Marilena is a Partner in N. Pirilides & Associates LLC.
She has an in-depth knowledge and substantial experience in a spectrum of commercial law matters and transactions, including but not limited to, private and public company registrations in various jurisdictions, corporate structuring, creation and administration of international trusts, registration and execution of pledges, transfers of the corporate seat of companies to and from Cyprus, registration of national and international trademarks and general administration of companies.
She also undertakes and advises on various private client issues and immigration matters mainly relating to the acquisition of Cyprus citizenship and residence permits. Marilena also provides legal and tax advice to local and international clientele in a wide range of industries and sectors. In terms of her involvement in the Firm’s land and real estate sector, she has particular knowledge in land-registry procedures, drafting or reviewing purchase/sale of land agreements and has dealt with many real-estate cases over the years, ranging from simple acquisitions and sales by individuals to composite big-scale development projects. Her all-rounded capabilities have allowed her to offer clients tailor-made solutions and personalized advice.
She is also involved in the provision of legal consultation to Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs), providing the legal assistance essential for the acquisition of the necessary license(s) from the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission. She also regularly deals with investment management transactions, advising on corporate and regulatory issues relating to all types of investments funds (UCITS, AIFs and private equity funds).
Marilena graduated in Law and acquired an LL.M in European Law from the University of Kent in 2004 and 2005, respectively. She is a registered advocate in Cyprus and a member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 2006.
Antonia is a Partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department of N. Pirilides & Associates LLC.
Experience and areas of practice
Antonia undertakes a wide range of high – value civil and commercial matters with an international dimension, with an emphasis on corporate and commercial litigation and arbitration proceedings. She has extensive expertise in high-calibre shareholder disputes, fraud, asset tracing, registration and enforcement of foreign judgments in Cyprus as well as winding-up petitions. She has gained particular know-how in interim relief applications, such as mandatory and prohibitory orders and has successfully obtained and responded to high-value worldwide freezing injunctions.
She regularly appears in Cyprus courts for interlocutory hearings, petitions and trials, with experience in both trial and appellate advocacy.
Antonia is a licensed Insolvency Practitioner. She has been recognised as a ‘key lawyer’ by the Legal500 in 2022 and she has authored and co-authored various articles on the matters of ‘Fraud’, ‘Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Cyprus’ and ‘Insolvency’.
Education
Antonia graduated in Law from the University of Southampton in 2013. Following completion of the Bar Professional Training Course at The University of Law in London in 2014, she was called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. She subsequently joined our Firm in 2014 as a trainee advocate and is a member of the Cyprus Bar Association as of 2015.
Sample Work
• Acting on behalf of a Ukrainian high-net worth individual in a multi-million dispute regarding Ukrainian and Russian trademarks, seeking damages in the approximate amount of US$26 million for breach of trust and conspiracy to defraud.
• Representing a minority shareholder of a company, owner of a hotel of €28 million value, in the context of winding-up proceedings, requesting the buy-out of his shares by the majority shareholders due to oppression exercised against the client. The case was successfully settled via the signing of a Shareholders’ Agreement.
• Represented a HNWI in filing a petition for the registration, recognition and enforcement a Ukrainian judgment in Cyprus, for the amount of UAH 54 million. The application was successful and the judgment was registered in Cyprus.
• Represented the 50% shareholder of one of the most profitable and successful online gaming companies in Europe. A winding – up petition was filed for the dissolution of the company due to the fact that a deadlock emerged between the shareholders of the company. A provisional liquidator was appointed for the preservation of the assets of the company after the issue of a Court Order, ex-parte.
• Acted on behalf of the ultimate beneficial owner of a forex company against whom worldwide freezing injunctions, up to the amount of approximately US$4 million, were issued in aid of English proceedings for conspiracy to defraud. The worldwide freezing injunctions were successfully revoked, after the hearing, and the petition was withdrawn altogether.
Memberships
• The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
• Companies, Tax Planning and Capital Markets Committee, Cyprus Bar Association
• Insolvency Practitioners – Sub-Committee, Cyprus Bar Association
N. Pirilides & Associates LLC is a preeminent specialist firm of commercial disputes lawyers, best known for their highly experienced commercial litigation advice, concerning both cross-border litigation and international arbitration. The team is directly involved in handling every case and combining innovative thinking and creative approach to realise client’s best interests. With 40 years of experience in the local and international legal arena, the firm has built a formidable reputation for achieving exceptional results in high-value commercial disputes.
Dispute resolution is a core practice of our firm, which has three full time partners focused entirely on commercial litigation and international arbitration. All of our members have an outstanding UK academic background, possess in-depth knowledge of Cyprus law, and work closely with international firms.
Our firm stands out and is well recognised for the following areas:
• Fraud: We are highly experienced in high value, cross–border and multi-party fraud disputes. Such fraud claims are usually accompanied by creative interim remedies for the preservation of assets and the collection of information.
• Injunctions: Successfully obtaining and responding to high-value worldwide freezing orders and other interim mandatory or prohibitory injunctions, including ancillary orders in aid of international litigation or arbitration.
• Shareholders’ disputes: We frequently act for shareholders (minority and majority), directors and companies involved in major shareholder disputes including derivative actions, actions against directors, winding-up petitions, and unfair prejudice/oppression matters. We also advise on conspiracy to defraud claims involving the pursuit of asset recovery remedies and applications for interim measures.
• Insolvency: We regularly advise creditors, shareholders and directors of companies in administration, liquidation or receivership. Our team has strong experience of dealing with statutory demands, winding-up petitions and other insolvency related matters. As a specialist litigation firm, our conflict free status enables us to initiate and defend proceedings against financial institutions in all types of complex disputes.
• Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments: We are exceptionally experienced in initiating and defending petitions relating to the registration, recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, such as English, Russian or Ukrainian judgments with the parallel issue of interim freezing injunctions in order to safeguard the assets placed within the jurisdiction.
• Contractual disputes: We are expert in advancing and defending contractual disputes, arising out of all types of commercial transactions, at all levels of the Cypriot Courts.
• Construction and infrastructure disputes: We are dealing with infrastructure and construction disputes both before the courts and in arbitration proceedings, acting either on behalf of or against the project owner, the contractor or the architect.
