Angelos Paphitis

Practice Areas

Angelos heads the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Practice; he has a wealth of specialist knowledge on corporate and commercial areas of the law, both in transactional projects as well as in litigation.

In terms of litigation, Angelos appears in complex and high-profile disputes before all courts in Cyprus (District and Supreme Courts), as well as in international commercial arbitrations (including in the LCIA and ICC). He has a particular interest in cases involving ex-parte injunctions and injunctive reliefs, whether in support of domestic or foreign disputes.

Furthermore, Angelos is the joint head of the FS Regulatory & Fintech Practice of the Firm, representing local and international Tech companies, Investment Firms, e-banks, and FS Institutions.

He is an authorized Insolvency Practitioner (Liquidator) and an active member of the Association of Insolvency Practitioners of Cyprus since 2015, with over 200 insolvency appointments. He is a professional Trustee, registered Trust and Estate Practitioner and a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners of the UK (STEP), a holder of the title TEP since 2005, with over 2 billion assets under trust management and over 250 trustee appointments since 2005.

Angelos further advises on local and international tax and corporate structuring, on medium and large-scale real estate matters and, on foreign investments to Cyprus. He frequently acts for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies.

Professional Memberships

- Cyprus Bar Association

- Limassol Bar Association

- Honorable Society of Gray’s Inn, London

- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)

- Cyprus Insolvency Practitioners Association

- International Bar Association

- International Tax Planning Association

- International Law Office

- International Trademarks Association

- Cyprus – Russia Business Association

- Cyprus – China Business Association

- Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry

- Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Career

Following his qualification, Angelos practised as an Advocate in Limassol, where he undertook civil and commercial litigation and advised on corporate and tax planning structures. In 2006, he founded AGPLAW | A.G. Paphitis & Co. LLC and has since led its development into a full-service firm with an international presence. As Managing Partner, he has overseen the firm’s expansion in Cyprus and abroad, regularly working between Cyprus, London, and Dubai, and supervising complex cross-border transactions, international disputes, regulatory matters, and multinational corporate structuring project

Work Highlights

Achieved the successful representation of the Seller in the landmark USD 63 million sale of the M/Y LS, a 65-meter ultra-luxury Mega yacht recognized internationally as one of its kind. The team provided end-to-end legal and commercial support, including structuring the transaction, drafting and negotiating all key sale and delivery documents, preparing over 150 critical records, and managing complex cross-border regulatory and operational requirements. The transaction was completed in just three weeks, demonstrating exceptional capability to deliver seamless execution on high-value, high-profile maritime deals.

Landmark Anton Piller Order Secured in Digital Assets Dispute: In March 2025, Angelos, together with Maria Constantinou, achieved a significant legal victory by securing an Anton Piller Order from the Limassol District Court. This rare ex parte injunction permitted the search and seizure of crucial evidence from the defendant’s premises, including digital assets like cryptocurrency wallets and electronic devices. The court’s decision was based our demonstration of a strong prima facie case, potential for serious harm without the order, risk of evidence destruction, and the proportionality of our request. This success emphasises Angelos's expertise in handling complex legal disputes involving digital assets and corporate misconduct. .

Successfully Defended Majority Shareholders in LCIA Arbitration: Angelos, together with Maria Constantinou and Timothy Frith, successfully represented the majority shareholders in a complex shareholder dispute before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). The dispute involved allegations of minority oppression and breaches of a Shareholders’ Agreement governed by Cyprus law. The tribunal fully accepted our position that Cyprus Companies Law does not allow a minority shareholder to compel a buyout of majority shareholders. As a result, it was ordered that the minority shareholder’s shares be purchased by our clients, safeguarding their control of the company.

Legal Success on Achieving Major Victory with International Mareva Injunction Worth €50 Million: My client, a UAE entity, acquired loan facilities from a Cyprus company which, in 2019, engaged in a financing agreement with a Cayman Islands Fund to invest in a new blockchain Swiss venture. These loan facilities totaled just over €70 million. However, upon acquisition, my client discovered the investment had collapsed, the project had been cancelled, and fraudulent activities appeared to benefit the fund manager and majority shareholder. The ex-parte application for a Mareva injunction was granted, effectively freezing the funds and assets of the main defendants up to €50 million. This injunction is critical in ensuring that my client's can secure their financial interests while the case proceeds.

SHARP International Representation: Actively representing electronics giant SHARP International, focusing on their EU structuring and operational strategies.

Global Trademark Registration: Currently managing the registration of over 100 trademarks for a multi-national corporation across more than 20 countries worldwide. This task involves navigating through various international intellectual property frameworks, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and numerous local trademark registries.

High-Profile Mergers & Acquisitions: Successfully handled a high-profile M&A transaction in Cyprus. My role involved representing a Joint Venture during the negotiations, conducting thorough legal and tax due diligence, and contributing to the overall evaluation for the acquisition of a major hospital in Cyprus. This project demanded an ability to efficiently manage complex, multi-faceted transactions.

Corporate Fraud of €25 million Defense: Defended 5 clients in a €25 million corporate fraud case, successfully opposing interim orders and achieving the cancellation of a court-issued interim order.

Cyprus Holding Company €47 million Legal Challenge: Engaged by a Cyprus holding company in a €47 million claim, successfully objecting to an attempt to freeze client assets and leading to the withdrawal of the claim.

Significant litigation achievement in the realm of Forex fraud. Secured a favorable judgment by consent for a group of 53 claimants against a Cypriot Investment Firm and its foreign shareholder, following a protracted nine-year legal battle. This case involved a Forex broker whose license was suspended and subsequently withdrawn by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). Successfully obtained a freezing injunction in 2014, leading to the eventual recovery of funds after the Defendants brought in money from outside Cyprus to settle the claims. The case, which alleged fraud and breach of statutory duties against the broker's directors and compliance officer, concluded with the shareholder agreeing to compensate our clients for their losses.

Industry Sector Expertise

Corporate & Commercial Law: Advising on complex transactional work, corporate governance, and commercial contracts.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation: Extensive experience in high-stakes commercial disputes before Cyprus courts and in international arbitration (LCIA, ICC).

Financial Services & Fintech: Regulatory, compliance, and advisory work for investment firms, e-banks, tech companies, and financial institutions.

Insolvency & Restructuring: Authorised insolvency practitioner with hundreds of appointments, leading corporate restructuring and insolvency processes.

Trusts & Estates / Fiduciary Services: Professional trustee and full member of STEP with significant assets under management.

High-Net-Worth Individuals & Family Offices – ongoing counsel to HNW and UHNW clients on legal, fiduciary, and structuring matters.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Cyprus

Primary jurisdiction of practice

England & Wales

Called to the Bar of England & Wales (Gray’s Inn)

International / Cross-Border Expertise:

International Arbitration (Multi-Jurisdictional)

Experience in international commercial arbitration under institutional rules such as LCIA and ICC, involving cross-border disputes.

Cross-Border Corporate & Structuring Work

Advising international investors, financial institutions, and HNW/UHNW individuals on structures involving:

EU jurisdictions

UK-linked structures

Offshore trust and holding structures

Awards

Languages Spoken

Greek

English