazis has represented national and multinational companies — including listed companies and Fortune 500 groups — in multimillion-euro commercial disputes across technology, telecoms, franchise and cargo sectors. That experience of high-stakes, complex litigation informs every instruction we receive.

Judicial origin
Founded by a former judge
Stefanos Pantazis founded this firm after service as a Hellenic judge. We assess commercial disputes the way courts do — distinguishing what will drive the outcome from what will not.
All instances
From first instance to Areios Pagos
We litigate at every level of the Greek court system — from the Monomeles and Polymeles Protodikio through the Efetio courts of appeal to the Areios Pagos.
Dual qualification
Greece and England & Wales
Where a dispute involves questions of English law, we advise on it in-house — no referral required — while representing clients before the Greek courts and international arbitral tribunals.
ADR first
Negotiation, mediation and settlement
We pursue negotiated resolution wherever it serves your interests. Many commercial disputes resolve on favourable terms before proceedings begin — we ensure you have that option properly assessed before any formal step.

How We Handle Commercial Litigation

From first instruction
to final resolution.

STEP 01
Case Assessment
We assess the legal merits, identify the key issues that will drive the outcome, map the realistic range of results and advise on the optimal strategy — before any formal step is taken.
STEP 02
Pre-Action
Demand letters, without-prejudice negotiation, mediation referral and jurisdictional analysis. We maximise the prospect of early resolution without weakening your legal position.
STEP 03
Proceedings
Full conduct of court proceedings — from drafting pleadings and applications through to preparation of witnesses, expert coordination, and presentation of oral argument at trial.
STEP 04
Judgment & Enforcement
Obtaining judgment and enforcing it effectively — in Greece and, where required, abroad. Asset identification, interim measures and coordinated enforcement across jurisdictions.

Our Experience

The track record behind
every instruction.

Commercial Contract Disputes
Breach of Contract · Termination · Damages
Extensive experience in commercial contract disputes across multiple sectors — technology supply agreements, SaaS contracts, distribution arrangements, franchise agreements and bespoke commercial documentation.
Shareholder & Fraud Disputes
Shareholders · Civil Fraud · Investment Claims
Dionysios Pantazis has handled shareholder conflicts, civil fraud and misrepresentation disputes, and investment disputes involving multimillion-euro sums — including a successful piercing-of-corporate-veil claim with cross-border elements for a Czech company.
International Clients
Listed companies · Fortune 500 groups
We have represented national and multinational companies, including companies listed on international stock exchanges and Fortune 500 groups, in significant commercial litigation across technology, telecoms, franchise and cargo damage sectors.
Cross-Border Litigation
English Law · Parallel Proceedings · PIL
Commercial disputes with a foreign or cross-border element are a core part of our practice. Dual qualification in Greece and England & Wales enables us to advise directly on both legal systems in-house, while representing clients before the Greek courts and international arbitral tribunals.
Trade Marks · Passing Off
Passing off action successfully defended
Successfully defended an international fast-food franchisor in a passing off action.
Investor Claims · Class Action
Investor class action against two SPVs
Represented a group of private investors in a class action against two special purpose vehicles and their principal shareholder, alongside the related criminal proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Commercial litigation
questions, answered.

What counts as a commercial dispute in Greece?+

A commercial dispute is any disagreement arising from a business relationship — a breach of contract, a conflict between shareholders or partners, civil fraud, or a dispute under a franchise, agency or distribution agreement. These are heard by the civil courts in Greece, which have jurisdiction over commercial matters, at every instance from first instance through to the Areios Pagos.

How long does commercial litigation take in Greek courts?+

A first-instance commercial case in Athens typically takes twelve to twenty-four months to judgment, depending on complexity and court backlog, with appeals adding a further one to two years. We front-load case assessment so you understand the realistic timeline before committing to proceedings, and we pursue early settlement wherever it serves your interests.

Do you always recommend going to court?+

No. We pursue negotiation, mediation and settlement first, and treat litigation as a last resort reserved for disputes that genuinely cannot be resolved commercially. Many of the commercial disputes we handle resolve on favourable terms before any claim is filed, once the legal position and realistic outcomes have been properly assessed.

Can you handle a dispute that involves both Greek and English law?+

Yes. We are dual-qualified in Greece and England & Wales, so the English-law analysis of a cross-border commercial dispute is done in-house rather than bought in. We represent clients before the Greek courts and international arbitral tribunals; English proceedings are conducted by instructed English counsel, with strategy coordinated from here. This covers jurisdiction arguments, parallel proceedings and applicable-law questions.

What evidence do I need for a breach of contract or fraud claim?+

You need the underlying contract or agreement, correspondence documenting the breach or misrepresentation, and any financial records evidencing loss. In fraud and misrepresentation cases we also assess witness evidence and, where relevant, expert accounting evidence to trace assets. We advise on evidence gaps at the case assessment stage, before any formal step is taken.

What does an initial consultation cost?+

The initial consultation is confidential and without obligation — we assess your legal position, the merits of your case and the realistic range of outcomes before discussing fees. Fee arrangements are agreed individually based on the size and complexity of the dispute, and we are transparent about costs from the outset.

Facing a commercial dispute?
Let us assess your position.

Initial consultation to assess the legal merits, the strategy and the realistic range of outcomes. Confidential and without obligation.