A death in the family, a road accident, a criminal charge or complaint — these are matters that touch a person's life directly, often at a difficult or frightening moment. They call for straight talk and steady judgment as much as legal technique. A private client lawyer in Athens works to a different standard of discretion, because the matters are personal rather than corporate.
At Pantazis & Associates, our private client practice handles the everyday personal legal matters individuals and families actually face: contested inheritances and cross-border estates under Greek succession law, compensation claims for road traffic accident victims, and representation in criminal proceedings — whether as the accused or as a victim seeking damages.
Greek succession law reserves a mandatory portion of an estate for certain heirs, regardless of what a will says — and if an inheritance is not formally accepted or renounced within the legal deadline, heirs can find themselves liable for the deceased's debts. Clients are often surprised by both. Cross-border families are the norm rather than the exception for a private client lawyer in Athens.
We advise individuals and families across a wide range of circumstances: Greek nationals and members of the Greek diaspora, foreign nationals living in or visiting Greece, road accident victims and their families, and people facing criminal proceedings as either the accused or the injured party. Many of our clients have never needed a lawyer before and are dealing with an unfamiliar system at a stressful time. These conversations are confidential from the first call.
Our private client practice is organised across six areas, each handled with the same combination of directness and precision. Whether the matter is a contested inheritance, a road traffic accident claim, a criminal case, or one of the related personal matters we handle closely with our Real Estate and Litigation teams — we bring a full-service, firm-wide capability to it.
First principle
Care, without losing directness
Personal legal matters deserve patience and discretion — but also a lawyer who tells you plainly where you stand and what to do next.
Greek succession law
Renunciation deadlines are strict
Inheriting an estate also means inheriting its debts unless renounced in time. Heirs need to act quickly, not after the deadline has passed.
Road traffic accidents
Insurers move fast — you should too
Early medical and accident-report evidence shapes the value of a claim. Waiting to instruct a lawyer can weaken a case that should have been straightforward.
Criminal proceedings
Victims have rights too, not just the accused
Under Greek criminal procedure, victims can join proceedings as a civil party to claim damages directly — a route many people are never told about.