Full Bio
John Kyriakides serves as the Managing Partner of the firm and heads the Dispute Resolution department. He is eligible to plead before the Greek Supreme Court. He studied law in the UK and obtained his post-graduate degree (LLM) at UCL, University of London in 1999.
He regularly advises foreign clients and handles litigation with respect to cases involving defective products, acting mainly for international producers or manufacturers. He is particularly experienced in product liability in the pharmaceutical and automotive sector, often representing clients in cases involving breach of the law of obligations and torts, intellectual property, as well as agency and distribution disputes. Before the criminal courts and investigating authorities he regularly represents corporate clients acting as civil party (plaintiff) in white collar crime cases; he also acts as an attorney for the defense in cases involving criminal liability of corporate executives. He has developed the gaming & betting practice of the firm which provides regulatory, compliance and corporate advice. Additionally, he has led several internal audits and investigations.
Representative matters include:
- Acting for a leading aircraft and train manufacturer which faced a ‘defence offset’ claim totalling over €25m.
- Defending a €1bn claim against a world leading Telecoms Company arising out of alleged breach of competition filed by one major franchisee in the territory.
- Oil & Gas: Drafted and supported an Arbitration Recourse against the Greek State (competency of the Greek Supreme Court), acting on behalf of a US Oil & Gas Exploration Company for a claim in excess of €100bn (alleged nationalization of oil and gas wells).
- Acted for the private banking sector of a major foreign bank in relation to civil and criminal lawsuits initiated following the embezzlement of funds in excess of €8m by a director.
- Represented a major UK consulting, transformation and digital services company in relation to a civil and criminal dispute initiated by a Greek investor seeking damages in excess of €75m.
- In the pharma industry he has handled several lawsuits filed against pharmaceuticals for the circulation of allegedly defective drugs.
- Acted for one of the world’s leading technology companies focused on industry infrastructure and mobility in a €100m dispute with the Greek State concerning alleged defective rolling stock and breach of contract.
- Advised a major beverages company in defending a €5m claim filed by the ex- local exclusive distributor for goodwill compensation further to the termination of its distributorship agreement.
John is a Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC-Hellas), Commission on Arbitration, a Member of the Executive Committee and BoD of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Chamber’s Legislative Reform Committee and a Member of the Hellenic Society of Criminal Law. He is a native Greek speaker and is fluent in English and French. Over the years he has published several articles in legal reviews and magazines, chapters on law reviews and is often a speaker in law conferences.
“He is business-minded, always well prepared, sophisticated and gives excellent advice.”
Chambers & Partners Europe, 2023
